No. 1-seeded Houston (32-3) head coach Kelvin Sampson heard the roars from the heavily populated Auburn (21-12) crowd in Legacy Arena during the Tigers’ first-round win on Thursday against Iowa.

Sampson’s squad was preparing for their eventual win against No. 16 seed Northern Kentucky. As expected, Auburn fans outnumbered Hawkeye fans, with Legacy Arena a little under two hours from the Plains.

Maryland coach Kevin Willard, who plays No. 1 seed Alabama at 8:40, told reporters he was rooting for an Auburn win so Tigers fans would stay around to root against their rivals. While Williard didn’t crank out a ‘War Eagle,’ Sampson jokingly was willing to push the envelope to pursue a few extra fans cheering for his Cougars against the Tigers.

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“We’re playing Auburn, 6:10. Let’s go. We need some help. Roll Tide, Sampson said to reporters on Friday with a smile and laugh. “How do you say “Roll Tide”? Roll Tide. Yeah. Well, Roll Tide,”

Auburn coach Bruce Pearl and Nate Oats called a truce between Auburn and Alabama fans to root for the common good of the Southeastern Conference.

“Well, you know what, my hope is that our fans root for Alabama in the SEC and that Alabama’s fans root for Auburn in the SEC,” Pearl said. I would hope that’s the case. I think some will. I think some won’t.”

Oats agreed with Pearl, hoping for the best but preparing for some fans to trash their rivals at the arena.

“Hopefully, they’re smart enough to know that they should be pulling for the SEC,” Oats said. “What’s good for the SEC is good for Alabama. What’s good for the SEC is good for Auburn. Let’s cheer for the SEC teams. But some people can’t help themselves, I’m sure.”

Pearl quipped that if he were Sampson, he’d try to go into tales of Bo Jackson and Cam Newton winning Iron Bowls against the Tide to curry favor.

“I would do everything I could to bring up to Alabama’s fans just how much they’re supposed to hate Auburn, right? You know, talk about anything you can possibly talk about. Talk about the Iron Bowl. Talk about Cam Newton and Cam beating them in Tuscaloosa. Talk about Charles Barkley. Talk about anything you can talk about to rile that Alabama fan base up to root against Auburn.”

Sampson decided to be more succinct.

“Well, from what I know about Auburn-Alabama, I don’t think I have to say much,” Sampson said. We’re playing Auburn at 6:10. I don’t think I have to go much further than that. That’s pretty good.”

Nubyjas Wilborn covers Auburn for Alabama Media Group.