What a great matchup in the SEC! Johni Broome is the difference in this matchup. Alabama has a major weakness inside and that’s Auburn’s strength.

Alabama has won eight straight games and matches up well against Auburn. The Crimson Tide has the size and experience to beat a team of Auburn's caliber. The Coleman Coliseum is a challenging venue for visiting teams, with a seating capacity of 15,316 fans, ranking as the 22nd largest in Division I basketball. Alabama is 26-3 at home over the last two seasons. This will be the Tigers' fifth game in 14 days, while Alabama has played one fewer game during that span. That is a huge factor this time of year. Alabama defeated the then-ranked 4th-seeded Tigers 79-75 at home last year, and this year's team is even stronger.

In a game this tight, I look for an area or two where one of the teams has an edge. I see two key ones for Alabama. The Tide rank second in the SEC in offensive rebounding percentage, while the Tigers are a distant 14th in defensive rebounding. Alabama also convert those rebounds into points, ranking 10th in second-chance conversion percentage. Auburn’s defense ranks 224th in that category. Another factor could be free throw shooting. Alabama does a good job of drawing fouls and Auburn ranks 14th in opponent’s free throw rate in SEC games. How the officials call it could come into play. A quicker whistle favors the Tide. Good game but I like Bama to prevail at home.

These teams split the last season with the home team winning both games. The Crimson Tide’s three-point shooting hasn’t been as good as last season, but has been improving. This is a massive test since Auburn only allows six threes per game to their opponent. The Crimson Tide have the advantage in height at the rim, with three big men at 6’11. Auburn did have difficulty keeping the Gators off the offensive glass and Alabama is 15th in country in grabbing offensive boards. This should be a tight one and you can expect a hostile environment in Tuscaloosa to back this improved defense as compared to last season.