Crimson Tide Aims For Second-Straight Win Wednesday Evening
2/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 24, 2009
ALABAMA (14-12, 4-8 SEC) vs. ARKANSAS (13-12, 1-11 SEC)
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Tipoff: 7 p.m. (CST)
Tickets: 1-877-TIDETIX or rolltide.com
TV: WVUA
Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network
Promotions: First 1,000 fans receive an Alonzo Gee wobbler
Game Notes in PDF Format 
The University of Alabama men's basketball team wraps up its two-game homestand Wednesday evening when it entertains visiting Arkansas in Coleman Coliseum for a 7 p.m. tipoff.
The first 1,000 fans through the Coleman Coliseum doors will receive a free wobbler doll of the reigning SEC Player of the Week, Alonzo Gee. Additionally, fans can receive a coupon good for two free tickets to any upcoming home Crimson Tide baseball game for every $15 spent at the Coleman Coliseum concession stands.
The Crimson Tide hits the hardwood after a much-needed 87-85 double-overtime victory against Mississippi State on Saturday. That victory snapped a 4-game losing streak and gave interim head coach Philip Pearson his second win on the UA bench and improved Alabama to 14-12 overall and 4-8 in SEC play.
Arkansas brings a 7-game losing streak into Coleman Coliseum and the Razorbacks' last win, and only SEC win, came against Alabama on January 29 in Pearson's debut. Arkansas claimed that game by an 89-80 margin despite a career-high 24 points from JaMychal Green. On the season, Arkansas is 13-12 overall and 1-11 in the SEC.
"Looking back over their [Arkansas'] last few games, they have played arguably the best two teams in the league, and they've been in the game until literally the final horn with LSU and South Carolina," said UA interim head coach Philip Pearson. "Their last three games on the road, they've been at Mississippi State and were up 15 at the half, at Auburn they were up eight at the half, and then they played an overtime game with South Carolina. We've got our hands full and we realize that. We had a good game with them out in Fayetteville before but didn't guard them as well as we needed to and they scored 89 points."
Wednesday's game will be the 48th in the series that UA trails 26-21. However, the Tide is 12-5 against Arkansas in Coleman Coliseum.
Alonzo Gee leads the Crimson Tide into Wednesday's game after scoring a season-high 28 points in Saturday's win. Ten of his points came in the second overtime period, including back-to-back three-pointers to give UA the lead for good and earning him SEC Player of the Week honors. He has hit double-figures in 22 of his 26 games this season and leads the Tide in scoring (14.8 ppg) and is second in rebounding (7.3).
JaMychal Green continues to solidify his standing as one of the top freshman in the SEC after recording his sixth double-double of the season with 11 points and 12 rebounds against Mississippi State. Green is averaging 12.0 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game in SEC contests this season. Since the start of SEC play, Green has scored in double-figures nine times with five double-doubles, the most in SEC action this season.
Against South Carolina on Saturday, Arkansas had four players in double-figures, including two double-doubles from Jason Henry and Michael Washington. Henry came off the bench to score 27 points with 12 rebounds, eight offensive, while Michael Washington had 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Washington leads the team in scoring (15.9 ppg) and the league in rebounding (9.6 rpg). Freshman Courtney Fortson is second on the team with 14.6 points per game and classmate Rotnei Clarke, who torched UA for 26 points in the first meeting, is shooting 38.9 percent from three-point range and averaging 11.4 points per game.
The Tide will hit the road following the game, traveling across the stateline to face Mississippi on Saturday at 3 p.m. The squad will then return home to host in-state rival Auburn in the home finale on March 3 at 7 p.m. CST before a national television audience on ESPN.
