Is Auburn Basketball Cursed?

I have tried to wait till after this glorious football season to comment on how bad basketball is going on the plains but after seeing this article on CNNSI today I figured I would go ahead.  With out further ado here is the comment on Auburn from the article:
"Auburn is projected to wind up as the worst-ever BCS-league team. According to Jerry Palm, operator of CollegeRPI.com, the Tigers are projected to finish at No. 292. The 2007-08 Oregon State team, at No. 269, holds the current (dis)honor. The worst SEC team ever was 1993-94 Tennessee, at No. 235."

You can look back at my spring post on Auburn basketball and I think I have a good grasp on how bad the program has been.  This season will officially make Auburn the worst program in the conference since the SEC went to divisions in 1992.  Auburn will pass South Carolina for the worst SEC record overall since then.  However I ended the post with these comments:
"Regardless of the reasons now, there is the new Auburn Arena and what appears to be a pretty good coaching hire. Maybe just maybe Auburn basketball can start a new legacy next season. I sure hope so. I also hope the Auburn administration and leadership will now make changes as well and at least give the basketball program decent support from here on out.

Auburn will never be a top basketball school but there is no reason it has to be the worst program in the conference. That is completely unacceptable. I look forward to next season and am actually excited about all aspects of an Auburn basketball team and program for like the first time… ever? "
 
I thought maybe just maybe Auburn could start fresh.  I knew the team would not be good but good night I did not know it would be near this bad.  First, with typical Auburn basketball luck, the team lost the only two returning players with legitimate playing time to knee injuries.  After that the team started out losing to COLUMBUS STATE in an exhibition.  They have followed that up by losing to UNC-Asheville, Samford, CAMPBELL, JACKSONVILLE STATE, and PRESBYTERIAN.  

I was there for opening night in the Auburn Arena against UNC-Asheville.  On a positive note, I love the new arena.  As someone who saw more than their fair share of games in the old Beard Eaves Mausoleum it is a huge improvement.  It is a great place to watch basketball IF we had anything resembling a decent team.  My first comments as the game began was "wow this team is really really bad".  I do not want to disrepect the kids who are working their tails off on this team but facts are facts.   

Obviously Tony Barbee will get a mulligan for this awful season but it will have an effect.  It has effectively destroyed much of the boost Auburn should have gotten from a great new facility.  I also hope Barbee has learned from his early recruiting efforts that if your recruits CANNOT QUALIFY it does not matter how good they are.  Also for the love of basketball, can we please PLEASE recruit somebody who can SHOOT THE BALL.  It is just so frustrating. 

I will end with the same thoughts as I did this spring and will continue to say...  "Auburn will never be a top basketball school but there is no reason it has to be the worst program in the conference."