Momentum and success have both been on Auburn's side this season.
The Tigers are 15-1, one of two unbeaten teams in the SEC, and a projected single-digit seed in Jerry Palm's latest bracketology despite missing rising sophomore center Austin Wiley. Which is good news, because Thursday the NCAA ruled Wiley ineligible until the 2018-19 season following Auburn's decision to self-report violations involving recruiting, extra benefits and agent-related activity.
Wiley started 22 games and averaged 8.8 points and 4.7 rebounds as a freshman last season but, as a result of the FBI's probe into corruption and bribery within the sport that implicated Tigers assistant Chuck Person this past summer, has been held out of every game this season along with redshirt sophomore Danjel Purifoy.
Auburn can appeal the decision to the Division I Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement, and the decision can be modified if the university is able to present new information in the case that warrants additional review.
