TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – No. 2 Alabama’s seven-game win streak came to an end Saturday as the Crimson Tide fell to in-state rival No. 1 Auburn 94-85.
In a game of runs all evening, it was an 11-3 run from Auburn that proved to be the difference. Alabama and Auburn went back and forth with long runs all game long. Auburn closed the first half with a 7-0 run and extended their lead to as large as 14, but the Crimson Tide came roaring back to tie the game at 68.
“We talk about starts and closes a lot, and we did an awful job today. We got to be better on both sides of the ball with starts and closes going forward,” Alabama head coach Nate Oats said.
While Alabama continued to fight after Auburn to a 79-71 lead, the Crimson Tide could not put together one last run. It was not rebounds or turnovers that made the difference in the game, it was Alabama’s offensive performance.
The Crimson Tide shot 39% from the field and a season-worst 5-for-26 (19%) from the 3-point line following a game where Alabama made a conference play-high 16 3-pointers. Alabama also shot just 14-for-30 on layups in the game. Alabama also missed crucial free throws down the stretch of the game. Alabama got to the free throw line early and often, making 35 trips to the line, but made just 26 of them.
“Between our free throws, not finishing at the rim, not getting big threes off of them, and not making anywhere close to the level they made them [3-pointers], that ends up being the difference,” Oats said.
Alabama point guard Mark Sears led the team in scoring with 18 points, but made only two of his 11 attempts from beyond the arc.
The Alabama defense could not stop Auburn when it needed to down the stretch. The Tigers finished the game 46% from the field and 40% from long range as Auburn hit 12 3-pointers. Auburn guard Denver Jones hit three 3-pointers to start the second half as he finished with 16 points. National Player of the Year candidate and Auburn forward Johni Broome gave the Crimson Tide trouble as well as he led Auburn in scoring with 19 points and 14 rebounds.
The bright spot of the night was the rebounding category for Alabama. The Crimson Tide outrebounded the Tigers 49-40, including out rebounding Auburn 14-7 on the offensive glass. Alabama center Clifford Omoruyi and forward Grant Nelson led the team in rebounds with 12 each.
Alabama did its job protecting the ball. After Oats called his team out earlier in the week for an abundance of turnovers, the Crimson Tide committed just seven turnovers and out scored Auburn 7-3 in points off turnovers.
“That’s the funny thing about basketball is even in losses you have to take small wins,” Alabama guard Chris Youngblood said. “We just got to keep taking care of that and fix whatever we did wrong tonight.”
Saturday’s game marked the first time in SEC basketball history in which it was a No. 1 versus No. 2 matchup. In the last four times there was a matchup between the top two teams ranked in the AP poll, the designated road team won all four times..
In the locker room after the game, Oats made the message clear: rally.
“We’ll see what type of maturity and leadership we have by how we come in on Monday. We’re off tomorrow. Come in Monday and be ready to go,” Oats said.
Up next, Alabama will try to get back in the win column Wednesday as the Crimson Tide travel to Columbia, Missouri to take on the Missouri Tigers. Alabama and Missouri will tip off at 8 p.m. CT.
