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For the first time since 2009 - and the first time since Couch Terri Williams-Flournoy has been at Auburn - the ladies are going to the NCAA Tournament!
Even with Auburn's exit in the SEC Tournament's third round, there was still hope for Auburn to make it. It looked questionable when SEC play started back in January, but Auburn's schedule was front-loaded with the best of the SEC. A win over Missouri in the conference tournament's first round and then a good match-up against 1st seed (and eventual conference champion and national 1st seed) South Carolina helped the Tigers become one of quite a few SEC teams to make the tournament.
ESPN's final bracketology had the Tigers as a #10 seed in the Bridgeport Region of the Bracket, with a trip to Los Angeles to face 7th seeded BYU and then the winner of #2 UCLA and its opponent. The final actual bracket came out just a bit differently, though. Auburn actually snagged the #9 seed in the Dallas Regional (which is in Waco, apparently?) and will face #8 St. Johns. The winner of that game will face the winner of #16 Idaho vs #1 Baylor.
Waco will host first and second rounds of the Dallas Regional! #SelectionMonday https://t.co/9WNdzezJpF pic.twitter.com/ToFfkUo6EA
— NCAA Women's BKB (@ncaawbb) March 14, 2016
Here is the complete set of match-ups for the Dallas Regional.
At Waco, Texas
1 Baylor
16 Idaho
8 St. John's
9 Auburn
At College Station, Texas
5 Florida State
12 Middle Tennessee
4 Texas A&M
13 Missouri State
At Louisville
6 DePaul
11 James Madison
3 Louisville
14 Central Arkansas
At Corvallis, Oregon
7 Oklahoma State
10 St. Bonaventure
2 Oregon State
15 Troy
After last season's struggles, there were questions among some fans on whether Coach Flo would be on the hot seat in 2015/16. I stated that this season was likely to be better and if it wasn't, then 2016/17 would be the hot seat. Coach Flo answered the questions of any doubters, though, and got her Tigers into the NCAA Tournament.
This is her fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Previously, she took Georgetown to the Dance, falling in the 2nd round in 2009/10 and 2011/12, but making it to the Sweet Sixteen in 2010/11. The last time Auburn advanced to the Sweet Sixteen was 1996.