A smile came across TJ Madlock’s face when he was asked what Thursday’s game would mean to him.

He spent four years of his childhood on the plains, following his father, Tony, who was on Tony Barbee’s Auburn staff from 2010-2014. Now, as a senior on his dad’s team at Alabama State, he’ll face the Tigers in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

“It’s a full circle moment coming back and having to play them in March Madness,” Madlock told AL.com Wednesday. “But it’s unbelievable. I can’t wait.”

The first thing the 6-foot-3 guard remembers about Auburn is all the big games. The one that immediately comes to mind is when Auburn faced Kentucky in 2012, a team that featured future NBA star Anthony Davis and went on to win the national championship.

Auburn was also where his basketball career began, playing with the Auburn Raptors AAU program.

Now, living and playing just over 45 minutes away in Montgomery, the opportunity to face Auburn in March Madness brings even more excitement to an already special moment for Madlock.

The game carries similar excitement for his father, who told reporters Wednesday that he “had four great years in Auburn.” Tony Madlock said his time at the school won’t put anything extra on the game, but said the contest would be a lot of fun.

“Auburn is always going to be a special place for me,” he said.

Alabama State got to this stage by winning its first ever NCAA tournament game in thrilling fashion Tuesday night. The Hornets took down St. Francis (PA) on a game-winning layup after a baseball pass down the court was bobbled by multiple players before being retrieved by Amarr Knox.

St. Francis missed a shot from beyond half court at the buzzer, setting up Thursday’s game against Auburn. That moment has made the last 24 hours a whirlwind for the team, but an experience the group is enjoying.

For Tony Madlock, he’s cherishing the win combined with a chance for an in-state matchup with the No. 1 overall seed, especially given what it does for the university.

“Everything that it’s done for the city of Montgomery, for Alabama State University, for HBCUs around the country, it’s just everything that you want and even more,” Tony Madlock said. “Haven’t had much sleep. We don’t expect to get any sleep because of the early game tomorrow. But we are excited about this opportunity and, again, for what it means for Alabama State University.”

Auburn and Alabama State’s first-round clash is set to tip off at 1:50 p.m. Thursday. The game will be televised on CBS.

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at [email protected]m