In one of the biggest games of the year, the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide will be hosting the No. 1 Auburn Tigers on Saturday afternoon in Tuscaloosa, Ala., for the first of two matchups this season between the bitter rivals.
Intriguing Storylines in Auburn vs. Alabama
Both teams are tied atop the SEC standings at 10-1 in conference play, and they have combined for 43 total wins and just five losses this season.
But this won’t be your average “Iron Bowl of Basketball.” Both teams have national title aspirations and realistic hopes at the top overall seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Simply put—this matchup could be a Final Four and even a National Championship Game preview.
These two rivals have surprisingly split the last 20 matchups, which is remarkable. If you are a college basketball fan, this is the type of game that you will want to sit down and watch from buzzer to buzzer.
Potential Keys Ahead of the Matchup
This is the first matchup between the two cross-state rivals this season, and plenty of headlines surround it.
Perhaps the best player who will take the court for either team is Auburn forward Johni Broome. He currently leads Auburn with an average of 28.3 minutes per game, 18.1 points per game, 10.7 rebounds per game, 3.3 assists per game, and 2.7 blocks per game.
He is one of the best players in the country and will likely be drawing most of Alabama’s attention. Among Auburn players who average over 20 minutes played per game, guard Denver Jones leads the team in three-point shooting at 43.8%.
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If Alabama wants to limit Auburn’s offensive explosion, locking down both Broome and Jones could go a long way.
On the other side of the court, guard Mark Sears is the straw that stirs the drink for the Crimson Tide. He is currently averaging 32.1 minutes played per game and leads the team in both scoring and assists.
Additionally, Bruce Pearl’s Auburn team will want to lock up Alabama forward Grant Nelson on the block. He leads the team in rebounds and blocks, so limiting him will go a long way toward stopping anything that the Tide does in the paint.
The two will tip off from Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa on ESPN on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET. ‘Bama will return the favor with a trip to Auburn to close out the season on Saturday, March 8.
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