Is today the day?

Is it the day the Auburn women’s basketball team breaks out of a four-year NCAA Tournament drought and breaks into the 64-team field?

Until 6 p.m. tonight, no one knows for sure.

That’s when the NCAA Tournament Selection Special airs on ESPN (Channel 28 in Lee County). The one-hour show will unveil the entire field.

And Auburn’s players and coaches will be watching closely.

The Tigers are gathering at head coach Nell Fortner’s house to watch the show. It’s the third time in Fortner’s four seasons at AU that the team has tuned in with suspense.

The previous two times, the Tigers watched the show in their locker room in Beard-Eaves-Memorial Coliseum. Each time, they’ve walked away disappointed.

This time, they’re hoping the change of scenery will pay off.

Experts around the country are divided on Auburn’s chances. The Tigers finished the regular season 20-11 and 7-7 in the Southeastern Conference. According to collegerpi.com, AU is 60th in the RPI ratings.

Auburn, the sixth seed in the SEC Tournament, won its opening-round game before losing a 49-44 squeaker to third-seeded Vanderbilt. Most observers agreed the Tigers had to win at least one game in the conference tourney.

But was one enough?

No one can be certain.

Jerry Palm, the proprietor of collegerpi.com, predicted AU would be among the 64 teams selected for the tournament. In a bracket projection posted on March 9, Palm identified AU as one of the last four teams to make the field, as a 12-seed.

Another forecaster, ESPN’s Charlie Creme, isn’t so sure. In a Saturday projection, Creme listed AU as one of the “last four out” of the field, along with SEC rival Florida.

In or out? The Tigers will find out tonight, along with the rest of the nation.

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