Auburn advances to the 2025 NCAA Championship to defend its national championship after winning three consecutive regionals. Champion mentality.

The Auburn Tigers are headed back to where they belong—the pinnacle of collegiate athletics. After three grueling but triumphant regional rounds, Auburn has advanced to the 2025 NCAA Championship and is now just a few days away from the opportunity to defend its national crown. The Tigers have proven once again that winning isn’t just about talent; it’s about resilience, focus, and belief.

Auburn’s return to the championship stage represents more than just another tournament run. It’s the culmination of months of grueling practices, adversity, criticism, and internal challenges. It’s the product of what head coach Bruce Pearl calls the team’s “champion mentality”—a mindset forged not just in moments of glory, but in the trenches of doubt and the crucible of expectation.

Auburn’s path to the NCAA Championship was anything but easy. Entering the regional rounds as a top-10 seed, the Tigers were immediately put to the test by relentless opponents eager to take down the defending champs.

The first regional nearly saw Auburn’s season cut short. Facing a feisty and underrated mid-major team, the Tigers had to claw their way back from a double-digit second-half deficit. Senior guard Denver Jones—one of the few holdovers from last year’s championship squad—rallied the team with a game-high 26 points, including a pair of cold-blooded three-pointers that sent the game into overtime. Auburn prevailed 81-76, learning early that nothing would be handed to them this time.

“That game woke us up,” Jones said afterward. “We realized real quick—we’re not last year’s team. We gotta go earn it all over again.”

In the second regional, Auburn put the rest of the country on notice. Matched against a perennial Big Ten powerhouse, the Tigers dismantled their opposition with suffocating defense and unselfish ball movement. Johni Broome, Auburn’s dominant big man, recorded a 20-point, 15-rebound double-double, while sophomore wing Aden Holloway dropped 18 points and dished out 9 assists.

“This was the moment we looked like champions again,” Pearl said. “We played our brand of basketball—fast, physical, and fearless.”

Auburn’s 79-61 win sent shockwaves through the tournament, and analysts began to believe that the Tigers might be peaking at exactly the right time.

The third regional was the ultimate trial. Facing an SEC rival they’d lost to earlier in the season, Auburn entered with a chip on their shoulder. The game was physical from start to finish—foul trouble, tempers flaring, and moments of pure chaos. But once again, the champion mentality rose above the noise.

K.D. Johnson, the emotional spark plug of the team, stepped up in a way only he could. He scored 17 points off the bench and drew two critical charges in the final minutes. Auburn escaped with a 68-66 win, punching its ticket to the Final Four and ultimately the championship stage.

Championship teams aren’t built on talent alone—they’re shaped by leadership, accountability, and unity. For the 2025 Tigers, leadership has come in multiple forms.

Johni Broome’s decision to return for his senior season was a defining moment for this team. As a veteran leader, Broome has been the emotional and strategic center of Auburn’s identity. His dominance in the paint, combined with a vastly improved mid-range game, has made him one of the most valuable players in the nation.

Meanwhile, Denver Jones and K.D. Johnson have provided the experience and grit needed to keep the team grounded. Jones is the silent assassin—methodical, efficient, and lethal from deep. Johnson is the emotional engine, bringing fire to every possession.

“This team would not be here without those guys,” Coach Pearl stated. “They’ve set the tone every day. They remind the younger players what it takes to be champions.

Auburn’s youth movement has been instrumental this season. Sophomore Aden Holloway has taken the leap many hoped for. His decision-making, court vision, and shooting have made him the team’s primary playmaker. Tahaad Pettiford, a freshman phenom, has also come alive in the postseason with electrifying bursts of offense and lockdown defense.

Don’t overlook Dylan Cardwell, either. The senior forward has embraced a gritty, lunch-pail role—protecting the rim, boxing out, and energizing the crowd with his hustle.

“The vets lead us, but the young guys push us,” Broome said. “That mix keeps us sharp.”

Love him or hate him, there’s no denying the impact Bruce Pearl has had on Auburn basketball. Since arriving on the Plains, he has transformed the program from SEC afterthought into national powerhouse. Now, with the Tigers back in the title hunt, Pearl’s philosophy is proving itself once again.

“Coach always talks about edge,” Holloway said. “He wants us to play with an edge, practice with an edge, even talk with an edge. That’s how champions are made.”

Pearl’s emphasis on defense, tempo, and mental toughness has created a culture of sustained excellence. His ability to connect with players—both as a motivator and a mentor—has been crucial in keeping this team hungry despite the weight of expectations.

“He never lets us relax,” said Jones. “He celebrates wins, but then it’s right back to work. That’s why we’re here again.”

Ask anyone inside Auburn’s locker room what has fueled this run, and they’ll tell you: it’s the champion mentality.

But what exactly is that?

“It’s not just about winning,” Broome explained. “It’s about how you show up every day. Do you lift like a champion? Do you communicate like a champion? Do you own your mistakes like a champion? That’s the mentality.”

Pearl defines it as “confidence without complacency.” He pushes his players to be aware of their abilities while constantly striving for growth. That fine balance has carried Auburn through countless obstacles this season.

From overcoming early-season losses to battling injuries and off-court distractions, the Tigers have maintained their focus. They’ve stayed humble in victory and resilient in defeat.

“That mindset is what separates the good from the great,” Pearl said. “That’s what got us here.”

Auburn’s work is far from over. Standing between them and a second straight national title is one final challenge—the 2025 NCAA Championship game against a surging opponent equally determined to seize the moment.

“We know what’s at stake,” Broome said. “This is the last dance for a lot of us. We want to finish the story the right way.”

Pearl echoed that sentiment, urging his team to savor the moment but stay locked in.

“We didn’t come this far just to come this far,” Pearl said. “We came here to make history.”

Should the Tigers win, they’ll become the first back-to-back NCAA men’s basketball champion since the Florida Gators in 2006-07. They’ll elevate the program into an elite class of sustained excellence and secure Bruce Pearl’s legacy among the game’s coaching greats.

But regardless of the outcome, Auburn has already accomplished something extraordinary. They’ve proven that culture matters, that experience and youth can co-exist, and that the heart of a champion isn’t measured by banners—but by belief.

In a sport where dynasties are rare and parity reigns, the Auburn Tigers are on the verge of something truly special. Their return to the NCAA Championship isn’t just a sequel to last year’s story—it’s a testament to their commitment, their culture, and their champion mentality.

They’ve stared down adversity, silenced critics, and battled through the fire of March. Now, just one game stands between them and a historic repeat.

As the Tigers prepare for the final test, one thing is clear: this team is built different. And win or lose, their legacy will echo far beyond the buzzer.

Because champions aren’t made when the confetti falls—they’re made long before, in the grit, grind, and guts that define Auburn basketball.