Alabama
Stephen F. Austin
Alabama Men’s Basketball Ready for Stiff Test at Stephen F. Austin to Close Out 2018
12/29/2018 1:08:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The Crimson Tide will be the first power five school in nearly nine years and just the first active SEC team to ever play in Nacogdoches
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama will return to play on the hardwood following a nine-day break for the Christmas holiday when it takes on Stephen F. Austin on Sunday night in Nacogdoches, Texas. It will mark the first meeting in series history between the two teams.
The Crimson Tide (8-3) is riding a three-game winning streak heading into Sunday's contest, with each game being decided by single digits. The stretch began with a 76-73 win over Arizona on Dec. 9, followed by an 84-75 victory vs. Liberty, which was played in Huntsville, Ala. Most recently, Alabama bettered Penn State, 73-64, on Dec. 21.
Stephen F. Austin will be the fourth team on Alabama's non-conference schedule that was the preseason pick to win its respective league. The Crimson Tide has already faced Georgia State (Sun Belt), Northeastern (Colonial Athletic Association) and UCF (American Athletic Conference) who were each projected as champions of the respective league. In addition, Alabama also faced off with Murray State (Nov. 26), who was picked to finish second by a narrow margin to Belmont in the Ohio Valley Conference.
THE BROADCAST
• Sunday's game will air on ESPNU with Lowell Galindo and Jimmy Dykes on the call.
• The radio broadcast can be heard on the Crimson Tide Sports Network, Roger Hoover (play-by-play) and Bryan Passink (analyst) on the call. The pregame show will begin one hour prior to tipoff.
NOTES YOU NEEED TO KNOW
• Alabama is the first power five men's basketball program to play in Nacogdoches since Texas Tech set foot inside William R. Johnson Coliseum on Nov. 24, 2009. The Crimson Tide is the second current member of the SEC to visit Nacogdoches for a men's basketball contest with Texas A&M being the first in 1998. At that time, however, the Aggies were still aligned with the Big 12.
• The Tide has won the rebounding battle in 10 of its 11 games to begin the season. For the year, Alabama ranks fifth in the SEC and 50th nationally in rebounding margin (+5.8), outrebounding the opposition by an average of 38.3-32.3. Furthermore, UA is sixth in the conference and 85th nationally in offensive rebounds per game, averaging 11.7 heading into the game at Stephen F. Austin. As a result of its work on the offensive glass, the Tide is outscoring opponents by an average of +2.4 points per game (11.9-9.5) in second chance points.
• Alabama boasts a balanced offensive attack that averages 76.3 points per game and is outscoring the opposition by 4.8 points per contest (76.3-71.5). The Crimson Tide boasts three players who average double figures through 11 games (Kira Lewis Jr. - 14.8 ppg, John Petty Jr. - 11.5 ppg and Donta Hall - 11.0 ppg), while four others are averaging between 8.6 ppg and 7.5 ppg. Additionally, 10 UA players average double-digit minutes per game.
• Alabama's reserves have had a clear advantage over its counterparts 11 games into the season. The Crimson Tide bench has been outscored by the opponents' reserves only twice this season, and is averaging 24.7 points per game on the year. Through the early part of the season, the Alabama bench is outscoring its counterparts by 8.8 points per contest (24.7-15.9).
• Alabama will open SEC play on Saturday, Jan. 5, when it takes on No. 16/15 Kentucky. The contest, which will mark the only game played between the two teams in the regular season, will tipoff at noon CT and will be televised on ESPN.
ABOUT ALABAMA
• Alabama improved to 8-3 on the year by picking up its third consecutive victory with a 73-64 win over Penn State on Dec. 21 in Coleman Coliseum, improving to 5-1 in home games this season. The streak began with a 76-73 home win over Arizona on Dec. 9 followed by an 84-75 triumph over Liberty on Dec. 18 in the Rocket City Classic in Huntsville, Ala.
• Freshman guard Kira Lewis Jr. leads a balanced scoring attack that features seven Alabama players averaging 7.5 points per game or more. Three UA players average in double digits as Lewis' 14.8 points per game tops the Tide, while sophomore John Petty Jr. is second on the team with 11.5 ppg, while senior Donta Hall is third at 11.0 ppg.
• Petty leads UA in minutes (31.5 mpg) and threes made (20) and attempted (60), and ranks second in rebounds (4.9 rpg) and field goals made (41) and attempted (100). Meanwhile, Lewis is the team leader in assists (2.6), three-point field goal percentage (41.3 percent) and free throw shooting (30-of-37, .811). Hall tops the Tide in total dunks (18), rebounds (7.6 rpg), blocks (2.2 bpg), double-figure contests (8) and double-doubles (4).
• Junior Tevin Mack is averaging 8.6 ppg, while junior Dazon Ingram (8.2 ppg) and sophomore Alex Reese (8.0 ppg) are averaging at least eight points per contest. Ingram is second in the team with 2.5 assists per game, while Reese is second in three-point field goal percentage at 34.4 percent (11-of-32). Finally, sophomore Herbert Jones averages 7.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. He also is considered one of the top defenders in the Southeastern Conference, as he tops UA with 13 charges taken and 13 steals.
• As a team, Alabama enters its game on Sunday as one of the top rebounding teams in the SEC. The Tide has outrebounded 10 of its 11 opponents on the year and ranks fifth in the SEC with a +5.8 advantage on the glass (38.3-32.5). UA is shooting 45.8 percent from the field and 33.8 percent from beyond the arc on the year, while outscoring the competition by 4.8 points per game (76.3-71.5).
• Alabama welcomed back three of its top four and nine of the top 11 scorers from last season's squad. Leading the list of returnees is Hall, who paces all returning players in scoring (10.6 ppg), rebounding (6.6 rpg), blocks (2.0 bpg), dunks (75) and field goal percentage (.726) .
ABOUT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN
• Stephen F. Austin is riding a two-game winning streak following a dominating 97-47 home victory over Arlington Baptist on Dec. 21. The streak began with a 59-58 road win at Baylor on Dec. 18. As a team, SFA is outscoring the competition by +1.9 points per contest (70.6-68.7) and owns a +3.2 edge on the boards (36.0-32.8) entering Sunday night's contest.
• The Lumberjacks are led by preseason first team all-conference honoree Shannon Bogues, who tops the team in points (17.1 ppg), assists (4.8 apg), steals (1.5 spg) and three-point shooting (31-of-73, 42.5 percent). He is joined in double-figure scoring by Kevon Harris (13.8 ppg) and Davonta Fitzgerald (12.7 ppg).
• Head coach Kyle Keller is in his third season as the head coach of the Stephen F. Austin men's basketball program in 2018-19. During year two of the Keller era in 2017-18, the 'Jacks punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in program history and the fourth time in the past five seasons. In all, Keller owns a record of 52-26 (.667) during his time at SFA.
• Stephen F. Austin was picked as the preseason favorite to win the Southland Conference men's basketball regular-season championship, according to the league's 2018-19 men's basketball coaches and sports information directors. In addition, the Lumberjacks led all schools with three players selected to the first team in senior guard Shannon Bogues, junior guard/forward Kevon Harris and senior forward TJ Holyfield. The trio helped lead the Lumberjacks to their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in five years this past season.
• William R. Johnson Coliseum has not been easy on visiting opponents. Since the start of the 2012-13 season, SFA has posted a record of 91-5 inside its home facility.
'RUN'NING AWAY
• Alabama used a season-best 24-0 run against Penn State on Dec. 21, which turned a 14-point, 23-9, first half deficit into a 10-point, 33-23 UA lead, en route to the Tide's 73-64 victory.
• Not only was it the best run in a game this season by Alabama, but it was the second time that the Tide has been a part of a spurt in a game this season which it has outscored the opponent by 20 or more points. On the year, Alabama has had a total of five big runs in which it outscored the foe by at least 14 points.
BOARD WORK
• Alabama has proven to be a strong rebounding team through the early part of the 2018-19 season. The Crimson Tide owns a +5.8 advantage on the glass (38.3-32.5) and has outrebounded 10 of its 11 opponents it has faced this season.
• Entering Sunday's game at Stephen F. Austin, the Crimson Tide ranks fifth in the SEC and 50th in the nation in rebounding margin.
• The Tide has taken advantage of its aggressiveness on the boards and owns an advantage on the offensive glass. Through 11 games, Alabama owns a 129-95 edge in offensive rebounds category over the opposition, which averages out to a +3.1 advantage (11.7-8.6) per game. As a result, Alabama has outscored foes by +2.0 points per game in second chance points (11.5-9.5).
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