Over the 32 days leading up to college basketball season, we’re profiling 32 different teams who could be in the NIT mix, aided in this effort by those who know them best (or the closest we could get). Today, the third member of the Sickos CBB Committee responds by direct message to our questions about Auburn.
The Sickos are, well, Sickos. They embody what The Onion cartoonist Stan Kelly created in the recurring character which leers in through the window, cackling, “Yes… Ha Ha Ha… YES!” From the Ottawa Senators to MACtion, Sickos have a prime place in the sporting world. You can find the work of this specific college basketball sicko on Twitter/X at @SickosCBB.
Here’s the full list of 32 for 32’s published so far, with links:
- Auburn, with the Sickos CBB Committee
- BYU, with Mitch Harper
- Cincinnati, with Zach Fries
- Dayton, with Tyler Cronin
- Duquesne, with Tristan Freeman
- Indiana, with Matt Cox
- Iona, with Sam Federman
- Iowa State, with Joe Stunardi
- James Madison, with Bennett Conlin
- Loyola, with Ky McKeon
- Michigan, with the Sickos CBB Committee
- Missouri, with Jim Root
- North Texas, with Harry Miers
- Northwestern, with John Templon
- Notre Dame, with Stuart McGrath
- Ohio State, with Mark Titus
- Oregon State, with Andy Dieckhoff
- Penn State, with DJ Bauer
- South Carolina, with Brian Rauf
- St. Bonaventure, with SBUnfurled
- St. John’s, with the Sickos CBB Committee
- Syracuse, with the Marshall Street Podcast
- Texas, with NIT Stu
- Utah, with Andrew Crowley
- Virginia Tech, with Ken Pomeroy
- Washington State, with Dave Andersen
- Wisconsin, with Cole Amundson
The Barking Crow: Aside from a few moments last season when we thought Auburn might pull off one of the greatest backdoor NIT entries of the century (a real “Irish Hello,” if you will), the Tigers were never really in the NIT picture. How can the program fix that this year and get down into our terrain?
In the transfer portal era, everyone’s got a whole slate of newcomers, and Auburn’s no exception. At the same time, we’re currently seeing the last of the guys using their covid eligibility – one of our players was in school when I graduated, and now I’m uh… several years older…
After a decade and a Final Four appearance, I trust Bruce to develop the guys from an X’s and O’s perspective, but chemistry could definitely get us into the NIT.
TBC: Prior to 1998, Auburn had never won an NIT game, and it wasn’t because they were spending every March in the NC** *****ament. It’s especially impressive, then, that Auburn’s been so good these last few years. What constitutes a good season right now for Auburn hoops, and what would the answer to that have been ten years ago?
Ten years ago, I could buy a seat at the very top of the brand new Auburn arena, and then move right down to courtside – I know because I did it twice. Back then, I’m not sure there was such a thing as a good season – plenty of quality players came and went, but very few got to see moments like Cimmeon Bowers’ point guard tenure.
(Which is a shame, because that man was a workhorse, but I digress.)
Nowadays, this fanbase has gotten hooked on March basketball, and nothing short of an NIT title or a second weekend appearance in the big tournament would satisfy.
TBC: Continuing with this line of questioning: Where, to Auburn fans, does men’s basketball’s importance rank among all Auburn sports?
There’s definitely a generational divide here. Among the older fans, football is still king, but we’ll show up for anyone who’s competitive – softball, gymnastics, and even golf have had their time in the spotlight. For my generation (young millennials/early gen-z), men’s basketball has been by far the most consistently great show on campus since Bruce took the job, and after the last few years of football, a good number of us don’t even pay attention until the balls hit the hardwood.
TBC: One of the most heartwarming things about the NIT is seeing teams’ rival fanbases, whom you would think would wish their rivals ill, cheering uproariously when their rival makes the NIT. Who would be the happiest to see Auburn make the 2024 NIT, and who would be the second-happiest?
The University of Alabama, being such fans of the House that Barkley Built, would love to see us in the NIT. After that, there are a myriad of choices – Tennessee, Arkansas, San Diego State, Gonzaga, and Memphis have all enjoyed interactions with Auburn Twitter over the last few years.
TBC: You are, of course, a Sicko. What’s the most Sicko thing about this year’s Auburn team?
I’ll hold my judgement until I can see the team with my own eyes – sadly, I wasn’t able to make the drive for the exhibition last week – but I’d like to take the opportunity to remind your readers that Ty Jerome double dribbled!
TBC: Between Hugh Freeze and Bruce Pearl: Which would you trust more with your money? Which would you trust more with your life?
Easily Bruce on both counts. I’m not sure I’d trust Hugh with his own Twitter account – and depending who you ask, apparently the university doesn’t either.
TBC: Dare we dream of an Auburn NIT title?
Under Pearl, anything is possible, but I think we might have to settle for the ~other~ tournament :/
