Saturday afternoon’s matchup has been a highly anticipated clash for sometime now. Alabama and Auburn were picked No. 1 and No. 2 in the SEC preseason poll and the two programs have won eight of the 14 conference titles available over the past seven seasons.
But, the latest edition of the Iron Bowl of Basketball has reached a fever pitch of excitement as the two in-state rivals face off as No. 1 and No. 2 in AP poll for the first time in SEC history.
“Alabama had a great postseason run last year, but this year's team is much better than last year's Final 4 team, and everyone that has played them understands that,” Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said Thursday.
The Crimson Tide have already collected three wins over top-10 teams, the most in a season since the 1982-83 season, and have an 8-3 record against quad-one opponents giving Alabama the second most quad-one wins in the country behind Auburn with 13.
Since the month of December Alabama has only lost once, coming at home to at the time No. 21 Ole Miss 74-64 in a game where the Crimson Tide had 21 turnovers – a season high. Nate Oats’ squad has recorded 10-or-more turnovers in all but five contests this season and have met the mark in each of their last six contests.
“We need Mark Sears and Grant Nelson to stop turning the ball,” Alabama head coach Nate Oats said Friday. “That's what needs to happen. Like we got two fifth year seniors that have played, you know, over a 100 basketball games, that know how to take care of the ball, that have not taken care of the ball at the level we need them to. That's basically what needs to happen.”
Of the 355 teams in D-I men’s college basketball, Alabama ranks 301st in turnovers-per-game averaging 13.4 per game with only LSU posting a worst mark in the SEC.
“I feel like defense is going to be the name of the game when we play them,” Auburn guard Denver Jones said Thursday. “Over the past few games I feel like we've slacked a little bit. The Vandy game, I feel like we got that edge back a little bit. I feel like us being able to lock in on defense and listen to our game plan is going to be the key to us winning.”
So how does Alabama consistently overcome its turnover troubles? Scoring. And lots of it.
The Crimson Tide boast the top ranked scoring offense nationally averaging 90.5 points per game and hitting triple digits in points seven times this season – four of which have come in SEC play.
“They are a great offensive team, they've scored 100 points a gazillion, bajillion times,” Pearl said. “They're seventh in the nation in points at the foul line. It's frees, layups and threes, it's a great system that makes them an incredibly dangerous team, great in transition. They're really deep. They're much bigger than they were a year ago. There’s a reason why they were preseason No. 1, anywhere between one and four. They’ve absolutely lived up to it.”
Alabama, made up of four different guys that average 10-or-more points-per-game, is led by fifth year senior Sears who is the only player in the SEC to rank in the top-five in both scoring averaging 17.8 per game, which ranks third, and assists averaging 4.9 per game, which also ranks third.
Sears has always been a scoring threat for the Tide, collecting 63 career games of scoring 20-or-more points which is the most of any current D-I player and only one of 23 players all-time to hit the mark.
“Great player,” Auburn guard Denver Jones said of Sears. “He's on All-American watch for a reason. Our game plan -- he's one of the main pieces of the game plan, just being able to contain him and all the other guards. Great player.”
But while Sears is at the helm of how Alabama runs its offense, he’s not alone in terms of scoring threats. The Crimson Tide, similar to the Tigers, have a deep roster ranking sixth nationally in bench points averaging 35.63 per game.
“They've got an incredibly deep roster,” Pearl said. “They have 13 guys, and they've had a couple injuries, but they're able to withstand those injuries because they're very talented, they're very deep. They're big, and they run great stuff.”
So the Tigers will certainly have their hands full on Saturday in what will certainly be a rocking atmosphere inside of Coleman Coliseum for the biggest basketball game in the state’s history.
But as for Pearl, his top ranked squad is ‘not afraid’ as Auburn looks to seal the deal, unlike recent trips to Tuscaloosa, AL, and pull off a monster win that could go a long way in determining the league title.
“I think our guys have handled the moment and I don't think that'll be an issue. We've lost two games so far this year, both to Final Four teams and Alabama is certainly a Final Four team. So we haven't lost to anybody that's not a great team. Our guys understand that and they respect Alabama. They're not afraid of them,” Pearl said. “We've gone there the last two years and been in last possession games. There's some things we've got to do to be able to finish. I'd give anything right now if you told me that we're going to be able to go up there and be in a last possession game, that's not going to be easy. It's going to be harder than it's ever been to be in a last possession game because they're that good."
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
Patrick is a junior from Auburn, Alabama, double majoring in journalism and marketing. He started with The Plainsman in the fall of 2022.
You can follow him on X (Twitter) at @patrickabingham
