BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Money is everything.
This is a universal truth of college athletics that goes back decades and has a particularly negative connotation right now, as purists lament everything from the rampant growth of NIL, to conference realignment, to the countless ongoing NCAA-related court cases, to the expansion of the College Football Playoff. There is plenty to dislike about the state of college sports and the way it affects the fan experience.
But on Thursday night in Birmingham, money created a showcase that turned into the perfect exhibition basketball game. You will not find a no-stakes contest on a hardwood floor that can deliver the atmosphere, product, and storylines that Alabama's 87-85 Iron Bowl of Basketball win over Auburn did at Legacy Arena.
"It was definitely a success. It's Alabama-Auburn, nobody wants to lose," Alabama head coach Nate Oats said. "Got real chippy, those guys played hard. I think part of the reason for us playing is I wanted an intense exhibition game. Like, this is not easily replicable. You don't get this in practice. You don't get this in your buy games. This is a rivalry game. This is an SEC game, so to be able to play an SEC game in the middle of October lets you know what you've got to work on."
There is plenty for both teams to work on — Alabama struggled with its ball movement and rebounding. The exhibition provided the Crimson Tide with the perfect amount of pressure for an October game. In a game with no "real" stakes, the only thing on the line was pride. And that pride went a long way.
"It doesn't really matter that this doesn't go on anybody's record," Oats said. "It's Alabama and Auburn, and nobody wants to lose to the opponent in this rivalry."
The reported attendance was 13,184, a healthy split of both fanbases with Alabama holding a slight edge.
"Thought the crowds were great," Oats said. " They went on a seven-zero run to take lead, the crowd got loud. We came back to take the lead, crowd got loud. Playing in front of a, I'd say, a bipartisan crowd, if you will — it wasn't necessarily a road crowd, but when they went on the run, it did sound like a road crowd. So I thought it was good to play an environment like this this early for our guys."
The atmosphere speaks to the state of basketball in Alabama. It's no small feat to generate this kind of turnout in the heart of football season, and the game was reminiscent of the decades the Iron Bowl spent at Legion Field.
"Basketball in the state is in as good a place as it's ever been, and games like tonight are just a great reminder for the country of where basketball is in the state," Tigers coach Steven Pearl said. "It's a joke that that wasn't on national television. I don't really understand how that's possible, but I thought both fan bases did a great job of coming out and supporting their team."
Alabama has now won four straight against Auburn, going back to Mark Sears' game-winner at Neville Arena in 2025. Thursday's exhibition, which featured two skirmishes between the teams, sets the stage for the two matchups coming this winter and gives the newcomers on both sides a preview of what to expect when the result actually matters.
"I love these games. I would play these games every single game if I could," Alabama sophomore Amari Allen said. "I just told the guys, it's going to be real intense. It's gonna be chippy. We all know it's gonna be chippy. Both of the teams are good. Both teams are physical and want to win. So I just told them to be strong, you know, and just fight through the chipiness."
The game, which was aptly advertised as "The Feud," will put NIL money into the pockets of both schools. That may have been the reason it was scheduled, but the reasons it should become a permanent fixture go far beyond that. The invaluable preseason experience, the split crowd, and the opportunity for the rivalry to start three months earlier in the season all came together to create a special night for everybody involved.
"That felt like a Sweet 16 game in October," Pearl said. "That was a hell of an environment for college basketball tonight."
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