Auburn basketball loses heartbreaker at home to Alabama: Full recap, score, highlights

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AUBURN — A regular season filled with dominance from Auburn basketball ended with a whimper Saturday.

It was certainly dramatic, as the top-ranked Tigers and No. 7 Alabama needed an extra period of basketball to finish a 93-91 victory for the Crimson Tide at Neville Arena. Mark Sears played hero for Auburn’s rival, hitting a buzzer-beating floater in the final seconds of the overtime period to seal the win. 

It was a disappointing end to the Tigers’ regular season as Auburn (27-4, 15-3 SEC) hoisted its 2025 SEC Championship banner to be recognized postgame on senior day. Johni Broome, who wasn’t recognized in the senior fesitivities after being involved last season, had a career day. He finished with 34 points, 8 rebounds, 5 blocks and 3 assists. It was a career-high point total for the National Player of the Year frontrunner.

Here’s a full look at how the Tigers suffered their second-straight loss.

Live score updates: Auburn basketball vs. Alabama

This section will be updated when the game begins.

FINAL (OT): No. 7 Alabama 93, No. 1 Auburn basketball 91

With 15 seconds to go, Alabama got the ball in Mark Sears' hand. He drove an uncontested lane and hit a buzzer-beating floater to split the season series between the Tigers and the Crimson Tide.

That's now two-straight losses for Auburn, which finished the regular season 27-4 and 15-3 in SEC play.

Auburn basketball's Johni Broome hits another much-needed 3-pointer

0:14.7, OT: Auburn basketball was down to its final possession, and Tahaad Pettiford rebounded his own 3-point miss. Eventually, it got kicked to Johni Broome, who hit another vital 3, this time to tie the game. He's up to 34 points now.

It's tied, 91-91.

Alabama retakes lead, Auburn basketball trails by a point

0:33.8, OT: Alabama missed two 3-point attempts on its previous possession, but it got two offensive rebounds, with Grant Nelson hitting a jumper. Then, Mark Sears was fouled and hit two free throws.

It put the Tide up by three points, but a Tahaad Pettiford layup at the other end cut this to a point.

It's 89-88, Alabama.

Auburn basketball's Johni Broome hits massive go-ahead triple

1:43, OT: Johni Broome's first 3-point make of the night is a big one. It puts Auburn back up, and he's up to 31 points and eight rebounds.

It's 87-84, Auburn.

Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl takes first timeout of extra period

1:59, OT1: After not taking a timeout on the Tigers' final possession of regulation, Bruce Pearl takes one as the Tide string together a score-stop-score sequence.

It's Auburn ball. But it's also 85-83, Alabama.

END REGULATION: No. 1 Auburn basketball 79, No. 7 Alabama 79

Hey, we've got free basketball at Neville Arena.

The Tigers forced an Alabama stop after Oats' timeout, but Bruce Pearl didn't take a timeout of his own on the other end. Johni Broome put up a contested shot on Auburn's final possession as the shot clock expired. It hit rim, but it didn't go in.

Nate Oats takes timeout as Auburn basketball, Alabama tied

0:42.1, 2H: This is coming down to a dramatic finish, as Nate Oats calls timeout with less than a minute to go in a tie game.

There's been nine lead changes today. Three of them have come in these final three minutes.

It's tied, 79-79.

Auburn basketball's Chad Baker-Mazara whistled for Flagrant 2, ejected

10:52, 2H: Chad Baker-Mazara just picked up his fourth foul, but after review, it's upgraded to a Flagrant 2 and Baker-Mazara's out for the rest of the night.

It's 62-57, Alabama.

Auburn basketball, Alabama still back and forth

11:45, 2H: The largest run of this game? Seven points, which Auburn did earlier in this half. But no one's been able to string together more, and it's showing. There's been seven lead changes so far.

Currently, it's 58-57, Alabama. But that seems likely to change.

It's Miles Kelly keeping Auburn basketball in this

15:47, 2H: To this point, Miles Kelly has two makes, and both of them were go-ahead 3-pointers. He's got Auburn up 8-5 in the second half and has nearly all of his squad's second-half points.

It's tied, 50-50.

Miles Kelly finally gets going, gives Auburn basketball lead

18:53, 2H: While Miles Kelly has been red-hot of late, Alabama keyed in on him in the second half. He didn't get off a shot attempt.

In the first minute-plus of the second half, he's got two. He missed his first, but he second — a contest triple from the corner — put the Tigers back up for the first time since the first half's start.

It's 47-45, Auburn.

HALF: No. 7 Alabama 45, No. 1 Auburn basketball 42

Auburn walked away from the first half in a good place, forcing a shot clock violation on Alabama's final possession and trailing by just a shot.

But much of the problems the Tigers faced in their loss at Texas A&M are rearing their head here. The Tigers are getting out-rebounded, giving up second-chance baskets, and they're getting out-scored in the paint, albeit by a two-point margin.

If they can buckle down on the interior in the second half, it's their game to lose.

Here's a look at the halftime stats.

Chad Baker-Mazara and-1 pulls Auburn basketball closer

3:57, 1H: Auburn's led for just 23 seconds in the first half, but Alabama's lead has only been as large as eight. Perhaps it's because the Crimson Tide's held the lead for so long, but it feels like they've been ahead by much more.

The good news for the Tigers is Chad Baker-Mazara just hit a patented circus shot and got a trip to the free throw line, where he converted the and-1 opportunity. It pulled his team within four points.

It's 39-35, Alabama.

Auburn basketball, Alabama trading blows late in the half

4:57, 1H: The past seven makes in this one have been a trading of blows. Alabama. Then Auburn. Then Alabama. Then Auburn again.

Johni Broome's up to 12 points now, but suddenly, Tahaad Pettiford and Grant Nelson are tied for a game-high 14 points each.

It's 37-32, Alabama.

Scuffle nearly breaks out as Alabama's Grant Nelson hits crane kick celebration mid-play

8:42, 1H: After putting Dylan Cardwell on a poster, Alabama forward Grant Nelson hit a crane kick celebration in the middle of a few Tigers.

It went to review, but no technical was called. Cardwell picked up his first foul of the half.

It's 28-21, Alabama.

Auburn basketball's still getting out-muscled on the boards

11:46 1H: It was certainly a problem at Texas A&M, but it appears to be carrying over to right now, against Alabama.

Auburn's losing 9-3 in the rebounding margin, and the Crimson Tide have six second-chance points on just two offensive rebounds. Two of Auburn's three rebounds belong to Johni Broome, who has a game-high eight points.

It's 20-15, Alabama.

Auburn basketball trailing Crimson Tide early

15:57, 1H: The only real issue for the Tigers at this point is their shots aren't falling. Alabama's defense has come out physical, and Auburn has made just two of its six attempts.

It's drawing fouls, however, with the Crimson Tide already up to four whistles.

It's 10-4, Alabama.

Starting lineups: Auburn basketball vs. Alabama

• Auburn
  • G Denver Jones
  • G Miles Kelly
  • G/F Chad Baker-Mazara
  • F/C Johni Broome
  • C Dylan Cardwell
• Alabama
  • G Labaron Philon
  • G Mark Sears
  • G Chris Youngblood
  • F Grant Nelson
  • C Cliff Omoruyi

What time do Auburn basketball and Alabama tip off?

• Start time: 1:30 p.m. CT
• Date: Saturday, March 8
• Location: Neville Arena

What channel is Auburn basketball vs. Alabama on today?

• TV channel: ESPN
• Streaming: ESPN+; Fubo

ESPN will have a four-man team on Saturday's broadcast. Karl Ravech will handle play-by-play duties, while Dick Vitale and Jimmy Dykes will serve as co-color commentators. Molly McGrath will be the sideline reporter.

Listen live: Auburn basketball vs. Alabama on the radio

Saturday's game will be broadcast live on WLWI FM (92.3) in Montgomery and WGZZ FM (94.3) in Auburn. The radio call can also be streamed online. Here are the announcers:

• Play-by-play: Andy Burcham
• Analysis/Color: Randall Dickey

Score prediction: Auburn basketball vs. Alabama

No. 1 Auburn 102, No. 7 Alabama 88: A loss for Auburn theoretically wouldn't do much to damage its postseason outlook. The Tigers appear to have the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament locked up, and there's no question about where they sit in the SEC standings.

But coming off a loss, and entering into a rivalry matchup that closes the regular season, it's hard to think Auburn can permit a string of losses. That's especially considering what it did to the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa.

Injury updates: Auburn basketball vs. Alabama

Could Denver Jones make a much-needed return?

After suffering a soft tissue bruise against Kentucky, Jones was listed as a game-time decision ahead of Auburn's eventual loss to No. 22 Texas A&M, and his absence was felt, especially on the defensive end.

On Friday, Pearl said Jones was a full-go at Thursday's practice, and that he'd participate in Friday's preparations. The same day, he was a no-show on the game's SEC availability report.

Auburn basketball schedule for 2024-25 season

TICKETS: How to purchase tickets for Auburn basketball's regular-season finale vs. Alabama

Record: 27-3, 15-2 SEC

• Nov. 6: No. 11 Auburn 94, Vermont 43
• Nov. 9: No. 11 Auburn 74, No. 4 Houston 69
• Nov. 13: No. 5 Auburn 79, Kent State 56
• Nov. 18: No. 4 Auburn 102, North Alabama 69
• Nov. 25: No. 4 Auburn 83, No. 5 Iowa State 81
• Nov. 26: No. 4 Auburn 85, No. 13 North Carolina 72
• Nov. 27: No. 4 Auburn 90, Memphis 76
• Dec. 4: No. 9 Duke 84, No. 2 Auburn 78
• Dec. 8: No. 2 Auburn 98, Richmond 54
• Dec. 14: No. 2 Auburn 91, Ohio State 53
• Dec. 17: No. 2 Auburn 100, Georgia State 59
• Dec. 21: No. 2 Auburn 87, No. 16 Purdue 69
• Dec. 30: No. 2 Auburn 87, Monmouth 58
• Jan. 4: No. 2 Auburn 84, Missouri 68
• Jan. 7: No. 2 Auburn 87, Texas 82
• Jan. 11: No. 2 Auburn 66, South Carolina 63
• Jan. 14: No. 1 Auburn 88, No. 15 Mississippi State 66
• Jan. 18: No. 1 Auburn 70, No. 23 Georgia 68
• Jan. 25: No. 1 Auburn 53, No. 6 Tennessee 51
• Jan. 29: No. 1 Auburn 87, LSU 74
• Feb. 1: No. 1 Auburn 92 No. 23 Ole Miss 82
• Feb. 4: No. 1 Auburn 98, Oklahoma 70
• Feb. 8: No. 6 Florida 90, No. 1 Auburn 81
• Feb. 11: No. 1 Auburn 80, Vanderbilt 68
• Feb. 15: No. 1 Auburn 94, No. 2 Alabama 85
• Feb. 19: No. 1 Auburn 67, Arkansas 60
• Feb. 22: No. 1 Auburn 82, Georgia 70
• Feb. 26: No. 1 Auburn 106, Ole Miss 76
• March 1: No. 1 Auburn 94, No. 17 Kentucky 78
• March 4: No. 22 Texas A&M 83, No. 1 Auburn 72
• March 8: No. 1 Auburn vs. No. 7 Alabama; 1:30 p.m. CT, ESPN
• March 12-16: SEC Tournament; Times and TV TBD

* — Asterisks denote neutral site game.

Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@gannett.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter.

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