AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn and Alabama announced a basketball exhibition game to take place this fall before the season begins. In “The Feud” on Thursday, Oct. 22, the two teams will meet for the first of three matchups this season, at Birmingham’s Legacy Arena in Birmingham. The 17,000-seat arena will be divided in half, creating a unique atmosphere compared with each team’s home games in Tuscaloosa on Jan. 30 and in Auburn on March 6.
Auburn head coach Steven Pearl said the exhibition presents an opportunity for the Tigers to test themselves against quality competition ahead of the season.
“Playing a team like Alabama provides us an incredible opportunity to accomplish that goal, while obviously giving our fans, our state and the entire basketball world a unique opportunity to see two rivals face off at a neutral site. The entire nation will be watching, and we are excited to represent Auburn University in what will be an unprecedented exhibition event,” Pearl said.
Alabama will provide a significant preseason test for the Tigers after finishing No. 16 nationally and going 2-0 against Auburn last season. However, this will be a new matchup for both teams as each features two different rosters.
The Crimson Tide added seven new players during the offseason, including four transfers from the portal and three from its No. 4-ranked recruiting class, according to On3. Seventh-year head coach Nate Oats will have to replace the production of leading scorer Labaron Philon Jr., drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers. Oats will rely on players like Aden Holloway, a former Auburn Tiger, as well as freshman Qayden Samuels, who averaged 20 points on the EYBL circuit. Alabama’s run-and-gun offense will test an Auburn team still adjusting to a new-look roster early in the season.
Auburn enters the matchup after concluding last season 22-16 and as NIT champions under Pearl, in his first season as head coach. Finishing 7-11 in conference, Pearl brought in nine new players for the 2026-27 season. He focused heavily on big man depth this off-season, bringing in two 7-foot transfers, Bukky Oboye and Narcisse Ngoy. After ranking 10th in the SEC in rebounds last season, Auburn will look to Oboye and Ngoy to improve its rebounding.
Outside the paint, Pearl focused on big dynamic wings Thomas Dowd and Owen Freeman, transfers from Troy and Creighton who stand 6-foot-9 and 6-foot-10, respectively. Dowd averaged a double-double in the Sun Belt Conference last year with 14.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. Freeman averaged five points and four rebounds before a knee injury forced him to miss much of last season. Now healthy, Freeman will look to improve those numbers and make an immediate impact at Auburn.
In the backcourt, the Tigers retained two key guards from last year’s team: Tahaad Pettiford and Kevin Overton. The upperclassmen combined for 29.5 points per game and were both named to the NIT All-Tournament team. With Auburn breaking in several new pieces, Pettiford and Overton will provide valuable experience while leading the Tigers offensively.
The preseason Iron Bowl is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. CST. A ticket presale will run from Aug. 27–31, with tickets becoming available to the general public Tuesday, Sept. 1.
