Auburn’s Sebastian Williams-Adams Ready for First Taste of Iron Bowl Rivalry on the Hardwood
AUBURN, Ala. - For Auburn freshman forward Sebastian Williams-Adams, Saturday’s showdown against Alabama won’t just be another SEC matchup - it’ll be his first taste of one of college basketball’s most heated rivalries. And he’s not taking the moment lightly.
“It’s a big honor to play in this Iron Bowl of basketball,” Williams-Adams said this week. “There’s going to be high emotions on Saturday. Trying to play level-headed basketball is where I’ve had my mindset.”
Williams-Adams missed last year’s regular-season finale against Alabama due to a spring break trip, so this will be his first time experiencing the rivalry inside a packed Neville Arena. But even as a newcomer, he gets it. He understands what this game means - not just to the team, but to the fans, the students, and the program.
“I know this rivalry is important. I want to win for the Auburn fans,” he said.
“I don’t want to get out of character and start forcing things. That’s been my main approach.”
And Auburn’s going to need him to stay locked in - especially on the defensive end. That’s where Williams-Adams has already earned praise from coaches and analysts alike.
His ability to guard multiple positions and bring physicality without fouling will be critical against an Alabama offense that’s been lighting up scoreboards all season. The Crimson Tide enter the weekend ranked No. 4 in the country in scoring at 91.6 points per game and have topped the 100-point mark six times.
“They’ve proven themselves offensively every single year,” Williams-Adams said. “This team is very excited to step up to the plate and get to play them. We know it will be a good game.”
That’s putting it mildly. This rivalry has grown beyond just in-state bragging rights.
Over the past few seasons, it’s become one of the marquee matchups in the SEC - and nationally. Head coach Steven Pearl, now in his 11th season on his father Bruce Pearl’s staff, has seen the intensity and stakes of the series rise firsthand.
Last year’s clash in Tuscaloosa was the first No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup in SEC history.
“This rivalry has turned into something significant,” Pearl said. “It’s going to be a great environment.”
You can thank the students for that. Auburn’s campus has been buzzing all week, with fans camping outside Neville Arena to secure the best seats in the Jungle. The university is leaning into the hype, handing out free orange T-shirts as part of the “All Auburn All Orange” promotion to ensure the arena is a sea of color - and noise - come tipoff.
“From 2018 until last year, there’s been nine SEC championships between the two programs,” Pearl said. “That in itself has elevated this rivalry to the best one in our conference in that time.
The first No. 1 vs. No. 2 last year at their place.
No other rivalry can say that in our league.”
On the court, Alabama brings firepower - and a lot of it. Sophomore guard Labaron Philon Jr. leads the SEC in scoring at 21.4 points per game, while former Auburn guard Aden Holloway is adding 17.2 per night.
As a team, Alabama leads the nation in three-point attempts, hoisting up a staggering 36.1 per game. They’re fast, they’re fearless, and they’re not afraid to shoot from anywhere.
That’s why Pearl knows Auburn can’t fall into the trap of trying to beat Alabama at its own game.
“We can’t get into a 3-point contest, and we can’t get into a transition contest with Alabama,” he said. “That’s what they do really well.
What we do really well is attack the rim. That’s what we’ve been good at all year.”
Auburn (14-8, 5-4 SEC) and Alabama (15-7, 5-4 SEC) are neck-and-neck in the standings, making Saturday’s game even more important as the second half of conference play gets underway. The Tigers will look to protect home court and gain ground in a tightly packed SEC race.
“Our guys all know that this is a big game,” Pearl said, “but we can’t approach it like it’s any different from the games we played last week.”
Still, with the stakes this high, the crowd this loud, and the rivalry this intense - it’s hard not to feel like Saturday’s matchup means just a little bit more.