Joe Lunardi reveals NCAA Tournament implications of Alabama-Auburn showdown
The college basketball world will have its eyes on Tuscaloosa Saturday afternoon. No. 1 Auburn and No. 2 Alabama will square off in the biggest game of the year to date – and it’s sure to have major NCAA Tournament implications.
ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has the Tigers as the No. 1 overall seed in his latest Bracketology while the Crimson Tide come in as the No. 2 overall team in the projected Field of 68. That adds to the anticipation of Saturday’s Iron Bowl of Basketball matchup.
If Alabama wins, Lunardi said the Tide would flip with Auburn and take the No. 1 seed. It would mark the first time the top team changes since prior to Thanksgiving, he said.
“You’ve got No. 1 overall and No. 2 overall facing off. And Alabama has closed the gap enough on the Tigers,” Lunardi said at halftime of the Loyola Chicago vs. Saint Louis game on ESPN2 Friday night. “If they’re able to defend their home court and win this game, they will be No. 1 overall in our first bracket next week and that spot has not changed. Auburn has been No. 1 overall since winning the Maui Invitational back before Thanksgiving. In this day and age of college basketball, that just does not happen anymore.
“A lot on the line for those two. … Taking a look at Alabama today, I’m starting to think their second five could make the tournament. They’re that deep.”
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Inside Alabama, Auburn’s resumes entering Saturday
Auburn enters Saturday’s showdown with a 22-2 overall record and a 10-1 mark in SEC play. The only two blemishes on the Tigers’ resume are losses to Duke in December and, just last week, against Florida. They put together a 14-game win streak between those two losses.
Alabama isn’t too far off from a win-loss standpoint, though. The Crimson Tide bring a 21-3 record into Saturday and an identical 10-1 record in league action. Their only losses are to Purdue on the road, and Oregon and Ole Miss at Coleman Coliseum. Since that home loss to Ole Miss, though, Alabama is in the midst of a seven-game winning streak.
It’s all building up to Saturday’s rivalry matchup. The two teams will then square off again to end the regular season on March 8 at Neville Arena – and, depending on how the rest of the year goes, that one could also have major seeding implications.