How To Watch: Auburn at Alabama Basketball

No. 24 Alabama begins a stretch where three of its next four games will be played at Coleman Coliseum, as it takes on rival No. 4 Auburn on Tuesday night.

For the first time in nearly 35 years Alabama and Auburn will square off with both teams ranked in the AP Top 25 in basketball. 

The last time it happened was on Jan. 22, 1987. Then-No. 13 Alabama defeated then No. 17 Auburn, 88-82, inside Coleman Coliseum.

However, the Crimson Tide is barely ranked, at No. 24 in the latest Top 25. While Alabama is coming off a disappointing loss at Missouri, Auburn is one the hottest teams in the nation, having won 11 consecutive contests to improve to 14-1 overall and rise to No. 4. 

The Tigers enter the game unbeaten in league play and sit atop the SEC standings, most recently earning an 85-73 home victory over Florida last Saturday to improve to 3-0.

How To Watch: 

What: No. 4 Auburn at No. 24 Alabama

When: 8 p.m. CT Tuesday

Where: Coleman Coliseum

TV: ESPN, with Karl Ravech (play-by-play) and Jimmy Dykes (analyst) on the call.

Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network with Chris Stewart (play-by-play), Bryan Passink (analyst) and Roger Hoover (sideline) on the call. The pregame show will begin one hour prior to tipoff.

Series history

Last season, Alabama swept Auburn, winning 94-90 inside Auburn Arena on Jan. 9, 2021, followed by a 70-58 victory in Coleman Coliseum in the regular season home finale (March 2, 2021). It was the first time the Crimson Tide swept the Tigers in the regular season since achieving the feat during the 2014-15 campaign.

Alabama owns an all-time record of 44-9 when playing Auburn in Coleman Coliseum, including wins in 10 of the last 12 games played between the teams under the arched roof. The Tide is 51-9 when hosting the Tigers in Tuscaloosa.

The two teams have played in 12 overtimes in series history, with the last one coming in 2020 (Auburn won 95-91 on Feb. 12, 2020). Auburn has won nine of the 12 games that have went to extra time.

Four of the last nine meetings between the rivals were decided by single digits.
The series began during 1923-24 campaign.]

About Alabama's Rankings

In addition to its national rankings, Alabama is ranked in the following (as of 1/10): No. 15 Sagarin, No. 17 KenPom.com, No. 18 ESPN.com BPI and No. 22 in the NCAA NET rankings. The Tide’s “Best” NET wins include: Houston (No. 3), Gonzaga (No. 5), Tennessee (No. 11), Florida (No. 51), Oakland (No. 72) and Miami (No. 80).

Alabama is the only team in the country to have three wins versus teams ranked in the top 15 of the NCAA NET rankings (No. 4 Houston, No. 5 Gonzaga and No. 11 Tennessee).

The Crimson Tide is the only team in the nation to have not played a Quad 4 opponent this season. The Tide owns a record of 4-2 vs. Quad 1 teams, 3-1 vs. Quad 2 and 4-1 vs. Quad 3 foes.

Graduate transfer Noah Gurley has stepped up his game in conference play. Across the Crimson Tide’s three SEC contests, the Fayette, Ga., native is averaging 10.7 points and 4.3 rebounds in 21.0 minutes per contest, while shooting 72.7 percent (13-of-18) from the floor and 66.7 percent (4-of-6) from beyond the arc.

Alabama is tied for second in the nation in Quad 1 wins (4) and combined Q1 and Q2 wins (7)... The Tide is the only team in the nation that owns three NCAA NET top-12 wins (No. 3 Houston, No. 5 Gonzaga, No. 11 Tennessee). The Tide is the one team in the nation to have not played a Q4 opponent. Alabama boasts the No. 1 Average Opponent NET Rank in the nation.

About the Crimson Tide

Alabama is led by three players who average double figures in Jaden Shackelford (16.3 points), Jahvon Quinerly (15.5) and Keon Ellis (12.2). The trio combines to account for 53 percent (44.0 of the 82.5 points per game average), 69 percent of the three-pointers made (100 of 144), 52 percent field goals made (233 of 450) and 48 percent of the total free throws made (94 of 193).

A pair of freshmen have also made their mark through the early portion of the schedule in guard JD Davison and center Charles Bediako. Davison, a consensus five star and McDonald’s All-American, is tied for the team lead in assists (4.3 apg) while also ranking among the team leaders at 8.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest. Bediako has been a force on the inside, collecting 6.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.7 blocks a game.

Sophomore Juwan Gary has also been a force, averaging 9.6 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.

As a team, Alabama is averaging 82.5 points per contest, which leads the SEC and is 15th nationally, and is ranked No. 8 in the nation in offensive efficiency, according to KenPom.com (1/10). The Tide is outscoring the competition by an average of 8.5 points per game (82.5-74.0) and own a +4.5 (40.3-35.9) advantage on the boards. The Tide is averaging 9.6 threes made per game, while shooting 46.5 percent from the field, 32.7 percent from beyond the arc and 68.7 percent from the charity stripe. UA also owns a for the year.

Defensively, the Crimson Tide is ranked 59th nationally in defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.com. For the year, Alabama is allowing opponents to average 74.0 points per game while limiting foes to 42.9 percent shooting from the field and 30.4 percent from beyond the arc.

About Auburn

The Tigers are led on the year by freshman star Jabari Smith, who tops the team in scoring (15.5 point), three-point field goal percentage (44.7 percent), field goals made (77) and attempted (173) and threes made (34) and attempted (76).

Guards K.D. Johnson, who scored a game-high 23 points vs. Florida, and Wendell Green Jr. each average in double figures as well at 12.8 and 12.7 points per game, respectively.

Starting center Walker Kessler, a transfer from North Carolina, ranks second in the nation in blocks per game at 4.3, while also contributing 9.9 points and a team-leading 7.7 rebounds per contest.

Preseason All-SEC first teamer Allen Flanigan returned to the lineup at the start of SEC play after sitting out the first 11 games with an injured Achilles.

Auburn enters the game ranked No. 18 in offensive efficiency and No. 7 in defensive efficiency, according to the most recent KenPom.com rankings (as of 1/9).

The Tigers lead the nation in blocked shots per game at 8.1, led by Kessler’s 4.3 bpg average.

Auburn’s outscoring the competition by +15.7 points per game (80.6-64.9), which ranks third in the SEC and 18th nationally. AU also owns a +3.7 advantage on the glass (39.5-35.8). The Tigers rank second in the league behind Alabama in threes made (136) and third in threes attempted (385).

Auburn is shooting 45.4 percent from the floor, 33.2 percent from beyond the arc and 70.6 percent from the charity stripe. Defensively, Auburn allows an average of 76.9 points per game while opponents shoot 43.9 percent from the field and 33.2 percent from deep.

Bruce Pearl is in his eighth season at Auburn and owns a record of 150-93 (.617). Now in his 27th season as a collegiate coach, Pearl owns an overall mark of 612-238 (.720).