Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
It would appear your plans for Thanksgiving 2021 are all set!
While Auburn will spend Thanksgiving 2020 at Disney World, their Thanksgiving 2021 destination will be a little more tropical.
Sources: Michigan State, UConn, Syracuse, Arizona State, Auburn, VCU, and Loyola-Chicago are expected to headline the 2021 Battle 4 Atlantis.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 23, 2020
8th team is currently TBD.
The Battle 4 Atlantis has become one of the best non-conference tournaments to be a part of, which Auburn will be for the first time in 2021. The tournament is usually played on the Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of Thanksgiving week so that would mean November 24-26 if that schedule continues to align.
As far as the field joining Auburn in the 2021 tournament:
Michigan State - This will be the second straight year Auburn and Sparty will be in the same preseason tournament with both teams playing in this year’s Orlando Invitational. Auburn last played Michigan State in 1989, a 92-79 Spartans win. That is the schools only all-time meeting.
Syracuse - The Tigers have only met Syracuse once when this freshmen named Carmelo Anthony was in the midst of leading the Orange to a National Championship back in 2003. The Orange ended Auburn’s run through the 2003 NCAA Tournament with a 79-78 win the Sweet 16, Auburn’s last tournament appearance before 2018.
Connecticut - The Huskies will rejoin the Big East this season and have played Auburn much more recently with the teams playing a home and home series during the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 seasons. Both games were won by Auburn, including a 89-64 win on December 23, 2017 in Auburn Arena. Ironically, the teams only other meeting came back in 1989, a day after Auburn met up with Michigan State as I mentioned above.
Arizona State - Bobby Hurley is on a roll recruiting right now but it remains to be seen what his 2021 roster will look like, like with all teams. The Sun Devils look poised to be a favorite in the Conference of Champions this season. Auburn and Arizona State have never played each other.
VCU - Auburn is 4-1 all-time against VCU but haven’t played each other since 1988. Most Auburn fans know VCU as the school Samir Doughty transferred from (thank you very much) and the school where Will Wade formerly coached before heading to LSU.
Loyola-Chicago - The Cinderella Story from the 2018 NCAA Tournament, the Ramblers have remained towards the top of the Missouri Valley Conference the last 2 seasons. The Tigers and Ramblers have never played each other.
There’s an 8th team which will be announced at a later date.
All in all, it’s exciting to get some scheduling news as this joins a road game at Saint Louis on the 2021-2022 schedule.
from College and Magnolia - All Posts https://www.collegeandmagnolia.com/2020/4/23/21233236/auburn-to-play-in-2021-battle-4-atlantis
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