Behind Enemy Lines with Roll Tide Wire

After suffering two straight losses on the road, Auburn Basketball returns to Neville Arena to play in their most important game to date.

Auburn welcomes No. 3 Alabama to town for a sold-out contest in hopes to play the role of spoiler and to rediscover much-needed momentum heading into the final seven games of the regular season.

Alabama has won all 12 games against SEC opponents, with neither game being particularly close. The Crimson Tide defeated Mississippi State 66-63 on Jan. 25, which would be the closest that any SEC team has gotten to knocking off the Tide.

The Tigers play their best basketball on their home court, winning 29 of the last 30 games played at Neville Arena. They will need to let the energy of the crowd flow through them in order to solidify a big win over one of the nation’s best teams.

In an effort to learn more about Auburn’s next opponent, Alabama, we spoke with Roll Tide Wire’s Stacey Blackwood about the Tide’s most recent SEC win streak, Nate Oats culture change, and he gives us his final score prediction.

Here’s the latest edition of Behind Enemy Lines with Stacey Blackwood of Roll Tide Wire.

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Alabama is the SEC’s lone unbeaten team. What has been a consistent factor in their success?

This team just seems to have great chemistry. There is plenty of star power, but they also have role players who execute their roles at an extremely high level. So I would simply just say chemistry and depth. 

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The Tide lost a tough one in Norman two weeks ago. What went wrong in that game?

It’s hard to say with any real certainty. But I would say it was a combination of Alabama being a little lethargic and Oklahoma playing a little above their heads. Basketball is such a long season, you are bound to have a game or two where you really just wonder what the heck happened! 

The Tennessean

Much like Bruce Pearl did at Auburn, Nate Oats has changed the casual fan’s mindset about basketball in Tuscaloosa. As someone who has been around the program for many years, what are some differences you’ve noticed around the program since Oats has taken over? 

Much like coach Pearl, the energy and enthusiasm are just different. I think both Pearl and Oats are sort of cut from the same cloth, in the fact that both coaches want high energy and effort from their team more than anything else. And I think…