Bama Central

Alabama Basketball Upsets No. 8 Auburn in Wild Iron Bowl of Basketball

The Alabama Crimson Tide has a huge opportunity to bounce back against the Auburn Tigers.

Joe Gaither

In this story:

The Alabama Crimson Tide basketball program bounced back in a major way on Wednesday night as they defeated the No. 8 Auburn Tigers 79-75.

Alabama utilized strong 3-point shooting and capitalized on turnovers in order to take a 14-point lead into the locker room at halftime.

The No. 8 Auburn Tigers, who were riding an 11-game winning streak, didn’t lay down, but instead started the second half on a 9-0 run to spark a wild second half.

Bruce Pearl’s squad kept chipping away at the Alabama lead and with 9:28 left in the second half the Tigers had clawed all the way back to gain a one-point lead.

It was senior guard Mark Sears that stopped the bleeding getting to the basket for an and-one conversion to retake the lead.

The final 9-minutes were played at a frenetic pace but it was the Crimson Tide able to convert from the 3-point line and at the charity stripe to stay just in front of the Tigers the rest of the way.

The win not only means a lot to the Alabama faithful as the Iron Bowl of basketball has become a premiere event in the state, but it returns the Tide to the top of the SEC standings in a three-way tie with Tennessee and Auburn.

Sears led the Crimson Tide with 22-points but it was Grant Nelson that propelled Alabama to victory in the rivalry game. Nelson scored 12-points with eight rebounds to pull Alabama across the finish line. 

The Alabama Crimson Tide hosts the No. 8 Auburn Tigers in the Iron Bowl of basketball on Wednesday night. The Crimson Tide is coming off a blowout loss in Knoxville to No. 5 Tennessee on Saturday while the Tigers are riding 11-game winning streak with every victory coming in double-digit fashion.

The game carries extra importance as its the first in the home-and-home series and the last three years the winning team went on to sweep the other and win the SEC regular season title. 

A victory for the Tide puts them back into a first place tie in the conference standings, but a loss puts them two-games behind the Tigers. 

Alabama head coach Nate Oats is 5-9 when playing against top-10 in his Alabama tenure but is riding an 11-game home-winning streak in Coleman Coliseum. 

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Second Half

  • :00- It's 79-75. The officials are reviewing the clock to see if there's any time left but it appears the game may be over. 
  • 08 - Williams makes just one free-throw and Johnie Broome fouls out as Mark Sears collects the in-bounds. Mark Sears makes both free-throws and the Tide takes a 79-75 lead.
  • :10 - Nelson makes both free-throws and Nate Oats elects to foul Auburn while up three. Jaylin Williams goes to the line for two shots. 
  • :11 - Auburn takes a timeout. There's not a soul sitting in Coleman Coliseum. Grant Nelson is about to go to the free-throw line for two attempts that can put Alabama back up by three. 
  • :11 - Baker-Mazara misses his third free-throw that would have tied the game. Grant Nelson pulls down the rebound and is fouled. He'll go to the line. This game is so crazy. Alabama 75-74.
  • :12 - Baker-Mazara makes his first two. The Coleman crowd is so loud. 
  • :12 - Wow, Mark Sears misses his layup and on the other end Auburn's Chad Baker-Mazara is fouled shooting a 3-pointer. He has three attempts to tie the game. 
  • 1:20 - Grant Nelson finally gets a defensive stop on Johni Broome. Follows it on the other end with a followup dunk. Nelson has come alive in the second half. What a time for him to find himself!?! Alabama up 75-70.
  • 1:39 - TOUGH offensive possession for Alabama. Rylan Griffen missed his 3-point shot late in the shot clock but Grant Nelson pulls down an offensive rebound and is fouled. After making both free-throws the Crimson Tide takes a 73-70 lead.
  • 2:28 - Jarin Stevenson takes the basketball right at Johni Broome and draws a foul. The Tide is up two with big free-throws coming. 
  • 3:00 - Grant makes just one free throw. Of course it stays a one-possession game. This game is off the rails. Nelson fouls on the defensive end and Chad Baker-Mazara heads to the free-throw line for a pair.
  • 3:05 - Grant Nelson heads to the free-throw line for a pair. Nelson is up to 7 points. They've been ugly from Nelson but they've been vital. Bruce Pearl comes out to midcourt to speak to the officials in the timeout and Coleman responds with the seventh "Bruce is fat" chant of the night. Alabama 69-67.
  • 4:15 - Chad Baker-Mazara makes a bucket from just a few feet away to tie the game. Both fan bases chanting back and forth. Mark Sears gives Alabama the lead back with a layup of his own. Alabama 69-67.
  • 5:59 - Johni Broome works Mohamed Wague on the block. Alabama has had very little answer for Broome in the post. He makes his free throw and he now has 25 points. Alabama 65-63. 
  • 6:06 - Th officials take a timeout to review what happened on a Johni Broome rebound. Alabama is up 65-60 but the Tigers have the ball. 
  • 6:24 - Timeout on the floor. Alabama up 65-60. Rylan Griffen goes to the line for a 1-and-1 after the break. 
  • 7:12 - Huge stop on the defensive end leads to a Rylan Griffen 3-pointer. Alabama takes a 5-point lead. It is so loud in Coleman. 
  • 8:40 - Nick Pringle called for foul No. 4. He's in danger of fouling out for the Tide. Alabama 60-58.
  • 8:48 - Mark Sears gets to the basket and makes his layup. What a move when momentum was going Auburn's way. Sears to the line for a free throw. The Coleman Crowd now chants "Bleep You Auburn". 
  • 9:28 - Tre Donaldson with a steal and breakaway dunk. Alabama's 14-point halftime lead is now gone. Auburn 58-57.
  • 9:28 - Denver Jones to the line for two, makes it a 1-point game. The Auburn faithful are getting loud. Alabama 57-56. 
  • 10:05 - Auburn's Chris Moore makes a 3-pointer and its the Tigers who are hot from deep in the second half. Auburn is 4-11 from deep. Alabama 57-54.
  • 11:01 - There is nothing like an Alabama vs. Auburn basketball game. The atmospheres are simply electric. Timeout on the floor after Grant Nelson pulls down a rebound and is fouled. Alabama 57-51. 
  • 11:47 - The bank is open. Tre Donaldson banks a 3-pointer for Auburn. Not 30 seconds later Mark Sears makes a 3-pointer. This game is off the rails. Alabama 57-51.
  • 12:50 - Latrell Wrightsell is blocked on a breakaway layup but he gets the ball back and makes a 3-pointer. Simply insane basketball being played in Coleman. The pace is wild. Alabama 52-46.
  • 13:31 - K.D. Johnson gets Auburn out on the break for a two pointer and the game once again a one-possession game. Alabama 49-46.
  • 13:50 - Tre Donaldson makes his first 3-point bucket and we once again have a tight game. Alabama 49-44. 
  • 14:57 - The students are relentless. "Bruce is fat" for the sixth time tonight.
  • 14:57 - "Bruce is fat" again from the Alabama students. That's number five for the night. Grant Nelson makes two free-throws and the Tide returns to a 10-point lead.
  • 15:18 - Alabama forces an Auburn turnover and seems to be fighting through the initial Auburn punch that everyone knew was coming. Alabama 47-39.
  • 15:42- Grant Nelson misses a 3-pointer so badly that it's an air ball. But WOW as the shot clock expired Nelson cuts to the basket for a huge slam while drawing a foul. Nelson's just got to stick with it on the offensive end. He's up to four points and has a free-throw coming. Big first bucket of the half for Alabama. Alabama 46-39.
  • 16:40 - Big defensive bust for Alabama leaves Johni Broome wide open for a dunk. The Tide still has scored in the half.
  • 17:25 - A "Ryan Williams" chant breaks out in the Alabama student section as "Roll Tide Willie" gets the crowd excited.
  • 17:30 - Timeout taken by Alabama as Johni Broome slams one home on a break. Auburn is on a 7-0 run to open the second half. Alabama 44-37. Both fan-bases chanting back and forth to one another. 
  • 19:30 - Denver Jones makes Auburn's second 3-pointer in the game. A "Let's go Auburn" chant breaks out. Denver Jones converts a fast break layup and the Tigers start on a 5-0 run.
  • 20:00 - We are underway for the second half with Alabama starting with the ball.

Halftime

  • Mark Sears currently has his season high in assists with 7. Six of his seven assets went for 3-point shots.
  • Alabama leads Auburn at halftime 44-30. The Crimson Tide has made 47 percent from deep as they've converted 8-17 from deep. 
Screenshot 2024-01-24 at 7.44.49 PM

First Half

  • :55 - Latrell Wrightsell hits his third 3-pointer of the night. Alabama is on fire from deep. Mark Sears gets a half court steal and scores on the break. Tide 44-30. Coleman's roof is about to pop off!
  • 1:47 - Mark Sears gets a 3-point attempt swatted but comes down with the ball and gets to the rim impressively for two. Alabama 39-30.
  • 2:24 - Grant Nelson makes his first basket of the game. A tough move on the block. Will that spark his confidence? 
  • 2:30 - The officials called a common foul on Chad Baker-Mazara and a technical foul on Mark Sears. It's Sears's first foul of the night. Alabama 35-28. 
  • 2:30 - The officials have called timeout to review if Mark Sears had an unsportsmanlike play. The Alabama students chant "Bruce is fat" for the fourth time of the night.
  • 3:01 - Latrell Wrightsell makes his second 3-pointer and Alabama is up by 9 points. My ears are ringing as the home crowd is going nuts. Alabama 35-26. 
  • 3:38 - Rylan Griffen takes the ball aggressively to the hole and draws a hard foul. A "lets go Auburn" chant breaks out. Both fan bases are very vocal in the building tonight. Griffen makes both his free throws. Alabama 32-26.
  • 3:53 - Grant Nelson has returned for Alabama. He's 0-4 from the floor with one rebound and one steal.
  • 4:00 - Jarin Stevenson converts from deep for 3-points. Alabama is 6-13 from the 3-point line. Alabama leads 30-26.
      • Alabama leading scorer is still Rylan Griffen with 12.
      • Auburn leading scorer is still Johni Broome with 14.
      • Auburn has turned the ball over 7 times leading to 14 Alabama points. The Tide will regret being 4-13 from the rim, Alabama just having a tough time winning on the inside offensively and defensively. 
  • 5:09- K.D. Johnson takes it to the rack for two. He's so fearless in this game. Alabama 27-26.
  • 5:50 - This game has gone off the rails. Back and forth flying up and down the floor so sloppy as the speed of the game rises. Alabama 25-24. "Bruce is fat" chants up to three.
  • 6:55 - Rylan Griffen misses his first 3-point shot of the night but the Tide keeps possession and the lead.
  • 7:21 - Denver Jones gets on the board with a driving layup. Auburn is living on the interior. They have 14 of their 24 points in the paint with Johni Broome scoring 14 on his own. Alabama 25-24.
  • 8:15 - Grant Nelson sends a 3-pointer off the side of the backboard. He's just so off offensively. Alabama 25-22.
  • 9:30 - Johni Broome puts Grant Nelson in a blender for two-points. He's up to 12 points already.
  • 9:51 - Rylan Griffen is in the ZONE. 4-4 from the 3-point line as he makes another for Alabama. Tide 25-20. 
  • 11:02 - Auburn turns the ball over for the fifth time in the game. Strong effort to start. Nick Pringle slams the ball home on the other end. Alabama 22-18.
  • 11:23 - "Bruce is fat" chants are now up to two for the Alabama student section. 
  • 11:28 - I stand corrected Alabama restarts from baseline out of bounds. 
  • 11:28 - Official under-12 timeout. Alabama has its biggest lead of the game at 20-18. Mouhamed Dioubate is going to be shooting free-throws when we come back.
    • Alabama shooting 4-6 from the 3-point line. 
    • Tide is in the middle of a 12-2 run.
    • Rylan Griffen leads Alabama with 9 points.
    • Johni Broome leads Auburn with 10 points.
  • 11:56 - Thats three 3-pointers in a row for Rylan Griffen specifically. All three coming off Mark Sears passes. Alabama 20-18.
  • 12:25 - KD Johnson is escorted to the Auburn bench and he's being spoken to by the officials. Presumably telling him to calm down. Most everyone in Coleman is on their feet. A "KD Sucks" chant breaks out. 
  • 12:55 - Three 3-pointers in a row for Alabama as Latrell Wrightsell makes his first from deep and the Tide has its first lead. Alabama 17-16. 
  • 13:15 - Alabama forces a turnover and now has a chance to tie or take the lead. It's an electric atmosphere tonight. Auburn 16-14.
  • 13:36 - Make that times two. Rylan Griffen makes another 3-pointer off a Sears assist. Auburn 16-14. 
  • 14:09 - Rylan Griffen makes his first 3-pointer off a Mark Sears kick out. It's Alabama's first make from deep and Coleman is on fire. Auburn 16-11.
  • 14:50 - Mark Sears gets to the cup for an easy two pointer. He has six of the Tide's eight points.
  • 15:06 - Rylan Griffen is in for his first action along with Mohamed Wague for the Crimson Tide. They're joined by Mark Sears, Latrell Wrightsell and Jarin Stevenson as play continues.
  • 15:06 - Johni Broome muscles Grant Nelson on the block for an easy two. Auburn 14-6. Timeout on the floor to get the shot-clock light off. A "let's go Auburn" chant breaks out.
  • 15:22 - Jarin Stevenson drives the lane for a slam. The shot clock light is stuck in an "on" position for no reason now. 12-6 Auburn. 
  • 16:16 - Jarin Stevenson is the first sub off the bench for Alabama. Nick Pringle sits. KD Johnson makes a deep two pointer for his fist bucket. 10-4 Auburn. 
  • 16:44 - Grant Nelson gets all the way to the rim but misses a bunny. He responds by stealing on the defensive end and getting the ball to Mark Sears who converts for two. 8-4 Auburn.
  • 17:30 - Mark Sears steals the ball on the defensive end and drives the floor for Alabama's first two points. Auburn 6-2.
  • 18:17 - Johni Broome with an and-one he has six now for the Tigers. 6-0 Auburn. 
  • 18:40 - Aaron Estrada turns the ball over, followed by a Latrell Wrightsell turnover. Alabama had 22 turnovers on Saturday and are off to a bad start.
  • 19:07 - There are quite a bit of Auburn folks in the arena, chanting "air ball" at Mark Sears after he misses his first 3-point shot.
  • 19:31 - Alabama inbounds the ball but immediately calls timeout after almost getting tied up. So we're back in a break. 3-0 Auburn.
  • 19:31 - Which team will this delay affect more? Alabama takes it sidelines out of bounds down 3-0.
  • 19:31 - The lights are on! Giles announces the game will restart in two minutes. Alabama and Auburn are going through layup lines at the moment.
  • 19:31 - Tony Giles the Public Address announcer just asked everyone to stay in their seats. They're planning on turning all the lights out to reset the system.
  • 19:31 - Greg Byrne is on the phone. Nate Oats is pointing up at the lights. Now he and Bruce Pearl are talking. Everyone seems confused. No sign of the lights coming back on.
  • 19:31 - Greg Byrne is on the court talking to Bruce Pearl and Nate Oats, surely about what they'll do about the lights. Very weird scene in Coleman right now.
  • 19:31 - This is wild. The stadium operations manager must be freaking out. The lights were working just fine prior to the pre-game hubbub.
  • 19:31 - Both teams are back on the floor shooting and staying warm. The lights seem to be stuck in pre-game mode.
  • 19:31 - This is the current light situation in Coleman Coliseum 
  • 19:31 - Well on the floor, the Auburn Tigers Johni Broome made a 3-pointer with the strange lights before the officials called timeout. So it's 3-0 Auburn as we wait for the lights in the building to be fixed for a game. 
  • 19:31 - The Alabama crowd responds with "F**** you Auburn" heated early as the the Coleman Coliseum folks still play with the lights.
  • 19:31 - Auburn fans break out in a "War Damn Eagle chant"
  • 19:31 - Strange moment to start. The lights in Coleman Coliseum are still programmed for the pregame
  • 20:00 - The game is underway as Auburn wins the tip

Pregame: 

  • We're minutes away from tipping things off in Coleman Coliseum
  • Alabama takes the floor for the final warmups
  • The Alabama students chant their first "Bruce is Fat" as the Auburn Tigers are warming up
  • The starting lineups are revealed for both teams
    • Alabama
      • Mark Sears
      • Grant Nelson
      • Latrell Wrightsell
      • Nick Pringle
      • Aaron Estrada 
    • Auburn 
      • Aden Holloway
      • Jaylin Williams
      • Johni Broome
      • Chris Moore
      • Denver Jones
  • Tonight's officials for the Iron Bowl of basketball:
      • Pat Adams - Head Referee (No. 20 in KenPom)
      • Don Daily - Umpire (No. 21 in KenPom)
      • K.B Burnett Jr. - Umpire (No. 40 in KenPom)
  • The Alabama students braved the rain to fill out the student section early. There's early banter between the Alabama students and ESPN announcer Jay Williams. The last time Williams called an Alabama game he said it sounded like a tennis match in Coleman Coliseum.
  • Alabama fans celebrate with "Roll Tide Willie" on the commitment of Ryan Williams

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Joe Gaither
JOE GAITHER

My name is Joe Gaither, I am a native of Chattanooga, Tenn., and a 2018 graduate of the University of Alabama. I have a strong passion for sports and giving a voice to the underserved. Feel free to email me at joegaither6@icloud.com for tips, story ideas or comments.

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