Alabama Edges Auburn 87-85 in Birmingham Exhibition Game

Alabama defeated Auburn 87-85 in an exhibition men's basketball game on Thursday night at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama. The game, billed as The Feud, was a preseason matchup between the two state rivals and tipped off at 7 p.m. CT before a raucous crowd.

A physical, chippy contest

Auburn head coach Steven Pearl described the game as fiery. Tensions surfaced early, when a rebounding skirmish turned into a scuffle that Pearl and Alabama head coach Nate Oats worked to break up while exchanging heated words. Pearl said the game took only about four minutes to reach that point.

The fight did not extend far, but tempers flared again after the final buzzer. Auburn guard George Kimble III shoved Alabama's Amari Allen during an argument, according to game reports.

Pearl said the team had prepared to be more aggressive. "Not a street fight, but being more aggressive and trying to throw the first punch," he said, adding that he felt the team responded to that message. He also said the atmosphere felt like an early-season NCAA Tournament game.

How Auburn fell short

Auburn was competitive for most of the night but could not keep pace with Alabama in the final minutes. Several Tigers players were in foul trouble, and Pearl said the team needs to avoid cheap fouls and stay vertical at the rim.

Pearl said the Tigers shared the ball better than in their preseason opening loss to Florida State, and that they played with more purpose on offense. He still wanted fewer three-point attempts. Tahaad Pettiford went 0-for-4 from the field, Kimble went 0-for-3 and Caleb went 1-for-5, and Pearl said several of those shots were ones he would not have liked.

Pearl praised freshman center Narcisse, who grabbed five offensive rebounds in 14 minutes and set the tone early. He said Bukky started slowly but improved as the game went on.

What's next for both teams

Alabama's win came in its third exhibition of the preseason, after victories over Furman and Ole Miss. Sophomore Amari Allen had led the Crimson Tide in scoring in each of their first two contests. Alabama will be without guard Aden Holloway, who is serving the final games of a suspension, according to AL.com.

Auburn has one exhibition left, against Samford next Thursday at home. The Tigers then open their regular season at home on Nov. 4 against Southeastern Louisiana. Pearl noted that the two programs are likely to meet several more times this season, including in the SEC Tournament.

Pearl also said he was surprised the game was not broadcast nationally, calling it a reminder of the strength of college basketball in the state.

What we know so far: Alabama won 87-85 in a physical exhibition that featured a scuffle early and a shove after the final buzzer. Both teams have more preseason games before the regular season begins.