Last matchup between Auburn and Alabama ended in an 84-63 rout with Auburn knocking down 59.1 percent of its 3-pointers.
Alabama only had four players with over five points, while Auburn produced six — including Bryce Brown’s game-high 23 points.
Auburn secured a first-round bye in the SEC Tournament and all but locked up its second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance last week. Alabama, on the other hand, is on the outside looking in and needs a victory over the Tigers to stay in the hunt.
Here are some players to watch and keys to victory for the second-meeting between Auburn and Alabama.
Players to watch
John Petty (Alabama):
John Petty was a player to watch last time these two teams met, mainly for his inconsistent play on the road. This time, he is a player to watch because of his success at home.
Petty’s offense is a whole other animal when at home compared to when he is away. Over the span of his career, Petty is shooting 25.9 percent from 3 and 29.3 percent from the field when on the road. Those numbers compare to 42 percent from 3 and 48.4 percent from the field when at home.
Last season when Auburn traveled to Tuscaloosa, Petty buried the Tigers. He lit it up from outside, knocking down eight of his 13 3-point attempts and led all scorers with 27 points.
If Petty can continue his success at home, Alabama can keep its tournament hopes alive.
Donta Hall (Alabama):
Alabama’s senior big man Donta Hall is a scary sight for Auburn. Hall’s size an athleticism makes for a bad matchup against Auburn, especially with Austin Wiley likely out with a lower leg injury.
Hall leads the Tide in rebounding and blocked shots, while placing second and sixth in those categories in the entire conference.
Hall’s presence down low and senior leadership on the floor is something to watch out for when these two teams meet.
Kira Lewis (Alabama):
Kira Lewis has taken on the Collin Sexton role that he left behind when he went to the NBA. Lewis leads the team in points per game and assists, while also producing the second-most steals per game on Alabama.
Lewis was one of the two players to score in double digits for the Tide the last time Auburn and Alabama played.
Since then, Lewis has stepped his game up, scoring double-digit points in seven of his last nine games.
Keys to victory
Auburn:
- Keys are easy for Auburn, don’t turn the ball over and make your 3’s. It has been the same all season and when they do these things effectively, they are a deadly opponent.
Alabama:
- Alabama must protect the 3-point line against Auburn. The Tide is only allowing teams to make around 32 percent of their 3’s this season, while Auburn knocked down 59.1 percent last meeting.
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