AUBURN, Ala. — In a thrilling showdown, Mark Sears sealed a victory for Alabama with a game-winning floater as time expired, securing a 93-91 overtime win against top-ranked Auburn on the road. Sears’ off-balance, buzzer-beating shot from the free-throw line was only his third successful basket of the game, completing his contribution of nine points.
Alabama, currently ranked seventh, improved its record to 24-7 overall and 13-5 in the Southeastern Conference. Standout performances included 23 points from Grant Nelson and 15 points each from Labaron Philon and Clifford Omoruyi. This victory ended a two-game losing streak for Alabama while handing Auburn, with a record of 27-4 and 15-3, its second consecutive defeat.
For Auburn, Johni Broome was a standout, contributing 34 points. His last-minute layup in regulation and a crucial three-pointer with just 15 seconds left in overtime tied the game, showcasing his formidable presence on the court. Additionally, Tahaad Pettiford added 19 points to Auburn’s efforts. However, the Tigers faced a setback as they went without their second-leading scorer, Chad Baker-Mazara, for the last 10:52 of regulation and overtime. Baker-Mazara was ejected following a Flagrant 2 foul on Alabama’s Chris Youngblood.
Takeaways from the game highlight Alabama’s regained momentum as they approach the postseason, which they achieved without an over-reliance on Sears for offensive production. This victory is a positive indicator for Nate Oats’ team, particularly as they secured 52 points from inside the paint on Saturday. On the other hand, Auburn will likely revisit their errors, such as allowing Alabama to nab 10 offensive rebounds that were converted into 18 second-chance points. Defensive rebounding was an issue that also cost them earlier in the week against Texas A&M.
The decisive moment came with Sears’ game-winning shot, bringing an intense back-and-forth contest between two of the season’s most formidable college basketball offenses to an end. A key statistic from the game was the extensive playtime of both teams’ star players, with Sears clocking 40 minutes for Alabama, while Broome played 43 minutes for Auburn.
Looking ahead, both Auburn and Alabama, as top-four seeds in the SEC Tournament, will commence their postseason campaigns on Friday in Nashville, Tennessee.
