Alabama - Georgia Tech Postgame Notes
1/3/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 3, 2009
Post-Game Notes
• Alabama hit a season-high 9 three-point baskets today, matching the single-game best set vs. Florida A&M on November 19.
• Five Alabama players scored in double figures: Ronald Steele (23), Alonzo Gee (15), Senario Hillman (18), Justin Knox (10) and JaMychal Green (12). That marks the second time this season that the Tide has had five players in double digits, matching the win over Quincy on December 30.
• Ronald Steele and Alonzo Gee posted double-double statistical outings today. Steele had a season-high 10 assists while scoring 23 points today while Gee had 15 points and a career-high 18 rebounds. Gee's double-double was the 10th of his Alabama career (Alabama is 9-1 in those games).
• Georgia Tech's 77 points today are the most allowed by Alabama in a victory this season (previous 2008-09 high: 66 by Tennessee State on Dec. 17).
• The Crimson Tide notched a season-high 17 assists today, bettering the previous 2008-09 high of 16 set against Chattanooga on December 22.
• Alabama's led by as much as 29 (67-38) on a 3-point shot by Brandon Hollinger with 10:38 left in the 2nd half.
• Tech closed a 28-point lead to 16 with a 12-0 run from the 7:00 mark to the 5:42 mark before a Steele layup ended the Alabama dry spell with the Tide holding a 77-59 advantage after having a lead of 75-47 before the run.
• Tech closed the gap to as little as 10 points (85-75) with 53 seconds remaining.
Halftime Notes
• Alabama led by 19 points at the half, 44-25, its largest halftime lead since a 32-point margin (55-23) over Florida A&M on November 19.
• Alabama shot 56.7 percent (17 of 30) from the field in the first half while Georgia Tech shot 29.2 percent (7 of 24) from the field.
• Ronald Steele and Alonzo Gee achieved single-game season highs for assists and rebounds, respectively, in the first half. Steele had a season-best 8 assists while Gee matched his season-best with 10 boards in the first stanza alone.
• Ronald Steele led Alabama in scoring in the first half with 14 points, while Senario Hillman had 10 and Alonzo Gee and Justin Knox both added 7. Gee was the Tide's leading rebounder in the first half with 10.
• After trailing, 10-6, Alabama opened up a 20-10 lead with a 14-0 run keyed by a pair of 3-point baskets by Ronald Steele and a steal and dunk by Senario Hillman. Hillman's layup off of a steal by Steele capped the run at the 12:30 mark of the first half.
• Ronald Steele hit a trio of 3-point baskets in the game's first 8:15 to key Alabama's early surge, scoring 11 of the Tide's first 23 points while dishing 4 assists during that span.
• Senario Hillman had 2 steals and 6 points in the early Alabama run, converting one steal into a dunk and another into a free throw opportunity when he was intentionally fouled at the 11:45 mark of the first half, culminating in a 25-12 Alabama lead.
• Alabama forced 8 Georgia Tech turnovers in the first half (including 6 in the game's first 9:42) while garnering 4 steals in the opening period.
• The Crimson Tide held Tech without a field goal for 8:26 of the first half, spanning from the 17:04 make until a layup by Zachery Peacock with 8:38 left in the half to cut the Alabama lead to 25-13. Alabama outscored Tech 19-6 during that stretch.
• After Tech pulled within 28-20 at 6:28, the Crimson Tide went off a 10-0 run that included 3-pointers by Alonzo Gee and Ronald Steele, and a layup by Senario Hillman off a Tech turnover. Alabama took an 18-point lead (40-22) with 3:55 remaining on two free throws by Justin Knox.
Alabama vs. ACC Opponents
• Saturday's game was the first of two against ACC competition for the Crimson Tide.
• On Tuesday, January 6, the Tide will play its first true road game of the season at Clemson.
• With the win, UA is 76-72 all-time against current members of the ACC.
• Today's victory improves Alabama's lead in the series with Tech to 40-28, with the majority of those meetings coming while Tech was a member of the SEC.
• UA is 36-44 against all other ACC programs.
• UA head coach Mark Gottfried is 1-2 against the ACC at Alabama, with today's win joining losses against Clemson and Wake Forest.
Next Game
• The Crimson Tide hits the road for its first true road game of the season at Clemson on Tuesday, January 6.
• Alabama is 3-4 all-time against the Tigers.
• The game will be broadcast by Fox Sports South with tipoff slated for 8:00 p.m. Central Time.
