This weekend, the Auburn basketball team will travel to Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama in what will be a historic matchup between rivals. The first game between the two teams this season will feature the top two teams in the nation.
No. 1 Auburn has gone undefeated in conference road games and undoubtedly has the most impressive resume in college basketball. The Tigers will go into the game with a 22-2 overall record and a 10-1 conference record after ending a 14-game winning streak with a loss at home to Florida last Saturday.
Auburn bounced back with a strong victory over Vanderbilt on the road on Tuesday, but the loss to the Gators is still fresh on the mind for head coach Bruce Pearl.
"Our identity has got to be on the defensive end," Pearl said Tuesday, per Auburn Undercover. "That's where it has to be because it's the one thing you can control. Florida put 90 on us, and that's got to sting. If we're going to continue to win, our defense is going to have to carry us and lead the way. I think we got away from that; I'm going to do the best job I can to get us back to that because, obviously, Alabama is a phenomenal offensive team."
Meanwhile, the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide is riding a seven-game winning streak as they prepare to welcome the Tigers to Tuscaloosa. The Tide has a 21-3 overall record and a 10-1 conference record, their only loss being to Ole Miss at home.
"I mean, we'll see Saturday who's the best team in the country I guess," Oats said after Alabama's midweek win over Texas, per Auburn Undercover. "Do I think we're the best team in the country? I think we got a chance to be but Auburn's the best team in the country right now and we want to knock them out on Saturday if we want to claim to be the best team in the country."
The Tigers and the Tide will tip-off from Tuscaloosa this Saturday at 3:00 p.m.