One by one, Alabama fans started filing out of Coleman Coliseum, desperate to no longer see what was happening on their home court. What began as a day that the Tide faithful were ready to celebrate their team beating its hated, bitter rival had turned into a nightmare.

It was, and this is without any hyperbole, the biggest matchup between Auburn and Alabama in the history of the two basketball teams meeting up. It was No. 1 vs. No. 2 with so much – total command of the top ranking, a spot atop the SEC standings, and the ability to get ever-so-closer to that No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament – on the line.

Johni Broome and his teammates made it clear from the very beginning that this wouldn't be a coronation for Nate Oats' squad. But everyone knew it wasn't going to be easy. Not with the talent that Mark Sears and company bring to the floor. A 10-0 run in the middle of the second half turned what looked like a comfortable victory into the barn-burner everyone expected from two of the best teams in college basketball.

But, as it seems each time the Tigers get challenged, Bruce Pearl's players stepped up. Tahaad Pettiford, playing in his first game against the Tide, hit a three after Alabama had climbed all the way back from 13 down to tie the game. After a three from Chris Youngblood evened the score again, it was Chad Baker-Mazara's time to get going, scoring five straight points before a Chaney Johnson layup suddenly put the Tigers up seven.

At that moment, it was over. Oh sure, there were still five-plus minutes left to play, but the Tigers had taken the Tide's best punch and responded with the closest you can come to a knockout. The closest Alabama would get would be five points, and that was with 34 seconds left after the home fans executed a mass exodus of the arena designated to the fact that this day wasn't going to end like they wanted.

What was left was a giddy Auburn team and the witnesses that had dared travel into enemy territory. It was an all-around effort from everyone. Six players finished with double-digits in points. Broome (yawn yawn) ended with yet another double-double. Denver Jones lit it up in the second half, making clutch free throws alongside Miles Kelly to turn out the lights. The Tigers' defense slowed down Sears and Grant Nelson when it mattered, and because of all of it, a statement was delivered.

Auburn players didn't have to do the crane motion at midcourt, although they did. Broome and Pettiford didn't have to spend the final seconds waving goodbye to the Alabama fans who dared stay to watch the waning moments of the No. 1 Tigers beating the No. 2 Crimson Tide.

The message had already been sent. And it is one that should reverberate throughout the college basketball world. Auburn is the best team in the country, and no one should argue otherwise.