Auburn Falls to Alabama in Whistle-Filled Rivalry Showdown
In a rivalry game that had all the intensity you'd expect - and then some - Auburn came up just short against Alabama, falling 96-92 in a contest where the whistle played a starring role.
This one had drama from start to finish, but it was a sequence late in the second half that turned the tide - literally - in Alabama’s favor. With Auburn down just two and 2:40 left on the clock, the Crimson Tide found Aden Holloway, who pulled up for a heavily contested three over Tahaad Pettiford.
The whistle blew, the shot dropped, and Holloway calmly knocked down the free throw to complete a four-point play. Just like that, Alabama had a two-possession cushion, and Auburn couldn’t claw back.
“It’s just unacceptable,” Auburn head coach Steven Pearl said postgame, referring to Pettiford’s foul. “Can’t do that if you want to win basketball games.”
That moment may have been the final dagger, but it wasn’t the only time the whistle swung momentum Alabama’s way. Auburn was hit with two flagrant fouls - one in each half - and both turned into four-point possessions for the Crimson Tide. That’s 12 points right there, in a game decided by four.
The first came midway through the opening half when Kevin Overton was called for a flagrant. Alabama’s Aiden Sherrill made both free throws and then followed it up with a bucket after the Tide retained possession. Textbook execution of a momentum-shifting sequence.
In the second half, it was Keyshawn Hall who got tagged. With 13:41 left, Hall picked up what was initially ruled a personal foul, but after review, it was upgraded to a flagrant.
Once again, Sherrill was money at the line, and Labaron Philon added a basket to complete another four-point swing. That call not only gave Alabama points - it also sent Hall to the bench for nearly four minutes during a key stretch.
He eventually fouled out in the final minute, capping a 24-point effort that Auburn desperately needed down the stretch.
Auburn led by as many as 10 earlier in the game, but between the flagrant fouls and the late-game four-point play, the Tigers couldn’t hold off a Crimson Tide team that capitalized on nearly every opportunity the whistle gave them.
This one will sting for Auburn - not just because it’s a rivalry loss, but because they had their chances. They played with energy, got big-time performances, and built a lead. But in a game where every possession mattered, a few costly fouls and a couple of untimely whistles proved to be the difference.
When you’re playing a team like Alabama, you’ve got to be sharp - and disciplined - for all 40 minutes. Auburn showed flashes, but against a Tide squad that knows how to seize momentum, even a few missteps can be too many.