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Mar 28, 2024
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Men's Basketball Looks Ahead To 2013-14 Season
It was just another season of struggles for the Auburn basketball program. Filled with injuries, minutes without scoring, no inside presence and loss after loss after loss, to call the 2012-13 season anything short of a nightmare would be inaccurate.

The only positive is that the year is over.

With Auburn’s 72-61 defeat to Texas A&M in the SEC Tournament last Wednesday, the conference’s last-place finisher can finally move ahead in hopes to regain any kind of winning ways. With Josh Wallace, Frankie Sullivan, Dylan Spencer, Noel Johnson and Rob Chubb departing, the future actually looks bright for the Tigers, who have talented young players.

Coach Tony Barbee will see the team’s second highest scorer, Chris Denson, back on the court in the fall along with Jordan Price, who shot 39 percent beyond the three-point arc.

Barbee sits at 35-59 after three years leading the Tigers, including a 12-38 mark in the SEC. But that’s nothing compared to the 10-game losing streak Auburn ended the season on.

With their last win coming against Alabama on Feb. 6, Auburn also lost six games prior to beating its arch-rival, ending a six-game losing streak after starting conference play 2-0.

While 11 of Auburn’s 23 losses came by single digits, the Tigers also saw losses by as many as 31 to Florida and 33 to Ole Miss.

The basketball program has not held true consistency with success since making recent appearances in the NIT in 1998, 2001 and 2009 and the NCAA Tournament in 1999, 2000 and 2003.

But, again, the end of a season only means the grind into a new one begins. And although Auburn remains as sub-par as it has been since making the 2009 NIT, Barbee may have a few tricks up his sleeve with the talent he has on the court next fall.

Athletic director Jay Jacobs issued a statement of support for Barbee last Friday, ending speculation about Barbee's job security.