MOUNTAIN BROOK, Ala. (WBRC) – A new college basketball season is near and both Auburn and Alabama took the stage on Tuesday at the annual SEC Tipoff event in Mountain Brook.
Both schools will be in Birmingham this week for the ‘Ballin in Boutwell’ event.
Auburn Tigers
It’s year two for Auburn men’s basketball coach Steven Pearl, who is working to get the Tigers back to the NCAA Tournament after missing the field last season. Pearl brought standout guards Tahaad Pettiford and Kevin Overton to SEC Tipoff and expects them to play a crucial role for this new Tigers roster.
“We were very intentional when we built this team to be able to put guys together that had a lot of commonalities and similarities in the way they were driven,” Pearl said.
The Auburn men’s team was picked to finish 9th in the SEC Preseason Poll.
Women’s coach Larry Vickers is also entering his second year after a 15-17 (3-13) first season.
Alabama Crimson Tide
Nate Oats once again has championship aspirations for his Crimson Tide team that was picked to finish 5th in the league. Oats focused on adding taller and stronger players to his roster, with hopes of improving the Alabama defense and rebounding.
One of those new faces is Brandon Garrison, a 6-foot-10 forward that played for Kentucky last season.
“I feel like the coaches they did a good job, bringing us together so we can give them what they need. It’s been showing so far,” Garrison said.
The Tide have been elite on offense under Oats, so an improved defense and better rebounding could push Alabama over the top this season.
On the women’s side, Pauline Love is preparing for her first season as a head coach. Love, a former Alabama assistant coach, was brought in to replace Kristy Curry.
“This year is all about culture and establishing that. It’s very important to me in year one. But mostly, just to have fun with it,” Love said.
The 2026-27 college basketball season officially begins on Sunday, November 1.
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