The Auburn–Alabama rivalry has staged many classics on the football field. In the 1984 Iron Bowl, former Auburn star Bo Jackson ran the wrong way on a block to seal a win for Alabama. A late touchdown in 2009 helped Alabama win a rivalry game and remain undefeated in what would eventually be a national championship season. And 2013 produced the infamous “Kick Six,” when Auburn’s Chris Davis returned a failed field goal attempt for a touchdown in the final seconds.
On Saturday afternoon in Tuscaloosa, No. 1 Auburn and No. 2 Alabama created their own memorable affair on the hardwood in a thrilling game with both SEC and Selection Sunday implications. Despite trailing the entire game — by double digits for a chunk of it — Alabama made a late run to tie the game, 65-65, with around eight minutes to play.
And then, Johni Broome, the national player of the year candidate, reaggravated an ankle injury that cost him multiple games earlier this season. Yet, Auburn continued to battle and secure the 94-85 win over its in-state rival.
The first AP No. 1 vs No. 2 matchup in SEC history ultimately offered the theater many had anticipated when the most balanced team in America took on one of the nation’s greatest offensive squads. It was a unique moment for a pair of programs who’ve crashed the blue blood party in college basketball, and evolved into perennial national title contenders.
The winner, Auburn, has now cemented its edge in the SEC title race, and the pursuit of the top overall seed. The loser, Alabama, must regroup and prepare for the rematch in Auburn three weeks from now.
ESPN’s Myron Medcalf, Jeff Borzello and Joe Lunardi break down everything that happened, and the lasting effects.
What did this game tell us about both teams?
Borzello: The gap between Auburn and everyone else for the overall 1-seed is only growing. The Tigers entered the day with five more Quadrant 1 wins than anyone else in the country and with the No. 1 ranking in five of the seven metrics the selection committee uses. Now they have wins over Alabama, Tennessee, Houston, Purdue and Iowa State, with their only two losses coming to teams that were 1-seeds in the mock bracket reveal on Saturday afternoon, Duke and Florida. I do think this game also showed a side of Auburn we hadn’t seen in an SEC road game yet this season, and quelled any doubts we had about the Tigers’ ability to dominate an elite opponent in a true road environment in conference play.
Medcalf: I think this game demonstrated the significance of Mark Sears to Alabama’s national title hopes. Yes, he scored 18 points. But he was 4-for-17 overall and 2-for-11 from the 3-point line. His early foul trouble impacted Alabama’s overall rhythm, too.
The national title will probably be decided by the teams with proven stars on their rosters: Cooper Flagg for Duke; Broome for Auburn. Walter Clayton Jr., Braden Smith, Zakai Zeigler, Wade Taylor IV and more are all playing their best basketball weeks from Selection Sunday, too. Sears will have to match those performances to help his team reach San Antonio.
How did Auburn win this one?
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Auburn jumps out to 9-0 lead vs. Alabama
Auburn knocks down a trio of 3-pointers early to grab a 9-0 lead over Alabama.
Medcalf: Auburn won because Johni Broome might be the best player in the country. A pair of 3-pointers by the Wooden Award candidate in the opening stretch not only helped the Tigers take an early 9-0 lead, it sent the message they were there to make a statement. The initial run was also key because it limited the impact of a sellout crowd in Tuscaloosa.
Broome’s physical style and aggressive defense were pivotal — he finished with 19 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and two blocks. Even after he reaggravated that ankle injury, he made a key block and late bucket to help his team seal the deal. Alabama just couldn’t neutralize him.
Borzello: Broome was awesome, which is no surprise — but Tahaad Pettiford was the game-changer in the second half, when Auburn was starting to hit a wall and Alabama was making its run. Pettiford has routinely come off the bench this season to have an impact in big games. After Grant Nelson tied the game at 65 on a dunk, Pettiford came back down the floor and buried a 3 to slow the momentum. A couple minutes later, he drove the lane and hit a right-handed scoop layup, then had another finish at the rim on the next possession.
Pettiford finished with 13 points, with 11 coming in the second half.
How did Alabama lose this one?
Medcalf: Alabama could not recover from a sloppy first half, forcing them to fight through a deficit for most of the game. Yes, the 10-0 game-tying run in the second half was impressive. But those rallies demand a lot of energy, and the Crimson Tide didn’t have enough of it down the stretch, as a result. Alabama entered Saturday as the SEC’s top offensive squad, but finished 2-for-15 from the 3-point line and just 31% from the field overall in the first half. Mark Sears playing through early foul trouble didn’t help. But they just weren’t good enough offensively before the break. That lull continued into the second half.
Borzello: Alabama really struggled to make shots from the perimeter. The Crimson Tide missed their first nine attempts from beyond the arc, with their first make coming with 8:43 to go in the first half — and it only came after they had already missed two 3s on the same possession. It felt like we kept waiting for the lid to come off the rim, but they missed eight 3s in a row spanning both halves. The only time Alabama was able to tie the game was when Sears hit a pair of 3s and Chris Youngblood buried a deep one, but it missed its final three attempts from 3. This is a team that entered the game making more than 10 3s per game — and finished Saturday going just 5-for-26.
How much of a difference-maker will each team’s depth be in March?
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Johni Broome aggravates ankle injury
Auburn’s Johni Broome appears to aggravate his ankle injury trying to drop in a layup.
Borzello: Auburn’s depth was immediately apparent when the Tigers jumped out to a 9-0 lead against Alabama, giving Bruce Pearl the greenlight to bring in Tahaad Pettiford, Chaney Johnson and Chad Baker-Mazara — all of whom finished in double-digit scoring. Baker-Mazara could move back into the starting lineup when fully healthy, but with that trio, Auburn has an elite eight-man rotation. Pettiford is one of the best big-game freshmen in the country and Johnson has filled in admirably for Broome when the All-American was injured.
Alabama isn’t far behind when it comes to depth and talent, especially with Derrion Reid back from injury. Aden Holloway and Labaron Philon are game-changers in the backcourt.
Medcalf: Auburn maintained its edge over Alabama even when Broome sat out after reaggravating that ankle injury. The Tigers’ depth gives them confidence that will pay off in March, as they went 3-0 in the SEC without their national player of the year candidate on the court.
For Alabama, the depth is vital because of the pace this team employs. Ranked second in adjusted tempo per game on KenPom, Alabama has to get production from its bench, because every player needs a break in that high-powered scheme. Saturday’s matchup also showed Alabama will need to get effective production from its bench whenever foul trouble becomes a factor in the postseason.
What does this result do to the bracket?
Lunardi: Only two words are needed to explain the bracket impact of this colossal matchup in Tuscaloosa: status quo.
With its win, Auburn simply expands its cushion as the No. 1 overall seed. Alabama also stays put at No. 2 overall, but with very little daylight ahead of No. 3 Duke. The real story for the Crimson Tide is the lost opportunity to supplant the Tigers for the top spot in the field — until they meet again, of course.