The first time the Auburn Tigers and the Alabama Crimson Tide met this season, sparks came from every direction. Can we expect more of the same this time around? Check out our preview of this game below.
Despite missing star point guard Sharife Cooper, Auburn managed to score a 77-72 home win over the Tennessee Volunteers last Saturday. It was a mild upset victory for the Tigers, who entered that game as an 8.5-point underdog, as Allen Flanigan went off for 23 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the field and 7 of 11 from the foul line. Cooper wasn’t able to play against Tennessee because of a left ankle injury, but a few extra days of rest could be enough for him to return to action. Cooper played a key role in giving Alabama a run for its money in a 94-90 home loss last January, as he led the Tigers with 26 points on 8-of-19 shooting from the field, though he went 1 of 7 from deep. Meanwhile, Flanigan had 19 points and eight rebounds. Auburn boasts of seven players who are averaging at least 9.1 points per game. Cooper leads the group with 20.2 points per game, while Flanigan is putting up 14.2 per contest. Auburn is third in the SEC with 79.4 points per game. Auburn had 10 blocks in the first meeting with the Crimson Tide, with 6-10 forward JT Thor hammering four blocks. Jaylin Williams and Thor are averaging 1.5 and 1.4 blocks, respectively.
The over is 3-1 in Auburn’s last three games overall.
Alabama got back in the win column last Saturday when the Crimson Tide defeated the Mississippi State Bulldogs on the road, 64-59. That followed a bitter 81-66 road loss to the Arkansas Razorbacks on Feb. 24 for the Crimson Tide, who pulled off the win over Mississippi State despite shooting just 32.3 percent from the field and making only seven of their 28 attempts from behind the arc. Alabama relies so much on its outside shooting, as the team is 11th in the nation with 40.4 percent of the Crimson Tide’s points coming from triples. On the season, Alabama is making 10.7 3-pointers on 30.2 attempts per game and 35.5 percent success rate. In the first meeting with Auburn this season, the Crimson Tide let it fly from deep, hitting 10 threes on 32 attempts. Given how great Auburn’s interior defense is, Alabama will have to continue taking those outside shots to open up options down low and in the shaded area. Joshua Primo had 22 points with four 3-pointers in the win over Auburn, while Jordan Burner had 20 points and seven rebounds.
Alabama is 3-1 in Alabama’s last three home games.
