After its best season ever, Auburn is a top-5 team.
In the final coaches poll, released Tuesday morning, Auburn is ranked No. 5 in the nation behind No. 1 Virginia, No. 2 Texas Tech, No. 3 Michigan State and No. 4 Duke.
Auburn entered the NCAA Tournament ranked No. 18 in the poll before its nation-leading 12-game winning streak propelled the Tigers to the program's first Final Four in program history. The Tigers were No. 14 in the AP poll before entering March Madness, but the Associated Press does not release a post-national championship poll.
This is Auburn's best finish in program history since the coaches poll began publishing a post-national championship top 25 in 1993-94.
After a 2-4 start in SEC play spelled frustration on The Plains, Auburn went on to win its first SEC Tournament title since 1985. The Tigers earned a 5-seed in the Midwest Regional of the NCAA Tournament, holding off New Mexico State in a thriller before becoming the first team in college basketball history to beat the three winningest programs in the sport — Kansas, North Carolina and Kentucky — consecutively en route to a Final Four showdown with would-be national champion Virginia.
Auburn fell in the final seconds to Virginia after the Cavaliers' Kyle Guy was fouled by Samir Doughty on a 3-point attempt.
The Tigers finished the season at 30-10, their first 30-win campaign in school history.
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Nathan King, senior in journalism with a minor in business, is The Plainsman's sports editor.
