The stage is set for an epic Iron Bowl on the hardwood Saturday as No. 1 Auburn travels to No. 2 Alabama for a historic showdown between the in-state rivals. It marks the first-ever No. 1 vs. No. 2 meeting among SEC teams and the first No. 1 vs. No. 2 game between two conference opponents since 2016.
Adding even more intrigue to the highly anticipated matchup is the fact that Alabama is No. 1 in this week’s Coaches Poll, which gives both teams a claim to “No. 1” entering the game. But any confusion over who deserves the title should be clarified by the end of what figures to be a riveting matchup.
Auburn and Alabama are each fast, deep, like to shoot 3-pointers and are ferocious on the offensive glass. Both have All-American players and high-caliber young talent as part of their deep rotations. Both also have star coaches who have ushered in a golden era of basketball to a football-crazed state.
No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 2 Alabama is big for college basketball, but huge for rabid Tiger and Crimson Tide fans
John Talty
Saturday’s showdown will showcase just how much Auburn’s Bruce Pearl and Alabama’s Nate Oats have done to elevate their programs. It will be the biggest game of college basketball’s regular season and the biggest in series history.
The game also presents an opportunity for stars to shine. A strong performance in a showcase opportunity would help Auburn center Johni Broome’s case in his National Player of the Year race with Duke freshman Cooper Flagg. Alabama veteran leaders Mark Sears and Grant Nelson, who led the Crimson Tide to their first-ever Final Four last season, will have an opportunity to etch another memorable moment in their legendary careers.
How to watch Auburn vs. Alabama live
Date: Saturday, Feb. 15 | Time: 4 p.m. ET
Location: Coleman Coliseum — Tuscaloosa, Alabama
TV: ESPN | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)
Auburn vs. Alabama prediction, picks
All odds via SportsLine consensus.
Auburn has the game’s best player in Johni Broome. The National Player of the Year candidate is averaging a double-double and is an unstoppable force on the interior. Defensively, he and fellow big man Dylan Cardwell combine to comprise the best duo of rim protectors in college basketball. They will make getting clean looks around the basket difficult for the Crimson Tide, who could then become overly reliant on the outside shot. The problem is that Auburn boasts the best 3-point defense in the SEC, as league opponents are shooting just 28.8% from beyond the arc against the Tigers. Pick: Auburn +1.5
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