By Sam Federman
Alabama and Auburn are basketball schools.
You heard that right. The two schools that have combined to make up arguably college football's most high-profile rivalry in the biggest conference in the sport, are both basketball schools.
A new chapter for the Iron Bowl comes to a climax today, with one of the biggest games in SEC regular season basketball history. No. 1 Auburn travels to Coleman Coliseum to take on No. 2 Alabama.
But that's far from the only big game of the day, and the news in college hoops won't only be on the court today either.
At 12:30, the NCAA Selection Committee will reveal its initial top 16 seeds a month out from selecting the official bracket. It will give a basis for bracketology for the rest of the year, showing which metrics and resumes the committee is valuing this season.
Before we all flip to ESPN at 4 p.m. for the IBOB, moves will have been made in a few other leagues.
Arkansas takes on Texas A&M at noon, with the Razorbacks looking to pick up a marquee road win that would bolster their NCAA Tournament resume, as they sit right on the bubble.
Wisconsin travels to West Lafayette at 1 p.m. on CBS right after the committee tells us where those two teams stand. Purdue will have a rowdy Mackey Arena crowd at its back, looking to bounce back from the loss to Michigan.
Houston and Arizona meet at 2 p.m. on ESPN in Tucson, with the winner grabbing the inside track to the top seed in the Big 12 Tournament - as these two are at the top of the standings, and this is the only meeting.
Other big games to watch
2 p.m.: High Point at Winthrop, ESPN+
2 p.m.: Vermont at Maine, ESPN+
2 p.m.: Fort Wayne at Robert Morris, ESPN+
2 p.m.: Jacksonville at North Alabama, ESPN+
5 p.m.: FGCU at Lipscomb, ESPN+
6 p.m.: Mississippi State at Mississippi, ESPN2
6 p.m.: Wake Forest at SMU, ACCN
8 p.m.: Michigan State at Illinois, FOX
8 p.m.: Princeton at Yale, ESPNU
8 p.m.: Troy at Arkansas State, ESPN2
8 p.m.: Omaha at St. Thomas, Midco Sports
10 p.m.: Boise State at San Diego State, CBSSN