Alabama
Saint Joseph's
Mens Basketball Defeats St. Joseph's, 58-48
11/26/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 26, 2008
LAHAINA, Hawai'i - The Alabama Crimson Tide defeated St. Joseph's, 58-48, in the Crimson Tide's final game at the EA Sports Maui Invitational in men's basketball action before a capacity crowd of 2,500 on Wednesday afternoon at the Lahaina Civic Center in downtown Lahaina on the island of Maui. Alonzo Gee scored 19 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and blocked a shot to lead the Tide.
Senario Hillman added 10 points for Alabama, including a key sequence in which he blocked a shot, converted a steal into a dunk to spark a decisive Crimson Tide surge late in the game. Forward Yamene Coleman was also crucial to the Alabama effort in the second half with 8 points, 3 rebounds and 1 blocked shot. Forward Demetrius Jemison also helped the Tide on the boards with 5 rebounds. Tasheed Carr led St. Joseph's with 23 points while Ahmad Nivins had 16 with 8 rebounds. With the win, Alabama improved to 3-2 on the season, while St. Joseph's dropped to 2-3. Alabama returns to action against Alabama A&M on Tuesday, December 2, with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m. Central time at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa.
POST-GAME NOTES
Fewest Points Allowed in a Half Since 2005
The 18 points allowed by Alabama in the first half against St. Joseph's are the fewest allowed by Alabama in a half since holding Georgia to 17 first-half points in a 75-47 win on Jan. 30, 2005, in Tuscaloosa
Rebounding Was Key to Halftime Lead
Part of Alabama's ability to hold St. Joseph' to 18 first-half points was strong rebounding on both ends of the court. Alabama held a 15-2 rebounding edge at 11:06 of first half, and lead the rebounding battled 23-10 at the half.
Steele Nears 1,000 Points Alabama
senior point guard Ronald Steele is rapidly approaching the exclusive 1,000 point club. With 9 points against St. Joseph's, he now has scored 991 career points. Forty-one current or former members of the Crimson Tide have reached the milestone. Teammate Alonzo Gee eclipsed the mark last season and currently sits 36th on the all time UA scoring list. Head coach Mark Gottfried ranks 41st with 1,056 points.
Alabama-St. Joseph's Series
The win by Alabama tied the series with St. Joe's at 1-1.
Alabama vs. Atlantic 10 Opponents
With the win over St. Joseph's, Alabama has compiled a 23-9 record against the 14-team Atlantic 10 Conference field.
Tide in the Islands
With the win over St. Joseph's, the Crimson Tide has posted a 10-2 record in 12 games all-time in the islands, winning the 1987 Hawai'i Pacific Thanksgiving Tournament Championship and the 1991 Rainbow Classic Championship. Alabama's appearance in the 25th annual EA Sports Maui Invitational on Maui was the Tide's fourth appearance in the state of Hawai'i.
Alabama in Regular Season Tournament Play
Alabama improved to 118-74 all-time in regular season tournament play with the win over St. Joseph's. The 2008 EA Sports Maui Invitational was the Crimson Tide's 86th in-season tournament, dating back to its first tournament experience at the 1947-48 All-College Tournament in Oklahoma City, Okla. The Crimson Tide's record only includes tournament play and not a one-game event. Alabama has won 29 tournament championships, including two under Coach Mark Gottfried.
Gottfried's Teams in Tournament Play
With the win over St. Joseph's, Alabama head coach Mark Gottfried has compiled a 26-10 record in tournament play during his career at Murray State and Alabama. He is 21-8 at Alabama, leading the Crimson Tide to three championships in eight appearances. The 20 wins are third to Wimp Sanderson (31) and C.M. Newton (23) on the school's tournament win list. Gottfried has led the Crimson Tide to back-to-back tournament championships with wins at the 2006-07 Paradise Jam and the 2007-08 Las Vegas Classic. Gottfried was 5-2 (.714) in tournament play at Murray State.
Next Game
Alabama will host Alabama A&M on Tuesday, December 2, with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m. Central time at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa.
