Men's Basketball Plays Louisiana in Sunday Matinee
12/6/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 6, 2008
What: Men's Basketball Game vs. Louisiana
When: Noon, Sunday, December 7
Where: Coleman Coliseum
Admission: Tickets are $5 for general public; UA students free with UA action card
Radio: CTSN
TV: NONE
Men's Basketball Plays Louisiana in Sunday Matinee
The Alabama men's basketball team (4-2) continues its month-long homestand with a Sunday matinee against Louisiana (2-3). The Crimson Tide will square off against the Ragin' Cajuns on Dec. 7 at Noon at Coleman Coliseum. Alabama is coming off of a 64-56 victory over Alabama A&M while Louisiana defeated McNeese State, 73-64.
Who to Watch
Alabama senior guard Alonzo Gee has increased his productivity as of late to lead the Crimson Tide offensively. Gee has led Alabama in scoring the last two times out on the floor, including a 19-point effort in a win against Saint Joseph's and a 13-point game against Alabama A&M. The Crimson Tide is 3-1 on the season when Gee scores in double figures. The Palm Beach, Fla., native has scored in double figures in his last four games and is third on the team in scoring with 10.3 points per contest. Gee has also grabbed seven or more rebounds in the last four games and has totaled five or more in five of the six ball games this season. He also ranks second on the team with 6.5 boards per night.
Last Time Out
The Alabama men's basketball team came up with a stingy defensive effort to overcome a difficult shooting night to beat Alabama A&M 64-56 at Coleman Coliseum Tuesday night. With 1:23 left and the Crimson Tide leading by only two, sophomore Demetrius Jemison grabbed an offensive rebound and stuck it back in to give the Tide a 58-54 lead. Alabama made 6 of 8 free throws down the stretch to secure the victory. Senior Alonzo Gee led the Tide in scoring with 13 points to go with seven rebounds. Sophomore Senario Hillman and senior Ronald Steele each chipped in 11 points, and both knocked down two clutch free throws in the final minute of the game. Green led the Tide on the glass with 10 rebounds.
Scouting Louisiana
The Ragin' Cajuns enter Tuscaloosa with a 2-3 overall record and are riding a two-game winning streak. After dropping its first three games of the season, Louisiana earned two wins, both coming at home. The Ragin' Cajuns dropped its lone road contest by the score of 71-41 at Utah Valley State. As a team, UL is averaging 64 points per game while allowing its opponents to drop 69.8 points per night. Louisiana has been out-rebounded 182-154 and has 69 turnovers to 46 assists. Individually, the Ragin' Cajuns have four players who score in double figures. Travis Bureau leads the way with a 17.6 average while Tyren Johnson adds 11.4 points per night. In his first appearance of the season, Chris Gradnigo poured in 11 points and La'Ryan Gary rounds out UL with 10.6 points per game. Johnson leads Louisiana on the boards with 6.8 per game. Willie Lago has handed out a team-high 12 assists. Robert Lee's squad was picked to finish third in the Sun Belt West Division. The defending division champions received three first-place votes and narrowly missed out on being picked first. North Texas and UALR garnered 76 points apiece - only one better than Louisiana's 75 points. The UL men return nine letterwinners from last season's squad which held opponents to 65.8 points per game - the lowest in the program's Division I history.
Alabama vs. Louisiana: The Series
Alabama and Louisiana will be meeting for the first time in 46 years when the two teams collide Sunday afternoon in Tuscaloosa. Alabama leads the all-time series, 2-0, but the Tide and Ragin' Cajuns have not met since the 1962-63 season when UA posted a 59-53 win over then-Southwestern Louisiana at Foster Auditorium in Tuscaloosa. The two teams first met during the 1958-59 season with Alabama winning 75-58 in Tuscaloosa.
Gottfried vs. Louisiana
Alabama head coach Mark Gottfried will be meeting Louisiana for the first time in his head coaching career.
Alabama vs. Sun Belt Conference
Alabama owns a 30-2 (.938) all-time record against teams from the Sun Belt Conference. The Crimson Tide has played at least one game against 11 of the 13 current members, but has never faced Arkansas Little Rock and Denver. Alabama brings an 11-game winning streak against Sun Belt Conference teams into the Louisiana game. Alabama last loss to a Sun Belt Conference team was an 86-68 setback to Florida International in Tuscaloosa during the 1997-98 season. The first meeting with a current member of the Sun Belt Conference took place during the 1955-56 season when Johnny Dee's famed "Rocket Eight" squad thumped Western Kentucky 90-55 in Bowling Green, Ky. The Crimson Tide is 2-1 against Sun Belt Conference teams in NCAA Tournament play, beating New Orleans in 1987 and Florida International in 2002. The Tide's lone NCAA Tournament loss came at the hands of South Alabama in 1989. Alabama is also 6-0 in regular-season tournament play against Sun Belt Conference teams, clinching the 1996-97 Top of the World Classic championship with a 77-74 win over Middle Tennessee in Fairbanks, Alaska. Alabama is 18-1 (.948) at home against Sun Belt Conference schools, including a 16-1 (.941) mark in Coleman Coliseum.
Alabama-Sun Belt Records
| Arkansas Little Rock | Never Met |
| Arkansas State | Alabama leads, 1-0 |
| Denver | Never Met |
| Florida Atlantic | Alabama leads, 1-0 |
| Florida International | Alabama leads, 2-1 |
| Louisiana | Alabama leads, 2-0 |
| Louisiana Monroe | Alabama leads, 5-0 |
| Middle Tennessee | Alabama leads, 6-0 |
| New Orleans | Alabama leads, 3-0 |
| North Texas | Alabama leads, 5-0 |
| South Alabama | Series Tied, 1-1 |
| Troy | Alabama leads, 2-0 |
| Western Kentucky | Alabama leads, 2-0 |
Alabama-Sun Belt All-Time Scores
| 1955-56 | Alabama 90, Western Kentucky 55 | Bowling Green, Ky. |
| 1958-59 | Alabama 75, Louisiana 58 | Tuscaloosa |
| 1962-63 | Alabama 59, Louisiana 53 | Tuscaloosa |
| 1969-70 | Alabama 93, Arkansas State 79 | Tuscaloosa |
| 1975-76 | Alabama 76, Middle Tennessee 62 | Tuscaloosa |
| 1978-79 | Alabama 89, Middle Tennessee 66 | Birmingham |
| 1982-83 | Alabama 103, Middle Tennessee 58 | Tuscaloosa |
| 1984-85 | Alabama 73, New Orleans 55 | New Orleans |
| 1986-87 | Alabama 101, New Orleans 76 | Birmingham |
| 1986-87 | Alabama 82, UL Monroe 56 | Tuscaloosa |
| 1987-88 | Alabama 86, UL Monroe 66 | Tuscaloosa |
| 1988-89 | Alabama 80, UL Monroe 65 | Tuscaloosa |
| 1988-89 | South Alabama 86, Alabama 84 | Atlanta |
| 1989-90 | Alabama 79, Western Kentucky 72 | San Juan, P.R. |
| 1994-95 | Alabama 77, Florida International 54 | Tuscaloosa |
| 1995-96 | Alabama 74, North Texas 72 | Denton, Texas |
| 1996-97 | Alabama 77, North Texas 55 | Tuscaloosa |
| 1997-98 | Alabama 81, North Texas 61 | Tuscaloosa |
| 1996-97 | Alabama 77, Middle Tennessee 74 | Fairbanks, Alaska |
| 1996-97 | Alabama 80, Florida International 65 | Boca Raton, Fla. |
| 1997-98 | Florida International 86, Alabama 68 | Tuscaloosa |
| 1998-99 | Alabama 59, South Alabama 45 | Birmingham |
| 1998-99 | Alabama 84, UL Monroe 67 | Tuscaloosa |
| 2000-01 | Alabama 94, North Texas 55 | Mobile, Ala. |
| 2000-01 | Alabama 92, Troy 64 | Tuscaloosa |
| 2001-02 | Alabama 86, Florida Atlantic 78 | Greenville, S.C. |
| 2002-03 | Alabama 80, Middle Tennessee 65 | Tuscaloosa |
| 2004-05 | Alabama 85, North Texas 71 | Tuscaloosa |
| 2004-05 | Alabama 68, New Orleans 57 | Tuscaloosa |
| 2006-07 | Alabama 71, Middle Tennessee 62 | St. Thomas, V.I. |
| 2006-07 | Alabama 75, UL Monroe 61 | Tuscaloosa |
| 2007-08 | Alabama 84, Troy 72 | Tuscaloosa |
Gottfried vs. the Sun Belt Conference
Alabama head coach Mark Gottfried is 18-4 (.818) in his career against Sun Belt Conference teams. He has won all nine games as head coach of the Crimson Tide, dating back to a 94-55 win over North Texas at the Coors Classic in Mobile on Dec. 16, 2000. His last game against a Sun Belt Conference foe was an 84-72 win over Troy in the 2007-08 season opener on Nov. 9, 2007. Gottfried posted a 9-4 record against Sun Belt Conference teams while the head coach at Murray State, including a 7-2 record against former Ohio Valley Conference rival Middle Tennessee.
Gottfried-Sun Belt Records
| Opponent | Record | Last Meeting |
| Arkansas Little Rock | 0-0 | -- |
| Arkansas State | 1-1 | Arkansas State 70, Murray State 69 (Dec. 14, 1996) |
| Denver | 0-0 | -- |
| Florida Atlantic | 1-0 | Alabama 86, Florida Atlantic 78 (March 14, 2002) |
| Florida International | 0-0 | -- |
| Louisiana | 0-0 | -- |
| Louisiana Monroe | 2-0 | Alabama 75, Louisiana Monroe 61 (Nov. 28, 2006) |
| Middle Tennessee | 7-2 | Alabama 71, Middle Tennessee 62 (Nov. 17, |
| 2006) | ||
| New Orleans | 1-0 | Alabama 68, New Orleans 57 (Jan. 1, 2005) |
| North Texas | 2-0 | Alabama 85, North Texas 71 (Nov. 21, 2004) |
| South Alabama | 1-0 | Alabama 59, South Alabama 45 (Dec. 12, 1998) |
| Troy | 2-0 | Alabama 84, Troy 72 (Nov. 9, 2007) |
| Western Kentucky | 1-0 | Murray State 86, Western Kentucky 65 (Dec. 21, 1997) |
Steele Makes History
Alabama senior point guard Ronald Steele eclipsed the 1,000 point mark by scoring 11 points against Alabama A&M. Steele became the 42nd player in Alabama history to record 1,000 points as he enters the game against Louisiana with 1,002 career points. On top of joining the 1,000 point club, Steele becomes just the second player in school history to record over 1,000 points and 400 assists. Steele has 413 career assists coming into Sunday's game, joining Robert Scott (1977-80) who had 1,321 points and 444 assists.
What a Difference Three Games Make
Alabama opened its season with a 1-2 record in its first three games but now has won its last three to improve its overall record to 4-2. In the first three games the Tide was allowing 70.7 points per game but now over the course of the last three games UA has stymied the opposition to just 53.3 points per clip. Alabama has also made an improvement on the glass as well. In the first three games UA was getting out-rebounded by nearly four boards a night. Now UA holds nearly a 10 board advantage per contest over the last three games. The improvement has also shown up at the free throw line. Over the course of the last three wins the Tide is shooting 84 percent from the charity stripe while during its first three games, UA shot 64 percent from the line. Individually senior Alonzo Gee has come alive in the last three games by pacing the squad with 14.7 points per game. In the first three games the senior guard was averaging six points a night.
20 Point Games = Wins
Among current players on the Alabama roster the Crimson Tide has had an individual score 20 or more points 25 times. UA sports an 18-7 overall record when the Tide has a 20 point scorer over that span. Alonzo Gee leads the team with 14 20-point performances. In those games the Tide is 11-3. Ronald Steele closely follows with 10 20-point games. In those contests UA is 6-4.
Double-Doubles = Wins
Among current players on the Alabama roster the Crimson Tide has had an individual record a double-double 11 times. In those games the Tide is 9-2. Senior guard Alonzo Gee leads the way once again with eight double-doubles. In those games the Crimson Tide is 7-1 overall. Demetrius Jemison has tallied two double-doubles and in those games UA is a perfect 2-0.
Tide Continues Eight-Game Homestand
The Alabama men's basketball team will remain in the friendly confines of Coleman Coliseum for the course of eight games. The homestand spans all the way into January when the Crimson Tide finally leaves to play the Clemson Tigers on Jan. 6. The contest against Clemson closes out non-conference play for the Tide. The homestand opened on Dec. 2 against Alabama A&M.
Gee Scoring Watch
Alabama senior guard Alonzo Gee eclipsed the 1,000-point barrier last season and is rapidly climbing up the all-time scoring list. A total of 42 current and former members of the Crimson Tide are in the prestigious scoring club while Gee ranks 34th overall with 1,212 points. Terry Coner (1,214) and Jack Kubiszyn (1,224) are next on the list.
Steele Record Watch
Ronald Steele has etched his name prominently in the Crimson Tide record book. Steele has made his mark in the assist categories where he ranks sixth in career assists (413), first in assists in a single game (18) and fifth in assists per game in a career (4.35 average) The Birmingham, Ala., native is first in free throw percentage for a career (.868) and a season (.892), and ranks third in career three-point field goal percentage (.411) with head coach Mark
Gottfried Among Winningest SEC Coaches
Alabama head coach Mark Gottfried, entering his 11th season at the Capstone, has had great success while directing the Crimson Tide. Gottfried is one of only two coaches to have taken his SEC squad to the NCAA Tournament five times since the 2001-02 season. At Alabama, Gottfried has averaged 20 wins per season to rank second behind only Wimp Sanderson (22.3 in 12 seasons) in the UA record books. Throughout his 13-year coaching career Gottfried has averaged 21 wins per season. With 270 career victories, Gottfried ranks second among coaches who have been on the bench 13 years or less in Division I, trailing only the 308 wins of Tom Izzo of Michigan State.
Gottfried Gets 200th Win at Alabama
The win over Chaminade was Alabama head coach Mark Gottfried's 200th victory at Alabama. Gottfried now has a 202-126 record in his 11th season with the Crimson Tide. With his 200th win at Alabama, Gottfried joined an exclusive club of 200-game winners at Alabama. Wimp Sanderson (267), Hank Crisp (264) and C.M. Newton (211) are the only other coaches in school history to reach the 200-win mark with the Tide.
Alabama Basketball: A Historical Perspective
• 7 SEC regular season championships
• 6 SEC tournament championships
• 19 NCAA Tournament Appearances (2004 NCAA Elite 8)
• 5 NIT Final Four Trips
• 40 NBA Players (5 current NBA players)
• 19 First Team All-Americans
• 48 Academic All-SEC players
• Ranks 20th in NCAA tournament appearances in the last 25 years with 16
• 126 All-SEC players
• Ranks second all-time in SEC win behind Kentucky
Alabama Picked to win the West
In a poll by both national and SEC media the Crimson Tide were selected to win the SEC's Western Division as selected by a 30-member voting panel. Alabama received 11 first-place votes and earned a total of 151 points. LSU had 147 points and also received 11 first-place votes. Tennessee was selected to win the conference.
Gee and Steele Garner Preseason Honors
University of Alabama senior guards Alonzo Gee and Ronald Steele were selected to the Second Team of the 2008-09 Preseason Southeastern Conference All-Conference team as voted by the league's coaches. Gee was third on the team with 14.5 points per game and second on the team with 6.8 rebounds per game. He led the Tide in scoring in 10 games last season. Steele was a Preseason All-American in 2007-08 before an injury forced him to sit out the 2007-08 season. Alabama's all-time leader in free-throw accuracy (.868), Steele has started 89 of 90 games he has been in a Crimson Tide uniform.
Green Brings Lofty Credentials
Alabama freshman JaMychal Green brought with him some lofty prep credentials and has instantly impressed at the collegiate ranks. Green has played 20 or more minutes in five of the six games this season. Green tallied back-to-back double-digit point performances to open his UA career. The Montgomery, Ala. native was named a McDonald's All-American and played for the USA National U18 Team in Argentina at the 2008 FIBA Americas U18 Championship. The St. Jude high school standout was named "Mr. Basketball" for the State of Alabama.
Veteran Squad Returns
Head Coach Mark Gottfried returns a veteran squad as eight of the 12 members of the Crimson Tide are upperclassmen. The eight upperclassmen have played in a combined 493 games in a Crimson Tide uniform. Senior Alonzo Gee leads all players with 102 games played, starting in 78. Senior Brandon Hollinger follows with 100 games played. Robert Horry (1989-92) holds the career games played record with 131.
Marketing and Promotions
The game against Louisiana has some exciting ticket promotions. Sunday marks Family Fun Day for both games on the day. A Family Fun Pack includes 4 tickets to the game, 4 Bryan hot dogs, 4 Golden Flake chips and 4 Coca-Colas. Admission is free for all UA students.
Next Time Out
Alabama will take the week off for final exams but will return to action on Saturday, Dec. 13, to face Texas A&M. The two teams will tip-off at 7:00 p.m. in Coleman Coliseum with the game being televised on Comcast Sports South.
