Auburn basketball looks to salvage its March Madness hopes down the stretch of the 2022-23 season, and its bid for an at-large resume begins with the second matchup of the season against the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide.
AU is reeling after an 86-54 beating at the Rupp Arena at the hands of the Kentucky Wildcats. The Tigers were outshot 56% to 34% and were outrebounded soundly, 41-23. The showing forced head coach Bruce Pearl to apologize to the Auburn family. It was the worst showing of the 2022-23 Auburn basketball season, and it came at a horrible time.
In Tuscaloosa Wednesday, Pearl’s Tigers need to defy serious odds and come up with the biggest upset of their season against an Alabama team that has won seven of its last eight games.
Auburn Basketball Projected Starting Lineup
PG – Wendell Green Jr., SG – Zep Jasper, SF – Allen Flanigan, PF – Jaylin Williams, C – Johni Broome
Alabama Basketball Projected Starting Lineup
PG – Mark Sears, SG – Jaden Bradley, SF – Brandon Miller, PF – Noah Clowney, C – Charles Bediako
Alabama vs Auburn Basketball Injury Report
No injuries.
Alabama vs Auburn Basketball Prediction
It’s truly do or die for Pearl’s Tigers with two games remaining. Losing on national television to Kentucky severely hurt their at-large bid hopes, and the lack of Quad 1 wins (2-8 in Quad 1 games) means beating Alabama or Tennessee (or both) could be the only way Auburn basketball avoids being one of the first teams on the wrong side of the bubble.
Unfortunately, they run into Alabama at the worst time. The Crimson Tide have been able to overcome the off-court issues several players on the team are involved in, including projected NBA lottery pick Brandon Miller, to squeak past their last two opponents, Arkansas and South Carolina.
Expect a close call, but an Auburn loss at Coleman.
Auburn 64 Alabama 69