The college basketball rivalry between Alabama and Auburn has intensified as both teams have gained national recognition. Each program has consistently appeared in the AP Top 25 rankings, and both reached the Final Four within the last five years, with Alabama marking its inaugural trip last season.
In a significant development for their ongoing rivalry, Auburn (20-3, 9-1 SEC) and Alabama (20-3, 9-1) will face off on Saturday in a historic Southeastern Conference matchup, as they will compete as the first No. 1 versus No. 2 teams in the league’s history. Auburn has held the top position for the last five weeks despite a recent loss to third-ranked Florida, which did not impede their ranking.
Alabama, beginning the season ranked second, maintained a spot within the top 10 throughout the year. Following a six-game winning streak, Alabama reclaimed the No. 2 spot in this week’s rankings, with Auburn receiving 34 first-place votes and Alabama garnering 23.
Before their highly anticipated clash in Tuscaloosa, Auburn will play at Vanderbilt, while Alabama is set to compete against Texas on Tuesday.
In other notable SEC action, the conference boasts nine ranked teams—the most in the nation—along with five in the top 10, creating an exciting week ahead filled with key matchups. No. 22 Mississippi State faces a challenging schedule, playing host to No. 3 Florida on Tuesday before heading to No. 19 Mississippi for a rivalry rematch on Saturday. The Bulldogs emerged victorious in their previous encounter against the Rebels, winning 84-81 in overtime.
Even though Florida has been on a rise after defeating Auburn last week, the Gators coach, Todd Golden, noted the complexities and variances in the ranking process, expressing confidence that they deserve to be considered a top-four team in the nation.
Additionally, Florida has a game against South Carolina scheduled for Saturday. Meanwhile, another intriguing matchup is set for Tuesday as No. 5 Tennessee travels to No. 15 Kentucky. After previously winning the matchup at home, the Wildcats will aim to achieve a season sweep on their home court in Rupp Arena.
Purdue has adeptly coped without star player Zach Edey, currently climbing to No. 7 in the AP poll while riding a four-game winning streak, largely due to the play of forward Trey Kaufman-Renn. The Boilermakers (19-5, 11-2 Big Ten) will face a difficult challenge this week with a game at No. 20 Michigan followed by a home game against No. 16 Wisconsin.
Kaufman-Renn has been outstanding, averaging 18.9 points with an impressive shooting percentage of 60%, in addition to 6.4 rebounds per game. Michigan, boasting an undefeated home record this season, has won four consecutive games, while Wisconsin, having won three straight, will have a week off to prepare before facing Purdue.
In the Big 12, a significant matchup looms at Arizona’s McKale Center on Saturday, where No. 6 Houston will take on No. 13 Arizona, both vying for the top spot in the conference. Both teams are currently tied with an 11-1 conference record but have games scheduled before their face-off. Notably, Houston has held a place in the Top 25 for an impressive 100 consecutive weeks and recently secured a victory over Baylor. Arizona, meanwhile, is set for a challenging contest against Kansas State on Tuesday.
This highly anticipated face-off between Houston and Arizona marks a key moment within the season as both teams continue to navigate their conference challenges.
