Legacy Arena got exactly what a rivalry exhibition is supposed to deliver Thursday night: a split crowd, a tight game and enough edge to make “The Feud” feel like more than just preseason basketball.
Alabama walked out with the 87-85 win over Auburn, grabbing the unofficial 1-0 lead in this season’s series. It was the second preseason outing for both teams after they also took part in the Boutwell event last week. Auburn, meanwhile, fell to 0-2 in exhibition play and will close the preseason against Samford on Oct. 29 inside Neville Arena.
The Tigers got a big scoring night from Kevin Overton, who finished with a team-high 26 points. Adam Olsen was the only other Auburn player to reach double figures, knocking down four 3-pointers on the way to 12 points.
Tahaad Pettiford added 11 points, six rebounds and four assists before fouling out in the final two minutes, but it never quite came together cleanly for him offensively. He made just three shots from the floor.
Alabama had more balance at the top. Four Crimson Tide players scored in double figures, with Amari Allen leading the way with 23 points. Quayden Samuels paced the first half with 14 and ended up with 20.
Auburn’s frontcourt did look more settled than it had in the first exhibition. Narcisse Ngoy and Bukky Oboye played more comfortably and combined for 15 points and 16 rebounds.
Still, Alabama kept finding ways to tilt the game its way with 34 points in the paint and 19 second-chance points. Auburn finished with 48 rebounds, but that edge on the glass didn’t translate into enough stops.
The Crimson Tide also made life difficult everywhere else on the floor. Alabama piled up 12 steals, eight blocks and 17 forced turnovers, while its bench accounted for 32 points. Oboye fouled out with 7:57 remaining, forcing Thomas Dowd into a small-ball role down low.
The tone was set early in a game that featured rising tension between the rivals, with coaches eventually exchanging words and players getting into a scuffle after a rebound. By the time the final minutes arrived, the atmosphere matched the score: intense, choppy and hard-fought all the way through.
At halftime, Alabama held a 44-41 lead after finishing the half with four turnovers in the final five minutes. Ngoy and Overton combined for 16 first-half points for Auburn, while Pettiford and Oboye had 12 between them. Alabama was shooting 41% from the floor at the break.
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