Former teammates at Pebblebrook High in Mableton, Ga., Auburn sophomore guard Jared Harper and Alabama freshman guard Collin Sexton, put on a show. Harper led the 12th-ranked Tigers (24-4, 12-3 SEC) with 21 points, and Sexton scored a game-high 25 for the Crimson Tide (17-11, 8-7).

Guard Bryce Brown scored 18 and freshman forward Chuma Okeke added a career-high 16 points for the Tigers.

The Tigers saw a five-point halftime lead shrink to 42-41 in the opening minutes of the second period, and their lead varied between three and five points until a 7-0 spurt gave them a 10-point cushion with just over 11 minutes remaining.

They went on to outscore the Tide 37-21 over the final 13:29.

Auburn was playing its first game without forward Anfernee McLemore, the SEC's leading shot blocker, who sustained a season-ending leg injury Saturday. Tigers guard Mustapha Heron, the team's No. 2 scorer with a 16.1 average, missed the game because of a stomach virus.

The Tigers came out firing and took a quick 8-0 lead in the first 69 seconds before the Tide got their first points on forward Dazon Ingram's two free throws.

The Tigers went up 14-2 and were leading 19-11 before hitting a dry spell that saw them go nearly five minutes without a field goal, allowing Alabama to close within 21-17. The Tide finally caught up with an 8-0 run tying the game at 30-30 before the Tigers responded with an 8-0 run of their own.

Sexton's jumper got the Tide to within 40-35 at the break.

After their hot start, the Tigers ended up shooting just 33.3 percent (12 of 36) from the field in the first half to Alabama's 46.4 percent (13 of 28). Auburn used a hot second half (17 of 32) to reach 42.6 percent for the game, while Alabama finished at 46.2 percent.

--Field Level Media