Wednesday night’s showdown in Auburn could be one of the better games of the regular season in the SEC. With Auburn comfortably sitting at the top of the league standings and Alabama sitting on the tourney bubble, one would think the Crimson Tide enter the contest with more on the line.

This will be Auburn’s first game without the services of Anfernee McLemore, who was recently lost for the season due to injury. That fact wasn’t lost on SEC Network college basketball analyst Jimmy Dykes. When recently asked to break down the game, here’s what Dykes said he would be watching.

“How Auburn responds without having Anfernee McLemore for the first time,” Dykes answered. “This is a guy to me that was always a mismatch no matter who they played against because he was a 5-guy that was undersized but you couldn’t take advantage of him defensively because he was quick, he was fast, he blocked three shots a game. He was an unbelievable ball screen defender, which really makes Auburn click on the defensive end and he knocked down threes as well.

“The length of Alabama bothers everyone. It bothered Auburn the first time they played, how long and active they are defensively. This is going to be a real test for Auburn for the first time without McLemore.”

The Crimson Tide handed Auburn one of its four SEC losses back on Jan. 17 with a 76-71 win. However, that game was at Alabama and the upcoming game is at Auburn.

SEC Network basketball analyst Antonie Walker said his key to the game would be Bama’s rebounding.

“They just got killed on the glass (at Kentucky), did not shoot the ball particularly well — going 6 for 24 from the three-point line,” Walker said. “They have some improving to do on their part… Alabama needs this win, at 17-10, to take care of business.”