AUBURN, Ala. – Another history-making opportunity awaits Bruce Pearl and the Auburn basketball team Tuesday when the top-ranked Tigers host Alabama.
Next Game:
Alabama
Feb. 1, 2022
8 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN
Radio: Auburn Sports Network
With a second rivalry win this season, Pearl would join Bill Lynn as the only Auburn coaches to sweep three home-and-homes vs. Alabama. Lynn's Tigers did it three straight seasons from 1969-71. Pearl's teams accomplished regular season sweeps in 2017 and 2019. Auburn's 81-77 win in Tuscaloosa Jan. 11 positioned the Tigers for a potential third bragging rights special in the Pearl era.
Alabama, as Pearl noted Monday in his session with reporters, has already earned a pair of top five victories this season, beating then No. 3 Gonzaga in Seattle Dec. 4 and knocking off No. 4 Baylor Saturday in the Big 12/SEC Challenge. With a Dec. 11 win over Houston, Alabama has defeated three of last year's Final Four teams.
"It's going to be a great challenge for us," Pearl said. "We played really well there last time, so it'll be a great opportunity for us. They're capable of beating the best teams on their schedule. I think Kentucky and Alabama are the two best teams we've played so far this year, with LSU being right there next."
Three weeks ago in Tuscaloosa, Jabari Smith scored a career-high 25 points and grabbed seven rebounds to help Auburn outrebound Alabama 34-31, a matchup that will help determine the winner of the rematch.
"Winning the battle of the boards is going to be really important," Pearl said. "They're well-coached, really talented and very athletic."
Auburn takes a 17-game win streak into the Alabama game, including victories in the Tigers' first two games at the top of the rankings.
"Survived and advanced," Pearl said of Auburn's 55-54 win at Missouri and 86-68 home victory vs. Oklahoma. "Pleased to have survived Missouri on the road. We played very well against Oklahoma. Hopefully it's something we can build on."
No. 1 Auburn (20-1, 8-0) tips off against Alabama (14-7, 4-4) Tuesday at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN. Andy Burcham and Sonny Smith will call the action on the Auburn Sports Network.
PLAYER TO WATCH: JABARI SMITH
A top NBA prospect, freshman Jabari Smith leads Auburn in scoring with15.6 points per game and is second in rebounds with 6.8 boards per contest. The only freshman in the SEC to be top 10 in the league in both scoring and rebounding, Smith is coming off a 23-point performance in Saturday's win vs. Oklahoma. He also pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds. Smith has connected on a 3-pointer in 16 consecutive games.
INSIDE THE SERIES: ALABAMA
Auburn and Alabama will be meeting for the 166th time and the 55th time in Auburn. The Tigers hold a 6-4 series lead all-time in Auburn Arena.
Five of the last 10 meetings have been decided by 10 points or less, and three of the last four have been decided by four points. Auburn's last win over the Crimson Tide in Auburn Arena came on Feb. 12, 2020 when five Tigers scored in double figures in a 95-91 overtime victory. Austin Wiley finished with 18 points and 17 rebounds.
WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE
Auburn is a perfect 11-0 on its home court this season and has won 13 in a row at Auburn Arena dating back to last season. The 13-game home win streak is tied for ninth longest in the country and second longest in the SEC.
With Saturday's victory over Oklahoma, the Tigers have now won 40 consecutive non-conference games at Auburn Arena. Their last non-conference home loss was Jan. 20, 2016. Bruce Pearl is 50-3 at Auburn in non-conference home games.