In the first-ever SEC clash between the AP’s top two teams, Auburn (23-2, 11-1 SEC) outdueled Alabama (21-4, 10-2) 94-85 in Tuscaloosa as Johni Broome led with 19 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists, while Denver Jones added 16, Miles Kelly contributed 15 points and eight rebounds, Chad Baker-Mazara scored 15 before fouling out, and Chaney Johnson and Tahaad Pettiford chipped in 14 and 13 respectively, helping Auburn withstand a second-half rally to claim sole conference leadership.
Alabama’s seven-game win streak came to an end as Mark Sears scored 18 points, Grant Nelson recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds, and Labaron Philon alongside former Auburn guard Aden Holloway each contributed 10 points.
The Tigers built a 59-45 lead with 13:43 remaining, but Alabama stormed back with a 10-point surge—sparked by Sears’ 3-pointer that trimmed the deficit to three and capped by Nelson’s two-handed slam tying the game at 65 with 7:49 left—before the home crowd erupted again when Chris Youngblood’s trey leveled it at 68.
Auburn regained its composure when Baker-Mazara’s triple sparked a run that restored a seven-point lead with 5:35 remaining, and despite re-aggravating a left ankle injury in the second half, Broome stepped up by blocking Sears to keep the Tigers ahead by six before backing down Dioubate to extend the lead to 10 with 1:09 left.
Auburn outshot Alabama 46.2% to 38.6% overall and converted 40% of its 3-pointers (12-of-30) compared to Alabama’s 19.2% (5-of-26, including 2-for-15 in the first half), while the Tigers built a double-digit lead in the opening four minutes by knocking down four treys—Broome’s two 3s capping a 9-0 run and Johnson’s shot extending the score to 14-4 by 3:07.
Midway through the half, Alabama’s only 3-pointers—from Holloway and Jarin Stevenson—sparked an eight-point surge that trimmed Auburn’s lead to 26-25 at 7:49, but Auburn answered by scoring the final seven points to head into halftime up 42-33.
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