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Basketball preview: Auburn vs. Alabama

Photo by Todd Van Emst

Two teams struggling to pick up the pace in SEC play will face off at Auburn Arena tonight in the basketball version of one of the country’s best football rivalries. Auburn (13-10, 3-6), a team trying to build some momentum in SEC play and erase a string of close losses that have kept the Tigers from getting back-to-back SEC wins, will try to protect its home floor against an Alabama team that has seen its fair share of disappointment this season. The Crimson Tide (15-7, 4-4) were the popular pick to be the SEC’s breakout squad in Anthony Grant’s third year as head coach, but a string of four SEC losses in a row — capped off by a loss to lowly South Carolina — has left Alabama looking up at the SEC standings.

To make matters worse for the Crimson Tide, second-leading scorer Tony Mitchell — probably Alabama’s best player — was suspended indefinitely Monday for conduct detrimental to the team, a suspension that Grant said was an accumulation of transgressions built up over the course of the season. Without Mitchell, an Alabama squad that has struggled to score points loses even more punch, and Auburn is coming off of its best offensive performance in an 88-point, three-turnover loss to Mississippi State Saturday night. Another factor in the Tigers’ favor is Auburn’s success at Auburn Arena this season. Only one team has beaten Auburn on the Auburn Arena floor this season, and that was Kentucky, the No. 1 team in the nation.

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Auburn vs. Alabama

  • When: 9 p.m. ET
  • Where: Auburn Arena
  • TV: ESPNU
  • Last time out: Mississippi State 91, Auburn 88; Alabama 69, Ole Miss 67 (2 OT)
  • Series: Alabama leads 87-56

Matching Up

  • Center: The question for Auburn is simple. Which Rob Chubb is going to show up? Chubb hasn’t been a major factor in any game since he scored 15 points and pulled down 12 rebounds against LSU on Jan. 17, and he’s been nearly non-existent in a couple of those games. Even so, Chubb’s 8.9 points and 5.0 rebounds outrank Alabama freshman Nick Jacobs, who is averaging 5.7 points and 3.7 boards. Edge: Auburn.
  • Forward: Looking for a matchup to watch every time down the court tonight? Look no further than power forward, where the two most athletic players on the floor (an honor that normally has Mitchell in the discussion) will likely face off most of the night. For Alabama, leading scorer JaMychal Green is averaging 13.8 point and 7.2 rebounds, but he may not bring the inside defensive presence of Auburn’s Kenny Gabriel, who is at 12.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.6 blocks. Edge: Push.
  • Forward: The loss of Mitchell’s scoring presence really hurts Alabama at the “3,” especially if Josh Langford is unavailable for the fourth game in a row with a concussion. Langford did not practice Monday. For Auburn, Allen Payne has been playing well in recent games, and he just turned in a 10-point, 9-rebound performance against Mississippi State Saturday. Without Mitchell, the “3″ duties probably go to 6-5 freshman Levi Randolph, who is averaging 6.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and can stretch teams with the 3-pointer. Edge: Push.
  • Guard: Frankie Sullivan is no longer Auburn’s leading scorer — his average is at 12.1, and a recent burst from Gabriel has lifted him into the top spot — but he is still capable of getting very hot from the outside. On the other side, Trevor Lacey can fill up a stat line, but he doesn’t have Sullivan’s scoring potential, and he doesn’t have the length that has bothered Sullivan in the past. Edge: Auburn.
  • Guard: Auburn’s Varez Ward has been on a tear lately, and he’s coming off of the best game of his career, a 24-point, 5-assist, 3-steal showing against Mississippi State’s Dee Bost on Saturday. On the other hand, Ward faces a true test in Alabama’s Trevor Releford, a defensive stopper who also scores 12.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists. Edge: Alabama.
  • Bench: Josh Wallace will likely get the start at point guard, but Ward has played the majority of the minutes in his resurgence. Wallace is the defensive equivalent of Releford, and when he’s in the game, Releford will have trouble operating. The Tigers need more production out of Shaw graduate Chris Denson, who is averaging 9.3 points overall but only 4.3 over the last three games. Adrian Forbes and Willy Kouassi provide size inside. On the other bench, big-bodied Andrew Steele is averaging 6.2 points and 3.3 rebounds, but there is little size or scoring punch beyond him with Mitchell unavailable. Edge: Auburn.

My pick: The loss of Mitchell changes the entire game. Auburn coach Tony Barbee called him a fantastic player on Monday, and he adds a dimension to the Crimson Tide that would have been difficult for Auburn to defend. Without Mitchell, I expect Auburn to come away with a win on its home floor.