Auburn will play Houston in the 2023 NCAA Tournament’s second round, one of two 1/8 matches between SEC teams on Saturday. This is the first meeting between the Tigers and Cougars since the 1982-83 season, a head-to-head series in which Houston has a combined 6-1 advantage.
Auburn, whose vote is no. The 9 seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament defeated the No. 1 team in the first round. Iowa, the eighth seed, won the game 83-75. The Tigers, led by head coach Bruce Pearl, improved to 21-12 overall with the victory and are making their second consecutive trip to the Round of 32.
The Tigers are one of the best teams in the country when it comes to blocked shots with 5.1 BPG and are averaging 73 points per game offensively for the year. They also give up 67.3 points per game. With 14.2 points per game and 8.5 rebounds per game, forward Johni Broome leads the Tigers. Auburn has a few other players who have a big impact, including Wendell Green Jr., Jaylin Williams, Allen Flanigan, and KD Johnson.
Who is the No. 1 city? defeated the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region. Northern Kentucky, the 16th seed, won by a score of 63-52 in the first round. The Cougars, led by head coach Kelvin Sampson, won the AAC regular season title, are 32-3 overall, and they have made it to at least the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in a row.
The nation’s top team is the Cougars. Kenpom ranks them as the No. 1 team heading into Saturday. No. 2 in the nation in terms of points allowed per game with only 56.4 PPG, but they also average 74.7 PPG on offense. With 16.7 points per game, Houston’s First Team All-American and AAC Player of the Year Marcus Sasser leads the way. On the Cougars’ side, Jarace Walker, J’Wan Roberts, Jamal Shead, and Tramon Mark all have significant impact.