The Crimson Tide survived a rivalry brawl in Birmingham. Alabama beat Auburn 87-85 in a fiery basketball exhibition on Oct. 22, a game that featured scuffles, a heated exchange between the two head coaches and a shove after the final buzzer.
The game was played at Legacy Arena in front of a raucous crowd, and it took only four minutes for the first scuffle to break out. Auburn coach Steven Pearl and Alabama coach Nate Oats had a heated exchange while trying to break up a skirmish after an early rebounding battle, and Auburn’s George Kimble III shoved Alabama’s Amari Allen during an argument immediately after the final buzzer.
“That felt like a Sweet Sixteen game in October,” Pearl said after the game.
Crimson Tide holds off Auburn late
Alabama made the plays that mattered down the stretch. Auburn showed improvement after last week’s loss to Florida State, but the Tigers could not keep pace with the Crimson Tide in the final minutes, missing a few players due to foul trouble.
Pearl credited Alabama for closing the game out. “You’ve got to give Alabama credit,” he said. “They made some tough plays there down the stretch and were able to come away with the win.”
The Crimson Tide shot 42 percent from the field and grabbed 13 offensive rebounds, converting on the second chances when it counted. The Crimson Tide did what good teams do in close games, getting stops and making tough, contested shots late.
A chippy night in Birmingham
“It was a fiery game,” Pearl said. “It got chippy, as it should. Only took four minutes to be a scuffle.”
Pearl said Auburn came into the night looking for a fight, in the competitive sense. “We talked about getting into a fight tonight. Not a street fight, but being more aggressive and trying to throw the first punch,” he said. “And I thought our guys responded to that coaching, and it was a really competitive game.”
The physicality was evident all night. Pearl described “collision after collision after collision” from both teams, and the officials kept busy as the Crimson Tide and Tigers traded fouls. Auburn was whistled for 36 free throws worth of fouls in its second exhibition, after 40 in the first game against Florida State, and Pearl said cutting down on fouls will be a point of emphasis.
“Just keep fighting,” Pearl said of his message during the scuffles. “Keep your head. Understand that the referees are going to be looking for anything at this point, and you can’t give them an excuse to call any silly fouls.”
Auburn’s young players answer the challenge
Pearl found plenty to like in the loss. He praised center Narcisse, who had five offensive rebounds in 14 minutes and set the tone early, though foul trouble, four fouls, limited his impact. He also noted that the Tigers were short-handed, with three players who could be in the rotation sitting on the bench, as was Alabama.
The newcomers showed they understood the rivalry. Pearl said Caleb Williams played much better than he had in the first exhibition, playing with more freedom, and that Adam Olsen looks like a shot-maker. The three-point shooting was still rough, with Tahaad going 0-for-4, George 0-for-3 and Caleb 1-for-5, but Pearl said he liked the shot selection better than he did against Florida State.
“I told the guys, if we continue to grow like we did this past week moving forward, we’ve got a chance,” Pearl said.
Auburn has one exhibition remaining, next Thursday at home against Samford. The Crimson Tide will keep tuning up as well, with the regular season approaching.
Crimson Tide and Auburn show the state of Alabama basketball
Pearl also spoke about the bigger picture. He noted the SEC championships both programs have won over the last eight years and the three Final Fours between them, saying basketball in the state is in as good a place as it has ever been.
He also joked that it was strange the game was not on national television, given the atmosphere at Legacy Arena. Both fan bases turned out, and the environment matched the intensity on the floor.
For the Crimson Tide, the win was a preseason tune-up. For Auburn, it was a measuring stick. The two teams will meet again when it counts, and Thursday night showed the next chapter of the rivalry will be as heated as ever.