When the MVP of a tournament tells you it’s not worth it, you ought to listen to him. Especially when the man is Charles Barkley himself, who led the Auburn Tigers to a South Eastern Conference (SEC) Tournament win in 1984. Elected as the MVP, Barkley couldn’t secure an NCAA championship for his team during his three seasons at Auburn. So he has first-hand experience of what it feels like to be satisfied with smaller prizes while missing your chance on bigger rewards. And he wants no more of it for his alma mater.

In a recent ESPN video, debates sparked over whether teams should go all-out in the SEC Tournament or conserve energy for the NCAA championship. Barkley didn’t hesitate to side with the idea of holding back.

He said, “Yeah, we won the SEC tournament last year and got bounced right away. But listen, we’re going to be a number one or a number two seed. Like I say, I’m not sure we should go crazy trying to win three games…”

For those not caught up with college basketball, Auburn defeated Florida Gators by 86–67 to secure the title in 2024. So far, Auburn University has claimed three SEC tournament titles but not even a single NCAA championship. No wonder Charles Barkley is tired of seeing his team burn themselves out before the real prize is even in reach.

The SEC Tournament is nice, but it’s time for Auburn to aim higher. And there are multiple areas the team could work on, aside from relaxing a bit during the SEC tourney.

Where did the Auburn Tigers lack in winning the 2024 NCAA Championship?

Auburn fans had high hopes for a deep tournament run, but the Tigers couldn’t put it all together when it mattered most. So, what went wrong? Let’s start with the guards’ inconsistency. Bruce Pearl’s teams are usually loaded with explosive backcourt talent, and 2024 was no different. Auburn had plenty of guards, with multiple players averaging at least 13.5 minutes per game. But none of them could provide steady performances.

Chad Baker-Mazara was probably the most reliable wing, and even he came off the bench. Meanwhile, KD Johnson and other guards struggled to step up late in games. Aden Holloway’s shooting was a major concern—just 23.6 percent in losses—while Denver Jones wasn’t much better at 36 percent.

And then there’s Auburn’s rebounding problem. The Tigers gave up 11.5 offensive rebounds per game, ranking a disappointing 314th nationally. In games where they allowed 13 or more, they went just 5-3. Charles Barkley’s alma mater couldn’t keep opponents off the glass even with a strong frontcourt.

When you stitch all those struggles, it’s easy to see why Auburn didn’t make a serious championship push in 2024. Now it’s to see if they can make a difference this year and if they’d be taking Charles Barkley’s SEC tourney advice to lighten their burden.