The Alabama Player Who Was 'The Difference' in Hostile Road Win Over Auburn

Charles Bediako was a big presence on both ends of the floor, and Auburn head coach Steven Pearl claimed Alabama's "ceiling is a hell of a lot higher" with him.

Alabama Crimson Tide center Charles Bediako (14) grabs a pass as Auburn Tigers take on Alabama Crimson Tide at Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala. on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. Auburn Tigers lead Alabama Crimson Tide 41-37 at halftime. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

AUBURN, Ala. — Alabama center Charles Bediako was booed the moment he walked into Neville Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Auburn fans celebrated every time he missed a shot during pregame warmups and chanted "G League dropout," much like the Florida crowd did on Feb. 1. A decision had not yet been made from Bediako's injunction hearing from Friday, meaning he was eligible to face the Tigers.

Bediako and the Crimson Tide smiled each time the Tiger crowd jeered him before the game, and Auburn fans did the same throughout the match. But the only effect it seemed to have was one of fuel in a 96-92 victory. The 23-year-old finished with 12 points on 5 of 5 from the field, along with three rebounds and a steal in 22 minutes off the bench.

"Charles is a big target inside," Alabama head coach Nate Oats said during the postgame press conference. "Our guards, I thought, missed him a few times where they could have gotten him. But they did find him, and when he got it, he finished. He was always super efficient when he was here. He handled the ball on the break on the one. Got fouled, he was 2-for-3 at the line.

"I thought, just his impact on defense with the rebounding, he ended up leading the team in blue-collar points. So he had some deflections and I think it impacted the game a little that way, even an offensive rebound, tips and stuff. He's good. He finished at the rim. He's got a great demeanor about him. I thought he handled the environment really well. I'm proud of what he's put in here.

“[Auburn fans] were pretty quiet when we left today. The best way to quiet them was to just win on the scoreboard,” Oats said. “They were quiet last year. They were quiet this year. He’s 2-0 coming back here. Pretty good record for him coming back into Neville.”

But Bediako's performance goes beyond the stat sheet. His defensive efforts down low were a part of Auburn's 13-for-25 struggles on layups. His presence in the paint forced the Tigers to pass the ball and take more shots outside, as Auburn went 9 of 28 from three-point range.

Auburn head coach Steve Pearl opened up about Bediako's performance during the postgame press conference and broke down the big man's "huge impact."

"He changes what they do offensively because he's a guy that can catch balls in the air and go finish at the rim," Pearl said. "They don't have anyone else that can do that, at least with that athleticism. He can catch lobs, he can finish at the rim, he did a great job, played really well for them. That's the difference in the game right there.

"12 points and three rebounds. He did a good job of occupying us on the offensive glass, so he played great. He makes that team better. With him, their ceiling is a hell of a lot higher than without him. We knew their guards were going to be effective, but he was a major difference in the game having 12 points off the bench."

It is unknown at this time when a decision will be made on Bediako's eligibility, but Tuscaloosa County judge Daniel Pruet did say "soon" after he heard everything from the plaintiff and defense on Friday morning.

And that decision is delayed longer than expected, Bediako could be "the difference" for Alabama.

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