BIRMINGHAM | Lior Berman played in some big games in Birmingham during his time at Mountain Brook High School. The Auburn guard won three-straight state titles with the Spartans, earning a spot on the all-tournament team twice.

But even Berman can't believe he will be playing in the NCAA Tournament in his hometown.

"To be honest, I never would've thought that I'd be playing at March Madness in Birmingham here," the senior said. "You know, growing up, I always watched March Madness, but to be a part of it in my hometown, it's really special."

Berman has worked himself from a walk-on that appeared in just two games his freshman season into a key contributor for the Tigers, averaging nearly 10 minutes of playing time while shooting 40.7 percent from behind the three-point line. While his shot has always been there, the 6-foot-4 guard had to work on his defense to get that time on the floor.

"If you can't guard, it's hard to play," Berman said. "He (Pearl) is not gonna play you if you can't guard."

There was also the mental side of the game, realizing that he could indeed play at a high level in a Power 5 conference and, in his words, "having confidence that you can knock down shots."

Now, as his Auburn career nears an end, he's back in the city where he started, which raises the question: how many ticket requests did he have for

"I gave as many people as I could," Berman said. "Family, friends, former teammates. And I'm sure there'll be a lot of support."

So, when Berman checks into the game on Thursday in Legacy Arena, expect there to be an extra buzz in the building. It's something his coach says he deserves.

"I love that Lior is one of our hardest workers," Pearl said. "He's grateful for the opportunity that he's been given at Auburn. And he goes to work every day trying to reward Auburn for giving him the chance."