Following a successful bounce-back victory against Florida to secure its first conference win, Auburn looks to carry that momentum into Thursday night’s matchup against archrival No. 21 Alabama in a game that presents an exciting opportunity for both teams.
“When you have Alabama, Auburn, it's incredibly special,” Crimson Tide Head Coach Kristy Curry said. “There’s that little corner in your heart that it has that extra feeling about it.”
This will mark the Tigers’ fifth SEC matchup which has been giving first-year head coach Larry Vickers some troubles recently with blowout losses occurring in Auburn’s first three conference battles before a home triumph against Florida.
“In our first three SEC games, we’ve been clawing from behind,” Vickers said... "We know every win in this league is going to be tough. We’ve got to figure out a way to play for 40 minutes. If we’re going to continue to win in this league, all four quarters have to be good.”
Unlike Auburn’s shaky start in SEC play, the Crimson Tide has been living up to expectations going 3-1 against competition thus far with a win over No. 7 Kentucky and their sole loss coming on the road to No. 3 South Carolina. Alabama has been extremely dominant in non-conference play as well remaining undefeated through 14 games while winning by an astounding 29 points per game.
While offensive performances have not been the strength of either team in Thursday’s clash as Alabama finds themselves at No. 14 in the SEC for points per game while the Tigers remain dead last averaging just over 60 points on average, defense has been a major storyline to start the season. Auburn has allowed opponents to under 60 points per game while the Crimson Tide ranks second in the conference in total defense leaving an uphill battle for Vickers squad to overcome.
Although Alabama has been missing star Forward Essence Cody for numerous games this season, Redshirt Senior Guard Jessica Timmons has stepped up in a large way offensively, averaging 15.4 points per game in an efficient manner which will force Auburn defense to step up if they want to have a chance to pull off an upset.
This meeting will mark the 92nd edition of the Iron Bowl of Basketball, a rivalry that the women’s team out of Auburn has performed well in historically, holding a 52-39 record all-time. Despite their success on paper, the Tigers have dropped the last 11 out of 12 contests against the Crimson Tide and will look to gain a much-needed victory to snap the recent skid in the series. Vickers and his team will be able to utilize playing at Neville Arena to their advantage as Auburn holds a dominating .738 winning percentage while in familiar territory at home against Alabama.
“When we’re walking into a hostile environment, you’re down ten before you ever walk in the door,” said Curry. “It will have to be an extraordinary effort.”
Tip-off is set for 8:00 PM C.S.T. and will be televised on SEC Network with radio coverage available to listen to on ESPN 106.7 FM.
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.
Will is a sophomore majoring in journalism. He started with The Plainsman in the spring of 2025.
You can follow him on X (Twitter) at @willdembo
