Charles Barkley, proud Auburn legend, praises Alabama defense at halftime of blowout
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Charles Barkley is an emotional man, and he loves his Auburn Tigers, having starred for the program on the Plains during the 1980s before embarking on a legendary NBA career.
Many younger hoop fans know Barkley only as a basketball analyst, mostly for the NBA. But this time of year, Barkley dips his toes into the college game as an analyst during the NCAA Tournament, and he was front and center on Sunday night giving praise to the hated rivals from Tuscaloosa.
It was halftime of No. 4 seed Alabama‘s easy second-round victory over No. 5 seed Texas Tech, with the Crimson Tide ahead 49-25 on the way to an eventual 90-65 blowout victory. Bama was heading to its fourth straight Sweet 16 under Nate Oats and will take on Midwest Region top seed Michigan next Friday night in Chicago, with a chance to go deeper.
But let’s get back to Sunday night’s second-round laugher in Tampa, which was being broadcast on TBS. When the game got to halftime and it was time to talk about the Tide’s dominance, particularly on defense, the man who bleeds for Auburn gave it up for Bama, which isn’t known for its defense but stifled Texas Tech in those first 20 minutes.
“That was impressive. That’s the best defense I’ve seen Alabama play,” Barkley said. “They’re an offensive juggernaut most of the time. But that was some of the best defense I’ve seen. Got to give them their flowers. Roll Tide!”
Barkley’s “Roll Tide!” was pretty darn good, especially for an Auburn legend who was forced to praise his hated rival on national TV.
Alabama’s defensive effort in the second half slacked off a little, as the Tide gave up 40 points. But when Bama allows 65 points for an entire game, it is pretty tough to beat, and Texas Tech wasn’t getting close to the Crimson Tide on Sunday night.
With Alabama storming its way into the Sweet 16, the Crimson Tide still have Final Four dreams, and here is what the Kalshi market is currently seeing for the top teams it thinks are in the mix to get all the way to Indianapolis:
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
