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Alabama student section packed more than an hour before tipoff vs. Auburn
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Alabama students are ready to go for the No. 2 Crimson Tide’s showdown against No. 1 Auburn in Tuscaloosa.
Never has an Iron Bowl of Basketball approached the significance of Saturday’s game, which will be the first conference game in SEC history between AP No. 1 and No. 2 teams. What’s more, these 2 teams will meet again on the final day of the regular season.
For now, though, Alabama is looking to defend its home court while handing Auburn just its third loss of the season. And the scene inside Coleman Coliseum more than an hour before tipoff was understandably electric.
Students showed up en masse, packing the student section for what’s arguably the game of the year in college basketball.
Auburn was slotted as the unanimous No. 1 overall seed on the NCAA Tournament selection committee’s bracket preview on Saturday. The Tigers are atop the South Region and are currently paired with Texas A&M, Wisconsin, and Texas Tech. The Tide are a No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region with Purdue, Kansas, and Iowa State.
While an Alabama win won’t mean that it’ll ultimately be the top overall seed in March, it will be a massive step in that direction, especially considering the tough schedule it has remaining. Regardless, Coleman Coliseum will be as amped up as it’s been all season long.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
