Tide and Tigers to Tangle in Coleman Coliseum
1/28/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 28, 2011
| Alabama Basketball Preview - vs. LSU | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Alabama (12-7, 4-1 SEC) vs. LSU (10-10, 2-3 SEC) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -
The University of Alabama men's basketball team returns to its home court, where it is 10-0 this season, to host LSU on Saturday evening. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. with the contest being broadcast regionally on Fox Sports South and carried via radio by affiliates of the Crimson Tide Sports Network.
The Crimson Tide has won seven of its last eight games after defeating Kentucky and Auburn last week to improve to 12-7 overall and 4-1 in the Southeastern Conference. The Tide looks to keep that momentum going against Saturday's SEC Western Division foe and get off to its best start in conference play since 2004-05.
"As a team they (LSU) have a lot of guys that are capable of scoring the ball," UA head coach Anthony Grant said of Saturday's opponent. "We've got to do a great job on the defensive end with all their guys."
The Tigers have lost three straight and are 10-10 overall and 2-3 in the SEC. On Wednesday, LSU fell at Tennessee, 75-53. However leading scorer Ralston Turner is expected to play for the first time since suffering a stress reaction in his right foot on Jan. 2. Turner has averaged 13.7 points in his 15 games this season.
Turner and the Tigers will face the nation's sixth-best defense as UA is surrendering just 57.3 points per game and allowing just 0.83 points per possession, the top mark in nation. LSU comes into the game averaging 64.5 points per game.
The Tide will also aim to defend its home court where it is unbeaten this season with another raucous crowd anticipated for Saturday's contest. Fewer than 500 tickets remain for Saturday's game and may be purchased online at www.rolltide.com or by calling the athletic ticket office at 1.877.TIDETIX.
"Our fans, especially the last few games, have been tremendous," Grant said. "It has certainly helped our team in terms of the energy our fans bring and the excitement that is in the building. It certainly helps us toward the ultimate goal of winning games."
Alabama leads the all-time series with LSU by an 98-66 margin and has claimed seven of the last 10 meetings. Saturday's game will be the first of two straight at home as the Tide hosts Mississippi State on Feb. 2 at 7 p.m.
