Bama Central

Live Updates From Alabama Basketball At Auburn

Score updates and analysis from Neville Arena as the Crimson Tide takes on the Tigers in the first rendition of the 2026 Iron Bowl of Basketball.
Hunter De Siver|
Alabama guard Labaron Philon (0) dribbles the ball against Auburn at Neville Arena in Auburn, AL on Saturday, Mar 8, 2025.
Alabama guard Labaron Philon (0) dribbles the ball against Auburn at Neville Arena in Auburn, AL on Saturday, Mar 8, 2025. | Photo by Crimson Tide Photos / UA Athletics

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Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama will play its 23rd game of the regular season, and the 10th of SEC play, on Saturday, Feb. 7, on the road against Auburn.

The first rendition of the 2026 Iron Bowl of Basketball has much different implications compared to last year's initial matchup. The earlier of the two 2025 matchups was between No. 1 Auburn and No. 2 Alabama in perhaps the most important regular-season game in the history of these two programs, and the Tigers came out on top in Tuscaloosa. Alabama had the last laugh, though, as the Tide defeated Auburn on the road in the regular-season finale.

While last year was No. 1 vs. No. 2, neither Alabama nor Auburn will be ranked on Saturday. That said, both teams sit at 5-4 in SEC play, meaning this game will alter the conference standings.

The Tigers are coming into this one with a loss, but head coach Steve Pearl, who is the son and successor of recently retired Bruce Pearl, won four straight games before falling to Tennessee. Alabama lost two of its last three games before taking down Texas A&M, which is on top of the SEC standings, on Wednesday.

On top of it all, Alabama center Charles Bediako is eligible to play, as a decision is yet to be made from Friday's injunction hearing.

Follow along for live updates and analysis from Neville Arena. Be sure to refresh your browser as the most recent events will be placed at the top of this page.

First Half:

  • TIMEOUT (14:55 1H): Auburn 11, Alabama 7: Alabama has four early turnovers and Auburn has four offensive rebounds. Not a great start for the Crimson Tide.
  • Taylor Bol Bowen went down holding his right leg. He sustained a right leg injury early vs. Florida and he missed last game against Texas A&M. He is now on Alabama's bench with trainers.
  • Nate Oats screams for Charles Bediako to sub into the game for Aiden Sherrell. Fans started chanting G League dropout.

Pregame:

Starting Lineups

Alabama
G Labaron Philon Jr.
G Aden Holloway
G Latrell Wrightsell Jr.
F Amari Allen
F Aiden Sherrell

Auburn
G Tahaad Pettiford
G Kevin Overton
G Keyshawn Hall
F KeShawn Murphy
F Sebastian Williams-Adams

  • Live look at Alabama walk-on Jacob Martin leading the huddle before the Crimson Tide takes on Auburn
  • "I think [Philon] is going give it a go," Oats said. "This will be a hard one to sit out. I think he'll get loosened up, warmed up and hopefully when he gets warm he'll look closer to 100%. [Bol Bowen] practiced yesterday...hopefully he gets good minutes."
  • Alabama head coach Nate Oats told Crimson Tide Sports Network that he believes Labaron Philon Jr. and Taylor Bol Bowen, both game-time decisons, will face Auburn.
  • Alabama forward Taylor Bol Bowen (leg) is a game-time decision. He missed the Texas A&M game after an early exit vs. Florida.
  • Auburn fans boo Charles Bediako as he arrives on the court. They followed in Florida’s footsteps by chanting “G League dropout.”
  • Alabama guard and SEC leading scorer Labaron Philon, who is a game-time decision with a thigh bruise, is shooting around in warmups.
  • Today's officials: Doug Shows, Owen Shortt, Vladimir Voyard-Tadal
  • Labaron Philon Jr. is listed as a game-time decision, however, he is going throuhg warmups with everyone else and doesn't appear to be limited.
  • Alabama will be wearing its traditional crimson on crimson uniforms.

Alabama Final Availability Report (Feb. 7):

  • Labaron Philon — Game-Time Decision
  • Taylor Bol Bowen — Game-Time Decision
  • Collins Onyejiaka — Out
  • Davion Hannah — Out
  • Keitenn Bristow — Out

Auburn Final Availability Report (Feb. 7):

  • Emeka Opurum — Out

How to Watch: 2026 Iron Bowl of Basketball, Part I

Who: Alabama (15-7, 5-4 SEC) at Auburn (14-8, 5-4 SEC)

What: Alabama's 10th game of SEC Play (fifth on the road)

When: Saturday, Feb. 7, 3 p.m. CT

Where: Neville Arena, Auburn, Ala.

TV: ESPN2

Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network (Play-By-Play: Chris Stewart, Color: Bryan Passink). The pregame show will begin one hour prior to tipoff.

SiriusXM: Channel 190 (Alabama), Channel 374 (Auburn)

Series: Alabama leads 101-69, with the first matchup occurring on Feb. 28, 1924. The Crimson Tide is 29-36 on the road against the Tigers.

Last Meeting: With the game on the line in overtime, Alabama's fifth-year guard Mark Sears sank a floater through the net as the clock expired for the No. 7 Crimson Tide to upset No. 1 Auburn, 93-91 in overtime inside a stunned Neville Arena on March 8, 2025. This was Alabama's final game and the result clinched the No. 3 seed in the SEC Tournament for the Crimson Tide. And while Sears played the hero role, forward Grant Nelson shined throughout with 23 points and eight rebounds. Auburn forward Johni Broome finished with 34 points, but it wasn't enough.

Last time out, Alabama: The Crimson Tide outlasted Texas A&M 100-97 at home on Feb. 4. This was a much-needed win for the Crimson Tide, as UA became unranked earlier in the week for the first time since January 2024. Additionally, this was a victory over the top team in the SEC standings, which will hopefully be the key to turning the Tide around for the remainder of the season. Alabama had six of its eight players who saw time on the floor on Wednesday score 10-plus points. Aden Holloway and Labaron Philon Jr. combined for 29 points in the second half, and the rest of the Crimson Tide scored 25!

Last time out, Auburn: The Tigers fell to Tennessee 77-69 on the road on Jan. 31. Auburn forward Keyshawn Hall put up 21 points and three steals, but it wasn't enough as Tahaad Pettford was the only other Tiger to finish in double figures. Forward Nate Ament led the Volunteers with 22 points on 4 of 16 from the field (12 of 15 from the free-throw line) and eight rebounds. Ament scored a career-high 29 points and beat Alabama 79-73 in Tuscaloosa on Jan. 24.

Alabama Stat Leaders

  • Points: Labaron Philon Jr. (21.4 on 51.1 FG%) *LEADS SEC*
  • Rebounds: Amari Allen (7.5, including 1.7 offensive)
  • Assists: Labaron Philon Jr. (4.9 with 2.9 turnovers)

Auburn Stat Leaders

  • Points: Keyshawn Hall (20.9 on 47.4 FG%) *SECOND IN SEC*
  • Rebounds: Keyshawn Hall (7.2, including 2.1 offensive)
  • Assists: Tahaad Pettiford (3.3 with 2.2 turnovers)

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Hunter De Siver
HUNTER DE SIVER

Hunter De Siver is the lead basketball writer for BamaCentral and has covered Crimson Tide football since 2024. He previously distributed stories about the NFL and NBA for On SI and was a staff writer for Missouri Tigers On SI and Cowbell Corner. Before that, Hunter generated articles highlighting Crimson Tide products in the NFL and NBA for BamaCentral as an intern in 2022 and 2023. Hunter is a graduate from the University of Alabama, earning a degree in sports media in 2023.

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