Alabama
Arizona
Alabama Men’s Basketball Faces Arizona in First True Road Test
12/8/2017 1:41:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The Crimson Tide and Wildcats set to tip off at 9 p.m. CT (8 p.m. MT)
TUCSON, Ariz. – The Alabama men's basketball team will play its first true road contest of the 2017-18 season when it takes on the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday night at 9 p.m. CT (8 p.m. MT) on ESPN2.
Both Alabama and Arizona are receiving votes to be ranked nationally in the latest Associated Press and USA Today/Coaches Top-25 polls, which were both released on Monday afternoon. The Tide received 21 votes in the AP poll and is ranked No. 32 in the nation, while UA received six votes and is No. 40 in the nation in the Coaches poll. The Wildcats received 10 votes in the AP Poll (No. 36) and 23 votes in the coaches poll (No. 30).
THE BROADCAST
• Saturday game will air on ESPN2 with Dave Pasch (play-by-play) and Sean Farnham (analyst) on the call.
• The radio broadcast can be found on the Crimson Tide Sports Network with Chris Stewart (play-by-play) and Bryan Passink (analyst) on the call, with the pregame show beginning at 8 p.m. CT on the Crimson Tide Sports Network.
OPENING TIP
• The Tide is facing arguably the toughest non-conference schedule in the nation. Having already played the likes of Minnesota, Rhode Island, BYU, UCF, Louisiana Tech and UT Arlington to name a few, Alabama will close the non-league slate with at Arizona this week, then neutral-site games against Mercer and Texas all before Christmas. UA will finish non-conference play when it hosts Oklahoma on Jan. 27 in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
• Despite struggling at the foul line this season (shooting 63.0 percent on the year), the Tide leads the league and ranks 11th nationally in free throws attempted (246) and is second in the SEC and 55th nationally in free throws made (155) (as of 12/7).
• Alabama enters Saturday night's game ranked No. 13 in the ESPN.com RPI and owns the No. 7-ranked strength of schedule (as of 12/7). The Tide is one of six SEC teams ranked among the top-15 in the ESPN RPI.
• Alabama captured a 68-64 home victory over Rhode Island last Wednesday night to improve to 7-2 on the season. The Crimson Tide never trailed in the contest in which it led for 38:16 and had two ties (23-23 and 56-56) which lasted 1:44 of the game.
SCOUTING ALABAMA
• Alabama improved to 7-2 on the young season following a narrow 68-64 victory over Rhode Island on Wednesday night. With the win, the Tide improves to 5-1 at home as it heads into its first true road contest of the year on Saturday at Arizona.
• Through its nine contests, the Tide is averaging 79.0 points per game and outscoring the opposition by 9.2 points per contest (79.0-69.8). As a team, Alabama is connecting on 50.1 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from beyond the arc. The Tide also owns a +2.4 rebounding advantage (38.4-36.0). Additionally, Alabama tops the SEC and ranks ninth in the nation in blocked shots per game (6.4).
• Defensively, Alabama is allowing opponents to shoot 40.6 percent from the field and 32.2 percent from deep. In addition, the Tide is second in the SEC with 6.4 blocks per game, while also averaging 6.6 steals a contest. Despite struggling at the foul line this season (shooting 63.0 percent on the year), the Tide leads the league and 11th nationally in free throws attempted (246) and is second in the SEC and 55th nationally in free throws made (155).
• Four players are averaging double-figure scoring for the Tide, led by freshman Collin Sexton's 20.8 ppg. Sexton also tops Alabama in assists (3.5 apg) and field goals made (50) and attempted (104). Freshman John Petty ranks second on the team with 12.2 ppg and tops UA in threes made (25) and attempted (67), while his 2.8 treys made per game is fifth-best in the SEC.
• Junior Donta Hall ranks second in the nation in field goal percentage (.750, 45-of-60), while also leading Alabama in dunks (23), rebounds (7.6 rpg) and blocks (2.8 bpg). Hall is third on the team with 11.9 points per game. Sophomore guard Dazon Ingram is averging 11.6 ppg, and ranks second on the team in rebounding (6.3 rpg) and assists (3.0 apg) a game.
SCOUTING ARIZONA
• Alabama and Arizona will square off for the third time in series history, but it will be the first time the two storied programs will meet in the regular season. Each of the previous two contests took place on neutral sites in the NCAA Tournament, both of which were won by Alabama. The Tide captured a 50-41 win in the first round of the 1985 NCAA Tournament in Albuquerque, N.M. In the last meeting between the schools, Alabama captured a 77-55 win in the second round of the 1990 tournament in Long Beach, Calif.
• Arizona enters the contest having won three straight games, most recently capturing a 67-64 upset over No. 7 Texas A&M in Phoenix on Tuesday night. Texas A&M was within one, 63-62, with 17 seconds left. However, Arizona sunk all four free throws down the stretch to claim the win.
• Junior Allonzo Trier leads the Wildcats with 22.0 points per game, while also topping the team in threes made (18) and attempted (49) and minutes played (33.3 mpg). Freshman Deandre Ayton, who finished with 13 points and 10 boards against the Aggies, averages a double-double with 19.6 points and 11.2 rebounds per contest. Senior point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright leads the Wildcats with 5.0 assists and 1.8 assists, while averaging 8.3 points a game.
• As a team, Arizona is outscoring the competition by 10.6 points per game (83.6-73.0) and outrebounding opponents by 5.8 rebounds a contest (36.4-30.7). The Wildcats shoot 51.3 percent from the floor as a team and 37.0 percent from beyond the arc, while also connecting on 75.9 percent from the charity stripe.
• Arizona, a preseason No. 3-ranked team, was chosen the favorite to win the 2017-18 Pac-12 Conference men's basketball title in a vote of media members who cover the league. The Wildcats, who were ranked preseason No. 1 by Athlon, Blue Ribbon Sports and Street & Smith's preseason publications, was a near unanimous Conference favorite, receiving 22-of-23 first-place votes. The Wildcats return three starters including 2017 Pac-12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player Allonzo Trier from last year's Pac-12 regular-season co-champion and Pac-12 Tournament title team.
ALABAMA NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE AMONG THE BEST IN THE NATION
• The Crimson Tide is receiving votes to be ranked in both the Associated Press and the USA Today/Coaches Polls this week. Alabama's 21 votes in the AP poll is good for 32nd nationally, while the six votes in the coaches poll leaves the Tide No. 40 nationally.
• According to ESPN.com's latest RPI rankings, the Tide checks in at No. 13 in the nation and boasts the No. 7 non-conference strength of schedule as of Dec. 7. Alabama still has games remaining at Arizona, Texas and Oklahoma in the non-league slate. Meanwhile, CBSsports.com and NCAA.com both have the Tide at No. 14 in its RPI.
• Alabama has been receiving votes to be ranked throughout the early part of the season, and was ranked as high as No. 24 nationally by the AP poll (week 4).
• Alabama was rated No. 24 by Blue Ribbon's Preseason Top 25, while NBC Sports ranked Alabama No. 23 nationally in its preseason rankings.
COMING UP CLUTCH AT THE FREE THROW LINE
• Alabama has had its share of struggles from the charity stripe this season, as it enters the Arizona game ranked 332nd (out of 351) in the nation in free throw percentage (.630). However, the Crimson Tide has come through in clutch situations this year.
• The statistics show that the Tide improves as the game nears its conclusion. With four minutes left on the clock, Alabama is shooting 73.8 percent (31-of-42) as a team. That number rises to 78.4 percent (29-of-37) inside of three minutes. In the final minute of play, the Tide is shooting an impressive 80 percent (20-of-25) at the line.
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