The No. 1 Tigers face the No. 2 Crimson Tide in the biggest game of the season in college basketball
The No. 1 Tigers face the No. 2 Crimson Tide in the biggest game of the season in college basketball
It’s the Game of the Day, and possibly the Game of the Season, in a fairly unlikely place as it pertains to the history of the sport.
No. 1 Auburn at No. 2 Alabama?
In basketball?
Despite all of the awesome football players who have come through Auburn (like Cam Newton and Bo Jackson), and all of the awesome football players who have come through Alabama (like Jalen Hurts and Derrick Henry), none of us have ever watched a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup between Auburn and Alabama in football because no such game has ever been played, surprising as that might be. But, at 4 p.m. ET, we’ll get a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup between Auburn and Alabama in basketball. And I, for one, can’t wait.
It should be an awesome game between the teams ranked first and second in Saturday morning’s updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings. Like I said on Friday’s episode of the Eye On College Basketball Podcast, I sincerely hope both Auburn coach Bruce Pearl and Alabama coach Nate Oats can find a second to take in the moment they’ve created when they walk onto the court inside Coleman Coliseum, because it will be a historically unprecedented moment for the state of Alabama, a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup between two programs with fanbases that, at different times, couldn’t have possibly imagined this type of event happening in this sport and within their borders.
| 1 |
Auburn |
Johni Broome finished with 17 points and seven rebounds in Tuesday’s 80-68 win at Vanderbilt. The Tigers’ next game is Saturday at Alabama. | — | 22-2 |
| 2 |
Alabama |
Jarin Stevenson finished with 22 points and four rebounds in Tuesday’s 103-80 win at Texas. The Crimson Tide’s next game is Saturday against Auburn. | — | 21-3 |
| 3 |
Florida |
Denzel Aberdeen finished with 20 points and four rebounds in Tuesday’s 81-68 win at Mississippi State. The Gators’ next game is Saturday against South Carolina. | — | 21-3 |
| 4 |
Duke |
Cooper Flagg finished with 27 points and three steals in Wednesday’s 78-57 win over California. The Blue Devils’ next game is Saturday against Stanford. | — | 21-3 |
| 5 |
Houston |
L.J. Cryer finished with 14 points and three assists in Monday’s 76-85 win over Baylor. The Cougars’ next game is Saturday at Arizona. | — | 20-4 |
| 6 |
Tennessee |
Chaz Lanier was 3-of-13 from the field in Tuesday’s 75-64 loss at Kentucky. The Vols’ next game is Saturday against Vanderbilt. | — | 20-5 |
| 7 |
Texas A&M |
Solomon Washington finished with 17 points and five rebounds in Tuesday’s 69-53 win over Georgia. The Aggies’ next game is Saturday against Arkansas. | — | 19-5 |
| 8 |
Iowa St. |
Keshon Gilbert finished with 15 points and seven rebounds in Tuesday’s 77-65 win at UCF. The Cyclones’ next game is Saturday against Cincinnati. | — | 19-5 |
| 9 |
Purdue |
Caleb Furst was 2-of-7 from the field in Tuesday’s 75-73 loss at Michigan. The Boilermakers’ next game is Saturday against Wisconsin. | — | 19-6 |
| 10 |
St. John’s |
Simeon Wilcher was 4-of-11 from the field in Wednesday’s 73-71 loss at Villanova. The Red Storm’s next game is Sunday against Creighton. | — | 21-4 |
| 11 |
Marquette |
Kam Jones finished with 19 points and four assists in Tuesday’s 68-58 win over DePaul. The Golden Eagles’ next game is Tuesday against Seton Hall. | — | 19-6 |
| 12 |
Memphis |
Dain Dainja finished with 20 points and seven rebounds in Thursday’s 80-65 win at USF. The Tigers’ next game is Sunday at Wichita State. | — | 21-4 |
| 13 |
Michigan |
Danny Wolf finished with 15 points and nine rebounds in Tuesday’s 75-73 win over Purdue. The Wolverines’ next game is Sunday at Ohio State. | — | 19-5 |
| 14 |
Ole Miss |
Malik Dia finished with 18 points and three rebounds in Wednesday’s 72-68 win at South Carolina. The Rebels’ next game is Saturday against Mississippi State. | — | 19-6 |
| 15 |
Kentucky |
Otega Oweh finished with 13 points and six rebounds in Tuesday’s 75-64 win over Tennessee. The Wildcats’ next game is Saturday at Texas. | — | 17-7 |
| 16 |
Wisconsin |
John Tonje finished with 22 points and six rebounds in Saturday’s 74-63 win over Iowa. The Badgers’ next game is Saturday at Purdue | — | 19-5 |
| 17 |
Texas Tech |
JT Toppin finished with 41 points and 15 rebounds in Texas Tech’s 111-106 double-overtime win over Arizona State. The Red Raiders’ next game is Saturday at Oklahoma State. | — | 19-5 |
| 18 |
Michigan St. |
Tre Holloman was 2-of-8 from the field in Tuesday’s 71-67 loss to Indiana. The Spartans’ next game is Saturday at Illinois. | — | 19-5 |
| 19 |
Miss. St. |
RJ Melendez was 1-of-5 from the field in Tuesday’s 81-68 loss to Florida. The Bulldogs’ next game is Saturday at Ole Miss. | — | 17-7 |
| 20 |
Creighton |
Steven Ashworth was 1-of-8 from the field in Tuesday’s 70-66 loss to UConn. The Bluejays’ next game is Sunday at St. John’s. | — | 18-7 |
| 21 |
Arizona |
Caleb Love was 3-of-15 from the field in Tuesday’s 73-70 loss at Kansas State. The Wildcats’ next game is Saturday against Houston. | — | 17-7 |
| 22 |
UCLA |
Tyler Bilodeau finished with 12 points and five rebounds in Friday’s 72-68 win at Indiana. The Bruins’ next game is Tuesday against Minnesota. | — | 19-7 |
| 23 |
Missouri |
Mark Mitchell finished with 25 points and seven rebounds in Wednesday’s 82-58 win over Oklahoma. The Tigers’ next game is Saturday at Georgia. | — | 18-6 |
| 24 |
Louisville |
J’Vonne Hadley finished with 17 points and nine rebounds in Wednesday’s 91-66 win at NC State. The Cardinals’ next game is Sunday at Notre Dame. | — | 19-6 |
| 25 |
Kansas |
Hunter Dickinson finished with 19 points and nine rebounds in Tuesday’s 71-59 win over Colorado. The Jayhawks’ next game is Saturday at Utah. | — | 17-7 |
| 26 |
Maryland |
Derik Queen finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds in Thursday’s 83-75 win at Nebraska. The Terrapins’ next game is Sunday against Iowa. | — | 19-6 |