Alabama moves to No. 2 in AP Poll, setting up historic matchup with No. 1 Auburn
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After an eventful weekend in the college basketball world, the Associated Press voters have signaled that the two best teams in the country are located right here in Alabama.
And those two teams will meet in Tuscaloosa this Saturday.
For the first time ever, Alabama and Auburn will take the hardwood against each other as the two top-ranked teams in the country. Here’s what you need to know:
- What: #1 Auburn Tigers (21-2, 9-1 SEC) at #2 Alabama Crimson Tide (20-3, 9-1 SEC)
- Where: Coleman Coliseum | 1201 Coliseum Dr, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
- When: 3PM | Saturday, Feb. 15
- Watch: ESPN
- Ticket information
ESPN’s College Gameday will be in Tuscaloosa for the game as well. Keep reading to learn more about the latest AP rankings + a quick history of 1v2 in men’s college basketball.
AP Top 25
After being the unanimous No. 1 team over the last two weeks, Auburn dropped some first-place votes but still had enough to hold on to the top spot in the AP Poll.
The Tigers saw their 14-game winning streak snapped with a home loss to No. 3 Florida. Still, Auburn’s resume speaks for itself as it remains No. 1 in the NCAA’s net rankings while leading the country in Quad 1 wins (12).
Alabama got 23 first-place votes to Auburn’s 34. Florida received three and Tennessee received one. The Crimson Tide received 1470 points in the poll, falling just 9 points short of the Tigers.
The in-state rivals were two of nine SEC teams ranked in the Top 25 including:
- No. 3 Florida
- No. 5 Tennessee
- No. 8 Texas A&M
- No. 15 Kentucky
- No. 19 Ole Miss
- No. 21 Missouri
- No. 22 Mississippi State
In the USA Today Coaches Poll, Alabama was ranked No. 1 despite getting one fewer first-place vote than the Tigers (16-15).
No. 1 vs. No. 2
Saturday’s game between Alabama and Auburn will mark the 45th all-time meeting between the top two ranked teams in men’s college basketball. It will be the first since November 2021.
Here’s some key numbers from the previous 44 meetings:
- No. 1 team is 23-21
- 25 regular season meetings
- No. 1 team is 3-7 in true road games
- No. 2 team has won 8 of last 13 matchups
This will be the first time a top-two matchup features two SEC teams.
Who do you think wins the big matchup in Tuscaloosa this weekend? Let us know by tagging The Bama Buzz on Instagram, Facebook + LinkedIn.
