LSU and Alabama have pregame confrontation before SEC Championship (Video)

Both teams were fired up before the game and the tension was evident.

Alabama basketball and the LSU Tigers were involved in a pregame confrontation before the SEC Tournament Championship. The Crimson Tide won both of the regular-season meetings between the two sides and have an 82-52 record in 134 all-time meetings.

There is nothing better than two teams who don’t like each other. In the SEC, these two teams are storied rivals on the court and football field. Winning this rivalry means more. They want bragging rights.

Alabama basketball and LSU confronting one another at mid-court is on-brand for this SEC rivalry.

This is what rivalries are all about. Both teams brought energy in the pregame exchange.

Karl Ravech said on the broadcast that the coaching staffs were the ones chirping at one another, and the player’s got involved. Both head coaches came together, shook hands and went back to their sides of the court.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey came out onto the floor to deescalate the situation and later texted sideline reporter Marty Smith saying, “Look man, that was a lot of talking and sometimes it’s not the kids but the adults in the room who are causing problems.”

When confrontations like this occur, you know you’re in for a fun, highly competitive matchup. The fans loved it, as you can see.

The tension carried over into the game as LSU’s Trendon Watford made contact with Alabama forward Alex Reese and there was no foul called.

Watford came back on another play and converted an and-one against Reese and started talking trash as he walked back to the free-throw line. Reese assured officials he wasn’t engaging.

In the end, Alabama beat LSU, 80-79, and you have to wonder if the pre-game skirmish motivated the Crimson Tide just a little bit more than that of the Tigers.

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