Bruce Pearl refused to stay on topic.When CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson tried to ask about Auburn’s upcoming matchup with Michigan State, Pearl steered the conversation in a different direction.“How about the SEC?” the Auburn head coach enthusiastically shouted.
Then Pearl led his fist-pumping players in a round of “S-E-C” chants.The whole Auburn team mobbed Bruce Pearl in his postgame interview 🤣#MarchMadness@AuburnMBBpic.twitter.
com/HnCPm2jUj8— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 29, 2025This year’s SEC has reason to crow after backing up the season-long hype that it was perhaps the strongest conference in college basketball history. Half the Elite Eight hails from the SEC after No. 1 overall seed Auburn secured its place with a 78-65 victory over fifth-seeded Michigan on Friday night.
This weekend, it will be the four national championship contenders from this season’s dominant conference against the four leading challengers to SEC supremacy. Saturday will feature No. 1 Florida vs.
No. 3 Texas Tech and No. 2 Alabama vs.
No. 1 Duke. Sunday will follow with No.
2 Tennessee vs. No. 1 Houston and No.
1 Auburn vs. No. 2 Michigan State.
The 2016 ACC was the most recent conference to send four teams to the Elite Eight, when North Carolina, Syracuse, Virginia and Notre Dame all reached the regional finals. The 2009 Big East was the first to do it with Louisville, Pittsburgh, Villanova and UConn.This is the first time that one conference has four Elit.