Alabama-Auburn basketball: personal for Holloway, personal in the paint | Goodbread

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Checking on the intensity level between Alabama and Auburn players in Saturday’s clash of college basketball’s top two teams should be as easy as keeping an eye on Aden Holloway. As an ultra-rare transfer from one archrival to the other, the Crimson Tide’s sharp-shooting guard is the obvious flashpoint for drama. Bank on Auburn defenders getting in his ear if he gets off to a slow start, and if he sinks a couple early 3-pointers, who could blame him for letting his former coach and teammates know about it?

It’s personal.

But drama is always the sideshow; the real battle to watch — the one that will likely decide the outcome — will be far closer to the rim than Holloway will usually be. The frontcourt fight in the paint will be critical, and there’s no reason to think there won’t be some trash talk there, too. Auburn’s big men bullied Alabama in the Tigers’ 99-81 home drubbing of the Crimson Tide last year, and the most talented big on either roster — AU All-American Johni Broome — poured in 24 points with seven rebounds and five blocked shots. In the blocks department, Broome has been dominant again this season with 60 of them, while fellow Auburn frontcourters Dylan Cardwell and Chaney Johnson have combined for 61 more.

But Alabama head coach Nate Oats assembled a much different frontcourt of his own for this season.

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It’s taller, stronger, and deeper. Between Grant Nelson’s decision to return to college, the arrival of 6-foot-11 transfer center Cliff Omoruyi, Mo Dioubate’s offseason addition of size and strength, and even backup center Aiden Sherrell, the Crimson Tide can bang for low-post position on a different level than it could a year ago. It’s far better-equipped to win the war at the rim. And with what should be a massive television audience locked in to watch two teams…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/alabama-auburn-basketball-personal-holloway-101620123.html

Author : The Tuscaloosa News

Publish date : 2025-02-13 10:16:00

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