AUBURN, Ala.— With bragging rights on the line, Auburn played the way its coaching staff dressed: to impress.
The Tigers made all 10 of their free throw attempts in the fourth quarter to defeat No. 21 Alabama 58-54, holding the Crimson Tide nearly 20 points below its average.
“I’m super proud of my team,” said Auburn head coach Larry Vickers, decked out in a suit and tie for his first experience with the in-state rivalry. “They came out from the top with a different level of intensity and did a tremendous job of making Alabama work for everything they got. Defensively, I thought we were pretty amazing today. This is by far our most complete game.”
Holding the game ball the Tigers presented him in the victorious locker room, Auburn’s first-year head coach recounted a visit with program legend DeWanna Bonner after his hiring.
“’I don’t care what you do, just beat Alabama,’” Bonner told Vickers. “I’m glad we were able to check that box for her.”
After Khady Leye made two free throws to put Auburn ahead by five with 51 seconds remaining, Alabama’s Jessica Timmons made a 3-pointer to cut the Tigers’ lead to two with 31 seconds left.
An Auburn turnover with 15 seconds to go gave the visitors a chance to tie or win, but Syriah Daniels took a charge on Timmons with four seconds left.
“She’s one of our better defenders,” Vickers said of Daniels. “She did an excellent job of being low, sliding over and taking the charge.”
Ja’Mia Harris hit a pair of free throws with three seconds remaining to secure the Tigers’ first ranked win since beating No. 7 LSU in 2024.
Leye led Auburn with 16 points and nine rebounds. Timmons scored 16 for Alabama (17-2, 3-2).
“We were all focused on getting this W,” said Leye, who made 7 of 15 field goals. “We worked for it. This is a great feeling.”
Auburn forced seven first-quarter turnovers and converted them into nine of the Tigers’ 11 points.
Mya Petticord hit a 3-pointer to give the Tigers a one-point lead before Leye’s steal and layup gave Auburn an 11-8 lead after 10 minutes.
Auburn added to its lead with a 7-0 run in the second quarter, highlighted by Harris’ corner 3-pointer.
Harissoum Coulibaly’s steal and layup put Auburn ahead 26-17, the Tigers’ largest lead of the half.
Alabama hit back-to-back 3-pointers in 33 seconds to cut Auburn’s lead to three. After the visitors claimed a one-point lead, Leye ended the half with a bucket in the paint to reach double figures while giving Auburn a 30-29 halftime lead.
Leye made a pair of jumpers to preserve Auburn’s lead before A’riel Jackson hit a 3-pointer to double the Tigers’ advantage to six points.
Kaitlyn Duhon drove for a left-handed layup to put Auburn ahead 43-37 heading to the fourth quarter.
Jackson splashed another 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter to give Auburn a nine-point lead.
After Duhon went to the bench with her fourth foul early in the quarter, Alabama went on an 8-0 run to trim the Tigers’ lead to one, prompting Duhon’s swift return.
Duhon fouled out with 5:19 to play, having contributed 10 points, six rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot for a plus-9 outing.
“Next-man-up mentality,” Vickers said. “Our group did a good job of rebounding together. After that, everybody picked up off that energy. I’m proud of that group.”
Alabama took the lead five seconds later but Auburn answered with a pair of Petticord free throws and Coulibaly’s jumper to go back in front by three points.
Alabama made a jump shot to pull within a point, but Auburn went 6-for-6 from the free-throw line over the final 1:07 to hang on for the win.
After an open date, Auburn (13-6, 2-3) plays next Thursday at No. 5 Vanderbilt before returning to Neville Arena on Sunday, Jan. 25, against No. 13 Oklahoma.
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer