Auburn visits No. 16 Alabama in regular season finale

by Jeff Shearer
Auburn visits No. 16 Alabama in regular season finaleAuburn visits No. 16 Alabama in regular season finale
Gameday Links

Gameday Links

Auburn at No. 16 Alabama

Watch (ESPN) Opens in a new window Listen Live Stats Opens in a new window Auburn Notes Opens in a new window Media Center Opens in a new window

AUBURN, Ala. – Not only would a victory Saturday over No. 16 Alabama be Auburn’s second straight in Tuscaloosa, it would square the season series and give the Tigers the final data point needed to potentially push them off the bubble and into the NCAA Tournament.

“They got one on us and us being able to go to their place and get this W is going to mean a lot,” sophomore Elyjah Freeman said. “That’s been our mindset all week. “We’ve got to be able to not let their momentum build up and not let it control the game.”

Auburn’s 3-point defense will be tested by the nation’s top 3-point shooting team. Alabama averages 13 made 3s per game while scoring an NCAA-best 92 points per game.

“They shoot the ball at an incredibly high level,” Auburn coach Steven Pearl said. “Every time teams break down on the defensive end they make you pay for it. They’re going to get shots up before they turn it over, usually, but we’ve got to do some things defensively to try to disrupt them. If we can create turnovers, we can get out in transition and run a little bit.”

Alabama won the first meeting 96-92 on Feb. 7 at Neville Arena on the strength of a big second half.

“That’s the plan, to look at the things we did well, try and do more of those, and look at the things they made us pay for and try to not do those,” Pearl said.

Freeman rejoined the starting lineup last weekend, helping the Tigers defeat LSU 88-74 Tuesday at Neville Arena.

“I feel like I add a little bit more spark with the guys and helping them defensively,” said Freeman, who’s averaging 12.6 points and six rebounds per game since reentering the first five. “Trying to do everything in my power to help us win.”

“The one (lineup) we have starting right now analytically has been really solid on both ends of the floor and I thought it showed in the LSU game,” Pearl said.

Auburn (16-14, 7-10) concludes the regular season at No. 16 Alabama (22-8, 12-5) Saturday at 7:30 p.m. CT in Coleman Coliseum on ESPN and the Auburn Sports Network, where Andy Burcham and Randall Dickey will call the action for listeners.

“We need a great effort on Saturday to beat a really good team,” Pearl said.

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

  • In three career games against Alabama, Tahaad Pettiford is averaging 19.0 points and 4.3 assists per game while shooting 48.7 percent from the floor. In the first game between the two this year, Pettiford had 25 points and seven assists.

  • Keyshawn Hall is two free throws away from setting the school record for most single season free throws made. Hall (207) is chasing John Mengelt who made 208 free throws during the 1970-71 season. Hall is third nationally in free throws made and has scored 35.6 percent of his total points this season from the free throw line.

  • Alabama leads the nation in scoring offense (92.0) while also ranking No. 1 nationally in 3-pointers made (13.0) and 3-pointers attempted (35.8) per game.

  • Labaron Philon continues to lead Alabama in scoring at 21.5 points per game, which ranks him 2nd in the SEC and 12th nationally.

  • With NC State falling outside the top 30 of the NET, Auburn has now played the second most Quad 1 games in the country with 15. Auburn is tied with Alabama, Baylor and Texas Tech for the second most Quad 1 games in the country and will add another one to its resume this Saturday at Alabama.