Men's Basketball Set to Face Arkansas
1/27/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Alabama Basketball Preview - Alabama vs. Arkansas
Alabama (13-7, 2-4 SEC) vs. Arkansas (15-5, 3-2 SEC)
Crimson Tide Basketball Central
Basketball Home | Season Statistics | Roster | Media Guide | TideTV - Watch the games online! | SEC Basketball | NCAA BasketballJan. 27, 2012
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -
The University of Alabama men's basketball team returns home to close out the first month of Southeastern Conference action on Saturday when it hosts Arkansas. Tipoff is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. with the contest being broadcast on SEC Network affiliates and on radio courtesy of the Crimson Tide Sports Network.
The Crimson Tide aims to end its current four-game losing streak and record its 500th win in Coleman Coliseum in a series that has recently been dominated by the home team.
"We've got a very good team coming in our building," UA head coach Anthony Grant said of Arkansas. "So I think our mindset is one that we understand the challenge that lies in front of us. They do a great job at applying pressure and shoot the ball very well. I think they're among the league leaders in scoring."
The Razorbacks average 74.6 points per game, the third highest average in the SEC, but will face the league's top defense in the Crimson Tide. UA's 20 opponents have averaged just 57.5 points per game this season, the 12th best average in the nation and only six teams have scored 60 or more points against UA.
Arkansas leads the all-time series by a 28-24 margin, but neither team has won on the road in the series since Jan. 27, 2007 when Arkansas won in Tuscaloosa. Last season UA won at home, 69-56, behind 27 points from Tony Mitchell in front of a sellout crowd. A similar crowd is expected on Saturday as all available tickets for the contest have been sold by the UA athletic ticket office.
In its most recent outing, UA suffered its fourth SEC loss of the season, 56-54, on a shot by South Carolina in the final seconds. The loss dropped UA to 13-7 overall and 2-4 in the Southeastern Conference. Arkansas has won two straight games and three of its last four to improve to 15-5 overall and 3-2 in the SEC. The Razorbacks average 74.6 points per game.
JaMychal Green, who recently surpassed the 1,500 career point, leads the Tide with 13.7 points per game. He has averaged 16.3 points and seven rebounds per game in six meetings with the Razorbacks. The Razorbacks are led by B.J. Young's 14.6 points per game as one of seven active Razorbacks averaging 5.0 or more points per game.
Following Saturday's contest, the Tide will have a week off before resuming play on Feb. 4 by hosting Mississippi at 7 p.m.
