The Auburn Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide are both going dancing in the March Madness national basketball tournament, with both teams possessing Final Four aspirations.

The Tigers begin as a No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region, where Kansas is the top seed.

The Tide begin as a No. 6 seed in the West Region, where Gonzaga is the top seed, who Alabama previously defeated.

Here is a look at both team’s paths, along with predictions on how far they will go in the tournament and who will win the title.

Auburn

The Tigers won the SEC regular season title after an electric season that saw them rise to No. 1 in the polls.

Their record heading into the tournament is 27 wins and five losses.

Their run in the SEC tournament, however, ended with an upset loss to the Texas A&M Aggies, who would go on to lose in the championship game to Tennessee.

That loss would cost the Tigers their chance at a No. 1 seed in the tournament, though that does not hold much weight towards actually winning the championship.

Auburn faces 15-seed Jacksonville State University in the first round.

With the Tigers’ early exit in the SEC Tournament, they will likely come out hungry and refreshed for a run at the national title.

If victorious over JSU, which they are favored to do so, the Tigers would face the winner of No. 7 seed USC and No. 10 Miami.

Their Sweet-16 matchup would feature one of these four teams – LSU, Iowa State, Wisconsin or Colgate.

Kansas would be their likely opponent in the Elite Eight, if both teams make it that far. Do not count out No. 5 seed Iowa, who is coming off a Big 10 Tournament title.

Prediction: Elite Eight

Auburn will handle JSU with few issues, will defeat Miami and then the victor out of the LSU, Iowa State, Wisconsin and Colgate.

However, against No. 1 seed Kansas, the Tigers will compete in a close game that sees the Jayhawks come out on top and advance to the Final Four.

Alabama

The Tide await the victor of Rutgers and Notre Dame, competing in the First Four play-in game for the rights to advance as the No. 11 seed in the West Region and take on Alabama.

The Tide finished the season with 19 wins and 13 losses.

Alabama had a mystery of a season that saw them defeat three of the Final Four teams from the previous year – Gonzaga, Baylor and Houston -– but also lose to questionable opponents – Georgia and Missouri.

Those wins were enough to give them a favorable seeding, despite losing 13 games over the season that was capped off by an early exit in the SEC Tournament at the hands of Vanderbilt.

Now, they await the Scarlet Knights or the Fighting Irish.

Either way, the Tide are going to have to play up to the potential they have shown at multiple times this season in order to advance.

If victorious, Alabama would face the winner of No. 3 Texas Tech and No. 14 Montana State.

Following that, they would face one of these four teams in the Sweet 16 – Michigan State, Davidson, Duke and Cal State.

If successful at getting to the Elite Eight, they would likely have a rematch with the Gonzaga Bulldogs after the Tide won the first matchup earlier in December.

A lot has happened since then, and the Tide would likely have to defeat Texas Tech and Duke to get there. No. 4 Arkansas also presents a legitimate threat in the region as well. However, no one in the country has the wins that Alabama can boast. Don’t count them out.

Prediction: Elite Eight

Alabama will prove they can play how they did against Gonzaga, Baylor and Houston. They will win a good game versus Rutgers/ND, and then win two tightly contested ball games against Texas Tech and Duke before losing their rematch to Gonzaga. It is Duke’s famous Coach K’s last hurrah in the tournament, and there is some bad blood between him and Alabama head coach Nate Oats.

Sweet 16, Elite Eight,

Final Four Predictions

Here are the matchups predicted by The News Courier for the Sweet 16 and so on.

• Sweet 16

1. Gonzaga

4. Arkansas

6. Alabama

2. Duke

1. Baylor

5. St. Mary’s

3. Purdue

2. Kentucky

1. Arizona

5. Houston

3. Tennessee

2. Villanova

1. Kansas

5. Iowa

6. LSU

2. Auburn

• Elite 8

1. Gonzaga

6. Alabama

1. Baylor

3. Purdue

5. Houston

3. Tennessee

1. Kansas

2. Auburn

• Final Four

1. Gonzaga

3. Purdue

3. Tennessee

1. Kansas

• Title game

1. Kansas over 1. Gonzaga