Auburn travels to Alabama today for its regular season finale. Will it be one of Jeff Lebo's final games with the Tigers? Here's how my story for today's paper starts:
AUBURN, Ala. — The Auburn men’s basketball team could finish anywhere from third to fifth in the SEC West once today’s regular season finale at Alabama (1:30 p.m., FOX-54) is over.
The bigger question that looms is if it will be the last regular season game Jeff Lebo coaches with the Tigers.
Although both parties have remained mum on the subject, Lebo and athletic director Jay Jacobs plan to meet after the season to discuss the future of the program and whether it includes the sixth-year coach.
“I certainly hope that I’ll have the support of the administration,” Lebo told several media outlets Thursday.
Auburn (15-15, 6-9 SEC) has played better lately, winning five straight at home to close out Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum and staying competitive in close losses on the road. But the Tigers will still finish with a sub-.500 SEC record for the fifth time in Lebo’s six seasons.
Quick recap of what's at stake today in terms of SEC tournament seeding:
Auburn is the No. 3 seed in the West if ...
- The Tigers beat Alabama and Arkansas loses to Ole Miss. (Auburn would win by virtue of a better divisional record.)
- The Tigers beat Alabama and Arkansas beats Ole Miss. (Arkansas would have a better conference record.)
- The Tigers lose to Alabama and South Carolina loses to Vanderbilt. (The fifth tiebreaker, best record vs. East division teams in descending order, comes into play. Auburn beat Georgia, while Alabama did not.)
- The Tigers lose to Alabama and South Carolina beats Vanderbilt. (Again, the fifth tiebreaker, best record vs. East division teams in descending order, comes into play. Alabama beat South Carolina, while Auburn did not.)
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