BIRMINGHAM — Alabama basketball sophomore guard Aden Holloway was a hot topic when Auburn basketball point guard Denver Jones took the podium for SEC Media Day on Tuesday.
After all, this year, Jones is the new Holloway for Bruce Pearl .
"After the year was over, BP had a meeting with me. He mentioned I was going to play point guard because Aden was leaving, and I feel that has been a very great transition for us," Jones told media at the Grand Bohemian Hotel.
He knew the hole that Holloway left, calling it a "big role."
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As a freshman, the 6-foot-1, 180 pound Holloway notched 26 starts, averaging 7.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game at Auburn. The five-star bucket and 2023 McDonald's High School All-American drained 52 three-pointers, making him a coveted asset for Alabama's style of running up the scoreboard.
"Me playing point this year is obviously a bigger role. Especially running and playing this Auburn offense and honestly, I just want to win," Jones said.
Since Holloway's exit from the program back in April, Jones says things have "been cool."
"He's still our brother to this day," he continued. "But we've got to know that's a rival school, so you know there's going to be some fire ignited when we play them."
In January, Alabama beat Auburn, 79-75 in Coleman Coliseum , but their trip to Neville Arena saw the Tigers take a chunk out of the Crimson Tide with a 99-81 get-back win.
Alabama and Auburn's first meeting of the 2024-25 season will take place on Feb. 15 in Tuscaloosa. The game will air on ESPN/ESPN2 at 3 p.m. CST. Auburn is set to welcome Alabama for the last game of the regular season at home. Tipoff will be at 1 p.m. on ESPN.
"Always looking forward to the Auburn-Alabama rivalry," Jones said.
Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for the Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: What Auburn basketball players said about Alabama transfer Aden Holloway at SEC Media Day
