AUBURN | During his press conference on Monday, Bruce Pearl mentioned how Alabama had two of the best guards in the country on its team in Jahvon Quinerly and Jaden Shackelford. Those two were good on Tuesday in Auburn Arena, combining for 46 points.

It just so happens that Wendell Green Jr., and No. 1 Auburn, were better. Green finished with a team-high 23 points with eight rebounds and six assists as the Tigers (21-1, 9-0) pulled away in a 100-81 over the Crimson Tide in front of a raucous sellout crowd. It is Auburn's 18th-straight win.

“I think Wendell was excited about matching up against him,” Pearl said of Green facing Quinerly.

Green was the hot hand at the beginning of the second half, scoring nine points in a span of just more than six minutes. They were clutch as well. Green made two free throws after the Tide cut the lead to four with 16:15 to go. Alabama answered with a three-pointer, and the sophomore responded with a floater in the lane.

Another three by Alabama cut the lead to two. Then, after a Jaylin Williams layup, Green hit a three to give the Tigers a seven-point advantage. After that, the Tide never got within five points again.

"We all stayed together at all times, you know?" Green said of staying calm during Alabama's run. "We didn't let it phase us, and we went out there and got stops."

The performance by Green came after two games where he admits he wasn't at his best.

"Personally for me, I had a rough two past games," the guard said. "I knew this was a big one, so I wanted to come out with my teammates and show them I can do what I do."