March Madness 2025: No.1 Auburn defeats No. 5 Michigan 78-65 to reach into the Elite Eight

No. 4 Michigan was defeated 78-65 by No. 1 Auburn, who advanced to the Elite Eight with a dominant second-half performance.

The Tigers launched a remarkable 20-2 run, transforming a 48-39 deficit into a commanding lead. Michigan had a nine-point advantage with 12:26 remaining, but just five minutes later, they found themselves trailing by the same margin.

Denver Jones was instrumental during this surge, scoring eight consecutive points as Auburn extended their lead. He connected on two 3-pointers and a layup in three consecutive possessions, pushing the Tigers ahead 59-50.

Auburn took control before Johni Broome and Chad Baker-Mazara each picked up their fourth fouls. With both players sidelined, Tahaad Pettiford stepped up, contributing eight straight points to extend the Tigers’ lead to 13 with less than five minutes left.

Next, Auburn will face second-seeded Michigan State at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, vying for a place in the Final Four. This victory also ensured that Michigan and Michigan State would not meet in the NCAA tournament for the first time in history.

Prior to their impressive run, Auburn struggled to resemble the top overall seed in the tournament, appearing more like a team on the verge of elimination. The first half saw both teams combine for 18 turnovers, which were largely due to a series of unforced mistakes rather than exceptional defense, a trend that continued into the second half.

Broome concluded the game with an impressive 22 points and 16 rebounds, as the Tigers dominated the boards, out-rebounding the Wolverines by 13.

Half of the Elite Eight are from the SEC

During the NCAA tournament, the SEC has supported its dominance over the rest of college basketball this season. 14 of the 68 teams in the conference’s men’s tournament field—four of which are still competing—set a new record.

This was made quite clear when Bruce Pearl, the coach of Auburn, yelled “S-E-C” alongside his team during his CBS postgame interview.

Indeed, it’s feasible for all four teams to reach the Final Four. Alongside Auburn, Florida, Tennessee, and Alabama have also made it to the Elite Eight. Each of these schools was ranked among the top eight seeds when the bracket was unveiled, and both the Tigers and Gators are expected to be favored in their upcoming Elite Eight games.

Historically, no conference has ever managed to dominate the Final Four. The closest any conference has come to achieving this feat was in 1985 when the Big East secured three of the four semifinal spots.

Auburn is just one victory away from its first Final Four appearance since 2019, when the Tigers, as a No. 5 seed, triumphed over No. 1 North Carolina and No. 2 Kentucky during the tournament’s second weekend. This marked the only time in the school’s history that they reached the Final Four and was only the second occasion the Tigers made it to the Elite Eight.

On the other hand, Michigan has been eliminated from the NCAA tournament in the Sweet 16 during its first tournament appearance since 2022. The Wolverines have reached the Sweet 16 in each of their last six tournament appearances, following a first-round exit as a No. 11 seed in 2016.