🏈 GAME THREAD Men’s Basketball Falls at Auburn, 90-71

[TerryP]

Weds at 7:30 CT on the SECN.

 

[TerryP]

It's been a little over a month since Alabama beat Auburn when they were in Tuscaloosa. A lot of things have changed since that night.

In case you missed it, with the injury Auburn suffered against UofSC over the weekend they are now down to eight scholarship players. What I consider to be something worth considering going into this game ...

The last time these two teams met Bama was without Sexton and Hall only scored two points. Auburn McLemore gave the Tide a bit of a hard time in the last matchup. With his injury will it open up the game more for guys like Hall and Giddens? McLemore played a really strong 4 which leads me to think we'll see some good production out of Reese, Key, et. al.

Here's to sweeping Auburn in the regular season!!!

 

[#80]

The barn's bench is really thin now. Foul trouble could be a real issue for them if you pound it inside.

 

[TUSKtimes]

If there is ever an opportune time to beat the barn in a B-Ball game, on the road, this is it. McLemore did a lot of different things to contribute to the barner's unusual success, including stretching the defense on the outside. We beat this team at full strength and we were minus Sexton. We did it in Florida, so it can be done, but man, those times have been few and far between. We are going to have to be fearless to finally close against a team that knows we're coming.

 

[#80]

Oh we can beat them again pound it inside and attack the rim get them in foul trouble. Don't settle for jumpers.

 

[TerryP]

 

[alabama mike]

For us to come out of W. Georgia with a win...I mean southeast Alabama, we have to play consistently, good basketball for 40 minutes. We cannot afford a mental letdown. Rebound, play defense, hit open shots and make some free throws. The ball, so to speak, is in our court. We just have to step up and play like we are capable of playing.

 

[CmnRef]

For us to come out of W. Georgia with a win...I mean southeast Alabama, we have to play consistently, good basketball for 40 minutes. We cannot afford a mental letdown. Rebound, play defense, hit open shots and make some free throws. The ball, so to speak, is in our court. We just have to step up and play like we are capable of playing.

When is this not the goal for the team? Focus and effort but embrace the pressure. The last 3minutes of Kentucky game show what self inflicted pressure can do, especially when a team is as young as ours is. We are getting better, two steps forward one back. In basketball what counts is how you play in March. We are positioned to have a fun March. Buckle Up!

 

[alabama mike]

When is this not the goal for the team? Focus and effort but embrace the pressure. The last 3minutes of Kentucky game show what self inflicted pressure can do, especially when a team is as young as ours is. We are getting better, two steps forward one back. In basketball what counts is how you play in March. We are positioned to have a fun March. Buckle Up!

I hope you are correct on making a run in March. This team has shown good progress in year 3 of CAJ's tenure. The goal all along for me this year is to make the dance. I think we can do that, just do not think we have the players to go very deep.

 

[CmnRef]

I hope you are correct on making a run in March. This team has shown good progress in year 3 of CAJ's tenure. The goal all along for me this year is to make the dance. I think we can do that, just do not think we have the players to go very deep.

We are long and quick. We play hard and smart, at times, still improving on that. If we win the first game in the tournament the next team up will not be happy to see us, for good reason.

 

[TerryP]

the next team up will not be happy to see us, for good reason.

This game sets up as one that Pearl doesn't want to see coming.

 

[#80]

The barn is a 7' pt. favorite.

 

[TerryP]

Oh we can beat them again pound it inside and attack the rim get them in foul trouble. Don't settle for jumpers.

On the flip side you can look at what this team does well and that's defend. We know Auburn is a three point team and being at home gives them an edge...they're comfortable, right?

The loss of a big man like McLemore reads like it would give Bama an opening to extend the defense to the arc more than they normally would.

 

[#80]

On the flip side you can look at what this team does well and that's defend. We know Auburn is a three point team and being at home gives them an edge...they're comfortable, right?

The loss of a big man like McLemore reads like it would give Bama an opening to extend the defense to the arc more than they normally would.

I agree. I thought we did a good job of extending defense in our win against them they shot 34% versus 38% for the season. With McLemore out Sexton, Ingram and Jones need to attack the rim. And we must defend without fouling they are a very good FT shooting team.

 

[BamaFan334]

We just need to make sure we don't get into foul trouble and giving them the Bonus and Bonus+ with ten minutes left in the game like we have done a good deal this entire season. We've done it in the first half and second half, and it drives me nuts.

Hoping that whole ranked fallacy plays into our hands again tonight, we need this bad boy. Keep Hall involved, need Sexton to penetrate and distribute, and for Petty to hit some shots. I think Herb and Hall have good games tonight. Would like to see Alex Reese put in some quality minutes as well.

 

[By Alex Byington Sports Writer]

Tide's Sexton eager to face Auburn

TUSCALOOSA — The last time Alabama played its biggest rival, star freshman point guard Collin Sexton watched from the bench with an abdominal injury.

A month later, both Sexton and the Crimson Tide are eager to see how the former McDonald’s All-American fares in what Alabama head coach Avery Johnson considers “the best (rivalry) in all of sports.”

“It hurt me a whole lot because I wanted to be out there with my teammates and help them get the win,” Sexton said Tuesday. “But I feel like (other players) stepped up that game, and it was a big win for us.”

With Sexton out, fellow freshman guard John Petty was 8-of-13 from 3-point range for 27 points to help Alabama outshoot the Tigers 76-71, at Coleman Coliseum on Jan. 17, snapping Auburn's 14-game win streak.

The victory was one of a string of Top 25 wins for the Crimson Tide (17-10, 8-6 SEC), which have won five in a row against Associated Press-ranked opponents.

Alabama makes the return trip today to No. 12 Auburn (23-4, 11-3 SEC), Sexton is looking forward to bringing his own flair to the heated cross-state feud.

“(The other players) talk about it pretty much every day, and they also talk about last year and how the games were very important coming down the stretch,” Sexton said. “We need some of these games (late in the season), especially tomorrow.”

Auburn will not make it easy, especially not coming off an 84-75 loss at South Carolina on Saturday. The Tigers have yet to suffer back-to-back defeats this year.

“They’ve been an outstanding team all year long, been the best team in the SEC,” Johnson said. “Obviously ranked pretty high in the Top 25, they’ve represented the SEC in a powerful way in terms of their non-conference games, and they’ve just been on a roll.”

Alabama’s relentless defensive pressure stymied the Tigers’ 3-point shooting prowess by limiting Auburn to just 2-of-11 from 3 in the second half.

“I think they're the most talented team in the league. They're deep, they're long. A lot of the things they do have been some of the things that have bothered us,” Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said Monday. “Finding ways to score on them is going to be difficult and keeping them off the glass and out of the paint, both with their ball screen offense and as well as their post offense, is going to be our great challenge.”

Another challenge for Auburn will be playing without 6-foot-7 sophomore center Anfernee McLemore, who underwent surgery earlier this week to repair a dislocated left ankle suffered against South Carolina.

Alabama is as healthy as its been all season, with junior forward Donta Hall (wrist surgery) averaging 17.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game over the Tide’s last three.

Tonight's point guard battle will be a reunion for Sexton and Auburn sophomore Jared Harper. The two played together at Pebblebrook High in Mableton, Georgia, for three years before Harper signed with Auburn in 2016.

“We talk pretty much every week. We have pretty good communication,” Sexton said. “When we go back home, we hang out, go out to eat.”

Harper ranks second in the SEC averaging 5.8 assists per game and is third on the team averaging 13.5 pointer per game.

Sexton has been everything he was advertised to be. His team-leading 18.1 points per game ranks third in the SEC.

“When I’m out there, I know I want to play to a certain standard, and I don’t feel like it’s pressure,” Sexton said. “I just want to play to that standard.”
By Alex Byington Sports Writer
College Basketball: Tide's Sexton eager to face Auburn

 

[Decatur Daily - sports/alabama]

Alabama vs. Auburn Preview

ALABAMA LINEUP: G Collin Sexton (6-3, Fr.) 18.1 ppg; G Dazon Ingram (6-5, R-Soph.) 10.0 ppg; G John Petty (6-5, Fr.) 10.9 ppg; F Daniel Giddens (6-11, Jr.) 4.6 ppg; C Donta Hall (6-9, Jr) 11.6 ppg, 7.1 rpg.

AUBURN LINEUP: G Jared Harper (5-10, So.) 13.5 ppg; G Bryce Brown (6-3, Jr.) 16.4 ppg; G Mustapha Heron (6-5, So.) 16.1 ppg; F Horace Spencer (6-8, Jr.) 4.3 ppg; F Desean Murry (6-3, Jr.) 10.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg.

NOTES: Alabama is the SEC’s top overall defensive team in conference games, leading the SEC in scoring defense (65.6), field goal percentage defense (.392) and blocks per game (5.4), second in 3-point field goal defense (.299) and third in steals (6.7). … The Crimson Tide has won five straight games against AP Top 25 opponents this season, with victories over then-No. 5 Texas A&M (79-57), then-No. 17 Auburn (76-71), then-No. 12 Oklahoma (80-73), then-No. 23 Florida (68-50), and then-No. 15 Tennessee (78-50) on Feb. 10. … Auburn is the only team in the SEC with three players averaging more than 13 points per game, with junior guard Bryce Brown (16.4 ppg) leading the way, followed by sophomore guards Mustapha Heron (16.1) and Jared Harper (13.5). … Alabama is going for a season sweep after beating Auburn in Tuscaloosa on Jan. 17. The Tigers swept the series last season

 

[UAgrad93]

We need to protect Hall and Giddens. Giddens seems to pick up a foul inside the first minute in EVERY game!!! Keeping them on the floor to attack the Barn where they are weakest will be a big factor in determining our fate!

 

[rick4bama]

ROLL TIDE BEAT THEM !!

 

[bamachine]

A little turtle dovin' on a Mason Dixon night...