By Kyle Murphy, UA Media Relations
The University of Alabama Men’s Basketball team, ranked No. 12 in both polls this week, will travel to face in-state rival Auburn Tigers Tuesday night, in a nationally televised SEC Western Division match up from Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum in Auburn.
Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. and will be televised by ESPN, with Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes and Heather Cox handling the broadcast duties. Fans can also catch the game on the Crimson Tide Sports Network, with Chris Stewart, Tom Roberts and Bryan Passink calling the action.
Alabama (15-3, 2-2 SEC) went down to the wire Saturday afternoon, knocking off the Georgia Bulldogs 78-76 on point guard Ronald Steele’s buzzer beater. Auburn (12-8, 2-3 SEC) fell to Mississippi State 87-76 on Saturday, but upset then 22nd ranked Tennessee 83-80 on January 17.
The Tide is led by a starting five which all averages double figures in scoring this season. Sophomore Alonzo Gee leads the Tide with 14.9 points per game. Senior Jermareo Davidson, a Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award candidate, averages 14.3 points and 9 rebounds a game.
Auburn is led by sophomore guard Rasheem Barrett, who averages 12.6 points per game.
“I think Auburn is a very good basketball team,” said Alabama head coach Mark Gottfried. “They have improved a great deal over the last couple of years and they play extremely well at home. They are quick, they are athletic and we are completely aware of the fact that we are going to play a very good basketball team on Tuesday night.”
This will be the 134th meeting between the two teams in a series that dates back to 1924, in which Alabama leads the Tigers 83-50. The Crimson Tide has won the last seven games in the series, dating to the second meeting of 2003. Alabama defeated Auburn 56-52 last season in Auburn, then went on to knock off the Tigers 71-61 in Coleman Coliseum.
