This is huge. Like, Chris Davis huge. Van Tiffin huge. It’s No. 1 Auburn at No. 2 Alabama for a hardwood Iron Bowl on Saturday afternoon.
How to watch No. 1 Auburn at No. 2 Alabama
What a tremendously cool matchup. Of course these programs are experiencing simultaneous basketball revivals. Bruce Pearl led Auburn to its first Final Four in 2019; Nate Oats got Alabama there for the first time last year. Both iterations of these teams are dynamic, deep and supremely skilled. Saturday’s College GameDay banger should trumpet a phenomenal overall campaign for the SEC.
The visiting Tigers are all about balance. They have six players averaging double-figure scoring. They are first in offensive rating and 17th in adjusted defense. Star big man Johni Broome is surrounded by a trio of rangy marksmen in Miles Kelly, Denver Jones and Chad Baker-Mazara. Meanwhile, breakout freshman Tahaad Pettiford is a scene-setting sixth man. He has become one of the more thrilling players in college basketball so swiftly:
TOUGHHH HAAD🤙 pic.twitter.com/hlHbQ7cwoo
— Auburn Basketball (@AuburnMBB) February 12, 2025
Alabama leads the nation in scoring and balls out at the fastest pace in the country. The Tide loves the 3-ball and completely works opponents off the glass. Seniors Mark Sears (19.8 points in four career Auburn games) and Grant Nelson (7.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in conference action) are surely unafraid of this moment. Bama puts numbers on the board and can forcefully set the tone when the jumper is dropping, which it so often is.
Bench heater Aden Holloway struggled for Auburn last season, shooting a horrid 32 percent from the field. The transfer to Alabama has been massive for him, up to 42 percent on treys and fourth in SEC offensive rating. He’s earning that “Biz” nickname right now:
Strictly Biz. pic.twitter.com/j65rikCCKS
— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) February 12, 2025
Both teams enter this game at 10-1 in the SEC, adding the top spot in the conference on top of rivalry stakes and No. 1 in the polls being on the line. Alabama leads the all-time series 102-68.
(Photo of Johni Broome: Todd Kirkland / Getty Images)
