Men's Basketball to Begin SEC Play at Georgia
1/6/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Alabama Basketball Preview - Alabama at Georgia
Alabama (11-3) at Georgia (9-5)
Crimson Tide Basketball Central
Basketball Home | Season Statistics | Roster | Media Guide | TideTV - Watch the games online! | SEC Basketball | NCAA BasketballJan. 6, 2012
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -
The University of Alabama men's basketball team begins its SEC season on Saturday afternoon at Georgia. Tipoff at the Stegeman Coliseum is scheduled for 6 p.m. CST on Fox Sports Net South and the radio affiliates of the Crimson Tide Sports Network.
The Crimson Tide enters conference play after navigating its rigorous non-conference schedule, the nation's 18th toughest and toughest in the SEC, with an 11-3 record. Two of the three losses came to opponents that are currently ranked. Georgia is 9-5 this season and thanks to five straight wins with its last loss coming a month ago to Georgia Tech at home.
"Georgia is playing very good basketball of late and we've got to be prepared for a very tough environment," UA head coach Anthony Grant said. "They have a nice winning streak and we need to be playing our best basketball."
In its last outing, UA cruised past Georgia Tech, 73-48, in a game that saw the Tide force 22 turnovers and record a season-high 14 steals. That win saw the return of All-SEC forward JaMychal Green who missed the previous two contests with a shoulder injury as well as Andrew Steele who played for the first time this season.
Trevor Releford has led Alabama in the last three games - all of which the Tide has won by nearly 20 points - by averaging 18 points per game on 21-of-27 shooting (4-of-7 from three-point) with 11 assists and 10 steals. Against Georgia Tech he scored 17 points on a perfect 8-of-8 night from the field.
"It's been a result of looking at and studying more film, listening to my coaches, doing what they're asking of me and playing my game," Releford said of his increased offensive production.
Georgia is led by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's 14.1 points on 12.4 shots per game to go along with his 5.3 rebounds per outing.
He and the Bulldogs face an Alabama defense that is one of the best in the nation by allowing a scant 55.6 points per game this season, the 11th best average in the nation. Only four of UA's opponents have even reached the 60-point mark this season and four have failed to score 50 points.
Following the contest in Athens, Ga., the Tide will return home to host LSU on Jan. 11 at 8 p.m. CST.
