Alabama
24-7,13-5SEC
#1 Auburn
27-4,15-3SEC
Sears’ Overtime Game-Winner at the Buzzer Lifts No. 7/8 Alabama past No. 1/1 Auburn, 93-91, in Instant Classic
3/8/2025 5:58:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Grant Nelson scored 23 points to lead the Crimson Tide to pull out its third victory over the AP No. 1 team under Nate Oats
AUBURN, Ala. – Mark Sears' 10-foot floater at the buzzer lifted the No. 7/8 Alabama men's basketball team to a 93-91 overtime victory over No. 1/1 Auburn inside a sold-out Neville Arena on Saturday afternoon. The Crimson Tide's win marks head coach Nate Oats' third win over the No. 1 team in the AP Poll during his tenure at UA.
Grant Nelson led the Crimson Tide (24-7, 13-5 SEC) with 24 points and eight rebounds while Clifford Omoruyi and Labaron Philon scored 15 points apiece.
The Tigers (27-4, 15-3 SEC) were led by Johni Broome scoring a game-high 34 points to go along with eight rebounds, three assists and five blocks.
Head Coach Nate Oats Postgame Comments
"I know the game wasn't meaningful in terms of SEC regular season championship results but it looked to me that they (Auburn) were trying to get the win. They brought their best guys, they didn't sit Denver (Jones), Broome is obviously playing very well with 34 points, eight rebounds and hit some big shots. We went up against them on their senior night and I think we showed what we are capable of being moving forward. I couldn't be more proud of the group of guys, nobody in the country came close to the seven-game stretch we had to close the year, so coming up with a win over the number one team on their home floor, who happens to be our archrival, to close it out after the adversity we faced. We had the tough loss at Tennessee and the Florida game we didn't look good so to bounce back, come in here like we did, and it didn't go perfect. I challenged our guys to be the hardest playing team and the toughest team. When we needed him (Mark Sears) late, he delivered and bailed me out because that play design wasn't all that great. Hopefully this will give our guys some confidence going into the SEC Tournament and we have to get our legs back up under us, get our confidence back and I think this is a big start."
Team Stats
- Alabama captured its 10th win over an AP Top 25 opponent this season
- The Crimson Tide won its fourth game this year against an AP Top 10 opponent
- Labaron Philon became the first Alabama freshman since Collin Sexton to post 100 field goals, 100 rebounds and 100 assists in a single season
- Alabama outrebounded Auburn 41-33 led by Grant Nelson and Clifford Omoruyi's eight rebounds
- In addition to his game-winner, Mark Sears recorded a game-high seven assists
- UA's 52 points inside the paint was the most Auburn has allowed this season
First Half
- Grant Nelson led the way scoring 15 points in the first half for the Tide
- Alabama's biggest lead was eight points (18-10) at the 13:57-mark of the first half
- Auburn's Johni Broome (16 points) and Tahaad Pettiford (14 points) scored 30 of Auburn's 42 points in the first half
- UA outrebounded the Tigers 20-16 in the first 20 minutes
- Twelve of Alabama's first 20 points were inside the paint, ending the half with 22 points in the paint
- The Tide went into the break with a 45-42 lead
- Alabama led for the final 18 minutes of the half
Second Half & Overtime
- The second half featured eight lead changes and was tied on six different occasions
- After not scoring in the first half, Auburn's Miles Kelly scored nine points in the first five minutes of the half
- Auburn took the lead (47-45) for the first time in the game since the 18-minute mark of the first half
- After going back-and-forth throughout the half, Alabama held onto a two-point lead, before Johni Broome tied the game (79-79) with 59 seconds left, sending the game into overtime
- Omoruyi, Philon and Sears each scored a team-high four points in overtime, along with Nelson adding two points
- Sears provided the game-winning bucket at the buzzer with a floater inside the paint, giving the Tide the win
