Alabama basketball's comeback falls short in overtime loss to No. 11 Auburn

It was a scene more suited for games between Alabama and Auburn on the gridiron. Wearing a cast on his left hand Crimson Tide forward Herbert Jones was back out on the court two weeks after fracturing his wrist against LSU.

Jones played seven minutes Wednesday providing a block and three rebounds. His presence on the floor helped fuel a comeback for the Crimson Tide. However, it wasn’t enough for Alabama to pull off a crucial road win as it fell to No. 11 Auburn, 95-91, in overtime.

Alabama forced the extra period on a 3 from John Petty Jr. with 14.9 seconds remaining in regulation after Auburn’s Anfernee McLemore missed consecutive free throws at the other end. The 3 was later reviewed, but it was determined the Alabama guard’s foot was indeed behind the line.

The Crimson Tide trailed by as many as eight points in overtime but cut the deficit to 93-91 with a 3 from Jaden Shackelford with 23.9 seconds remaining. After two free throws from J’Von McCormick gave Auburn a four-point lead, the Tigers guard stole the ball from Alabama’s Kira Lewis Jr.

Alabama (13-11, 5-6 in the SEC) made 22 of 59 shots from beyond the arc. Both its made 3s and 3-point attempts were SEC records. Auburn (22-2, 9-2) recorded its seventh straight victory and avenged an 83-64 loss to the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, Ala., earlier this season. Alabama hasn’t beaten the Tigers inside Auburn Arena since 2015.

Auburn started the game on a 16-0 run as McLemore scored the first 8 points for the Tigers. Alabama missed its first five shots and was outrebounded 12-1 in the game's opening minutes until Jones made a surprise entrance with 15:38 remaining in the half.

While the junior’s initial appearance lasted less than two minutes, it spurred a 7-0 run to help the Crimson Tide claw its way back into the game. Alabama struggled to match Auburn on the boards but was kept alive by nine first-half 3s as it headed into the half trailing by 44-41.

A corner 3 from Shackelford tied things up for the Tide shortly after the break. However, Auburn once again pulled away. Leading by a basket, the Tigers went on a 10-1 run to go up 70-59 with 9:26 remaining. During that spurt, Alabama missed seven straight shots and went more than three minutes without scoring.

Alabama once again battled back as a 3 from Shackelford cut the lead to 76-72 with 5:24 remaining. A 3 from Lewis trimmed the deficit to 79-78 before Petty’s 3 sent the game to an extra period.

Lewis recorded his first career triple-double, tallying 10 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists. The Crimson Tide was led by Shackelford, who matched career highs with 28 points and eight rebounds. Petty had 20 points, while James “Beetle” Bolden and Jaylen Forbes had 11 points apiece.

Auburn forward Austin Wiley dominated the boards, pulling in 18 points to go with 17 rebounds. Isaac Okoro led the Tigers with 19 points to go with nine rebounds but left the game due to a hamstring injury late in the second half.

Auburn outrebounded Alabama 60-44, including a 20-15 edge in offensive rebounds. The Tigers held an advantage at the free-throw line, hitting 26 of 39 attempts, while the Crimson Tide was just 9 of 16 from the charity stripe.

Heading into Wednesday’s game, Alabama head coach Nate Oats ruled Jones out of the game against Auburn, stating that the forward might return in time for the Crimson Tide’s game against Texas A&M next week.

Alabama returns home to Coleman Coliseum as it hosts No. 25 LSU (18-6, 9-2) on Saturday at 3 p.m. CT. The Tigers beat the Crimson Tide 90-76 in Baton Rouge, La., last month.

The game will feature the return of Birmingham, Ala., native Trendon Watford, who was recruited heavily by the Crimson Tide before ultimately picking the Tigers. The 6-foot-9, 235-pound freshman forward is averaging 13.8 points and 7.1 rebounds. He recorded a double-double with 17 points and 15 rebounds in his first meeting against Alabama.

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