AUBURN, Ala. – The road to an SEC championship has run through the state of Alabama in recent years. Whether it's Auburn or Alabama, the two schools have combined to win four of the last six regular-season titles. This year, Alabama (8-1) is currently at the top of the league standings with Auburn (7-2) one game back.
Next Game:
vs. No. 16 Alabama
Feb. 7, 2024
6 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN2
Radio: Auburn Sports Network
The two sides will go head-to-head again Wednesday night in Neville Arena.
"The Alabama victory means more because obviously it's a great rivalry," Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said. "We want to win the Iron Bowl. This game matters more to us. It matters more to our fans. It matters more to the Auburn Family. It matters more to me. It matters more to my players. We get that.
"But it also matters a lot to the NCAA Tournament selection committee. It also matters a lot to our seeding. And it also matters a lot right now to who is going to win the championship."
The Tigers came up short two weeks ago in Tuscaloosa, but they're hungry for the rematch and hungry for the opportunity to get Alabama at home.
"I feel like we weren't as locked in," Auburn's Chad Baker-Mazara said. "We let the outside bother us a little bit. We just have to make sure we run our stuff. They were playing a little bit more physical, and I feel like we let that get to our head.
"Now they're coming to the Jungle. We'll see how that goes," he added with a smirk.
Auburn is 11-0 at home this season and has won 14 straight at home dating back to last season. With the exception of the COVID year in 2020-21 when there was limited capacity, the Tigers are 87-7 at home since the beginning of the 2017-18 season.
"At home, I feel like everybody has got superpowers for some reason," Baker-Mazara said. "Everybody just starts hitting more shots.
"A lot of that has to do with the fans. I love them. When you're at home, you've got a little bit more swagger in you. You're confident because you know the crowd has got your back. We just want to keep it undefeated and not lose at home at all."
Neville Arena will be rocking again Wednesday night for No. 12 Auburn and No. 16 Alabama. The game will tip off at 6 p.m. CT. Andy Burcham and Sonny Smith will have the radio call on 94.3 FM, online at AuburnTigers.com and on the Auburn app. The game will be televised on ESPN2 with Karl Ravech and Jimmy Dykes on the call.
PLAYER TO WATCH: JOHNI BROOME
Reigning SEC Player of the Week Johni Broome became the second Auburn player – next to Walker Kessler – to be honored as USBWA Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week. He was selected this week along with Kansas' Hunter Dickinson (Big 12), Xavier's Quincy Olivari (BIG EAST), Boise State's Max Rice (Mountain West) and Hofstra's Tyler Thomas (CAA).
Broome is currently on a 13-game double-digit scoring streak. He ranks first in the SEC averaging 8.77 rebounds per game, putting him in line to be the first Auburn player to be the league's leading rebounder since Aubrey Wiley in 1994. Broome also ranks eighth among conference scoring leaders with 15.7 points per game.
INSIDE THE SERIES: ALABAMA
Alabama holds a 102-65 advantage in the all-time series with Auburn and has won the last three meetings. However, the Tigers have a winning record (33-29) in games played on the Plains, including a 7-5 mark at Neville Arena. Seven of the last nine games in the series have been decided by eight points or less.
Wednesday's game will be the sixth all-time meeting between Auburn and Alabama where both are ranked in the AP Top 25. The higher-ranked team has won each of the previous five ranked matchups in the series.
NOTABLE
» The SEC leads the country with five teams ranked in the Top 20 in the AP Poll this week. Auburn plays three of those five in its next four games.
» Auburn picked up its first Quad 1 win of the season by beating Ole Miss on the road on Saturday in Oxford. With the win and Ole Miss loss, the Tigers (11-0) are the only SEC team that remains unbeaten at home this season.
» Auburn is currently tied with Samford for the 10th-longest home-court win streak in the country (14). Auburn's home win streak is the seventh longest in program history.
» Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl's next SEC win will be the 150th of his career. He has amassed a 149-111 SEC record in 16 seasons in the league (6 Tennessee; 10 Auburn).