Auburn released its full schedule for the 2012-2013 basketball season today. The Tigers play a handful of formidable opponents in the opening month of the season before playing 18 conference games.
Auburn will play in the Charleston Classic Nov. 15-18 in what is a solid field from top to bottom. The Tigers open the Classic against a Murray State team coming off its best season in school history. Murray State returns senior All-American Isaiah Canaan, who is deadly from 3-point range. The rest of the field includes Colorado, Baylor, College of Charleston, Dayton and St. Johns. Regardless of previous results, Auburn will play Boston College in the tournament finale on Nov. 21.
The Tigers return to the Plains and host DePaul in the SEC/Big East Challenge on Nov. 30 and wrap up the pre-SEC schedule with a game against Illinois at Chicago's United Center and a home game against Florida State, a 3-seed in last year's NCAA Tournament.
The SEC schedule increases from 16 to 18 games this year, and Auburn will play its toughest conference schedule in some time--definitely the toughest in the young Tony Barbee era. The Tigers open up conference play against LSU on Jan. 9 at Auburn Arena. Auburn hosts Kentucky on Jan. 19 and travels to Vanderbilt on Jan. 23., two tournament teams that will provide tough tests. Auburn will make a return trip to Kentucky on Feb. 9 and will host Vandy on March 2nd. The Tigers host rival Alabama on Feb. 6 and make the trip to Tuscaloosa to face the Tide on Feb. 26.
The SEC tournament will be held at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville March 13-17.