Auburn and Alabama will meet Thursday night in Birmingham in a rare preseason version of the Alabama Vs. Auburn Basketball Game, with tipoff set for 7 p.m. at Legacy Arena. The exhibition, part of The Feud Presented by Shipt Same Day Delivery, gives the arch-rivals an unusual early-season stage before either team has counted a result.
It is Auburn’s second of three exhibition games before it opens the season at home on Nov. 4 against Southeastern Louisiana, and the Tigers are trying to steady themselves after falling to Florida State in their preseason opener. Tahaad Pettiford led Auburn with 20 points in that game, while George Kimble III returned from injury and posted six points, six rebounds and a team-high six assists in his first game action in over a year.
That is part of what makes Thursday different from a normal rivalry date. The teams are meeting before the regular season, yet the game still sits inside a schedule that could grow into something larger. This is the first of at least three guaranteed contests between Auburn and Alabama this season, and the number could rise to five if the teams also draw one another in the SEC Tournament and again in the postseason. What is certain now is that the rivalry starts early, and it starts in an exhibition that counts for preparation but not for the standings.
Alabama arrives as the more active team, playing its third exhibition game after beating Furman 111-93 and Ole Miss 92-84. Amari Allen has led Alabama in scoring in each of those first two contests, giving the Crimson Tide a little more game rhythm entering Thursday night. Auburn’s edge may come from the return of Kimble, whose six assists showed how quickly he can influence a game even after a long layoff.
Fans will be able to watch the game on Knight Eady’s YouTube page, where Karl Ravech will handle play-by-play with Daymeon Fishback and Richard Hendrix on color. The Auburn Sports Network will also carry it with Andy Burcham and Randall Dickey on the call, and local listeners can tune in on 94.3 FM or through the Auburn Tigers app. Live stats will be available, and updates will be posted through @Auburnmbb on X, Instagram and Facebook.
For Auburn, the next date that matters is already on the calendar. The Tigers will use Thursday’s exhibition as one more test before the games begin to count for real, and by the time they open against Southeastern Louisiana, the unusual part will be over. What remains is the possibility that this first meeting is only the start of a very busy season between the two programs.
