Auburn vs. Alabama Basketball: The Feud Begins in Birmingham
How to watch:
Date: Thursday, Oct. 22
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Legacy Arena (Birmingham, Ala.)
TV: None
Live Stream: Knight Eady's YouTube Channel (No login, subscription, or cable required.)
The Iron Bowl of Basketball gets an early start this year as Auburn faces arch-rival Alabama in its second of three exhibition games. The 20th-ranked Crimson Tide enter the matchup following two exhibition wins over Ole Miss and Furman, while Auburn is looking to bounce back after falling to Florida State in its first exhibition.
Alabama swept the series last season, and Auburn will look to reverse that trend in the first of multiple meetings between the two teams this season.
Although Thursday's exhibition won't count toward either team's record, it likely won't feel that way in Birmingham. Alabama head coach Nate Oats has already picked up a technical foul this exhibition season, doing so against Ole Miss in a game in which the Tide committed 20 turnovers. Fortunately, Auburn has a level-headed coach who would never do such a thing and might even play a little defense on the sideline.
Players to Watch
Auburn
George Kimble III (G)
After an injury kept Kimble from playing last season at Vanderbilt, he made an immediate impact in Auburn's exhibition against Florida State. He finished with six points, six rebounds, and a team-high six assists in 22 minutes.
Kolby King (G)
King sat out Auburn's exhibition against Florida State and could make his first appearance for the Tigers against Alabama. The 6-foot-1 senior guard from Utah State averaged 7.5 points and 3.3 rebounds last season and could give Steven Pearl another rotational option.
Alabama
Amari Allen (G/F)
Allen has been Alabama's leading scorer through its first two exhibitions. The 6-foot-6 sophomore guard scored 19 points against Ole Miss and followed that performance with another 19 against Furman.
Final Thoughts
Alabama relies heavily on its forwards, which could put Auburn's new big men, Bukky Oboye and Narcisse Ngoy, in the spotlight. The Tigers will need to win the battle on the glass and use their length to generate offense inside. Alabama centers Collins Onyejiaka and TJ St. Louis have yet to see playing time in either exhibition, potentially leaving the Tide with fewer options in the paint.
On the other end, even without former Auburn guard Aden Holloway, Alabama has plenty of weapons from beyond the arc. Auburn will need to show significant improvement in its perimeter defense and avoid getting into a shootout with the Tide.
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