Tide and Tigers Each Earn Big Wins Over Weekend To Retain Ranking Spots

NASHVILLE, TN - JANUARY 06: Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats during a game between the Vanderbilt Commodores and Alabama Crimson Tide, January 6, 2024 at Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire)

(Photo by Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire)

The Auburn Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide are two of the best basketball teams in the entire nation, and each team earned massive road victories over the weekend on the road against quality conference opponents.

Alabama was able to bounce back from a brutal home loss last week against Ole Miss to go on the road at one of the most difficult places to play in the country – Rupp Arena in Lexington – and beat the top-ten ranked Kentucky Wildcats in a hard fought 102-97 win.

Auburn on the other hand was trying to hold onto their No. 1 status which they earned in last week’s rankings, but a road game against a ranked Georgia team still without their star Johni Broome. In a back and forth thriller, the Tigers came away with a 70-68 win.

Grant Nelson led the way for Alabama with one of the best games of his career, scoring 25 points and pulling down 11 rebounds:

Mark Sears was outstanding as well, scoring 24 points and having nine assists as well:

For Auburn, it was freshman guard Tahaad Pettiford who had the big day with 24 points while Chad Baker-Mazara and Miles Kelly added 13 points each:

The Tigers hold onto their No. 1 rankings while the Tide is retains its No. 4 ranking with the release of this week’s AP Poll.

The 15-3 Crimson Tide has a relatively manageable schedule this week with two home games against Vanderbilt and LSU while the 17-1 Tigers are off during the week ahead of the massive showdown at home this weekend against Tennessee.