Mark Sears’ floater at the overtime buzzer propelled No. 7 Alabama to a thrilling 93-91 victory over No. 1 Auburn, marking a dramatic end to the Tigers’ home season on Saturday.
The decisive shot from Sears followed a clutch 3-pointer by Johni Broome, a leading contender for National Player of the Year, with just 14.7 seconds left on the clock.
After Broome’s basket, Alabama strategically called a timeout, setting the stage for Sears. Positioned at the wing above the 3-point line, he received a key pass from Labaron Philon. As Philon cut toward Sears, it created confusion among Auburn’s defenders, who hesitated to switch their coverage.
This moment of indecision allowed Sears to penetrate the paint and unleash a runner that found its mark. Though it was only his ninth point of the game, the teamwork displayed by Alabama was instrumental in overcoming a formidable Auburn squad, which featured Broome’s impressive 34-point performance.
For Alabama, this buzzer-beater served as a form of redemption after a narrow loss to Tennessee the previous week, where Jahmai Mashack had sunk a long-range shot to clinch victory for the Volunteers.
The game was tightly contested, with Alabama holding an eight-point lead midway through the second half. They regained the lead with just 1:17 left in overtime, showcasing their resilience throughout the match.
Should these rivals meet again, it would likely be in the SEC Tournament championship game. This victory improved Alabama’s conference record to 13-5, securing them the No. 3 seed in the upcoming tournament. Meanwhile, Auburn, despite the loss, stands at 27-4 (15-3) and has already clinched the SEC regular-season title.
