Alabama
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Mississippi State
Alabama Men’s Basketball Prepares for Tuesday Road Contest at Mississippi State
2/5/2018 1:31:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Crimson Tide will play the return game against the Bulldogs at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama men's basketball team will conclude its two-game road swing when it travels to Starkville, Miss., to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
It will mark the second game between the two teams this season. The Crimson Tide defeated the Bulldogs, 68-62, back on Jan. 20 in Tuscaloosa, which marked Alabama's fourth straight win in the series and its 10th victory in the last 11 games against the Bulldogs
Most recently, Alabama won its fourth consecutive game over a ranked opponent when it took down then-No. 23 Florida, 68-50, last Saturday afternoon to improve to 4-1 this season when playing a team ranked in the Associated Press Top 25. Of the Tide's four victories over top-25 foes this season, Saturday was the first time Alabama won over a ranked foe on the road
THE BROADCAST
• Tuesday's game will air on SEC Network with Roy Philpott (play-by-play) and Brooke Weisbrod (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 5 p.m. CT on the Crimson Tide Sports Network.
OPENING TIP
• In the win over the Gators, Alabama was led by freshman Collin Sexton, who led four scorers in double figures with 17 points, to go along with career highs of eight rebounds and six assists in the victory. Junior Donta Hall collected his fourth double-double of the season with 14 points on 7-of-7 shooting from the floor, along with 11 rebounds. Both Braxton Key (13 points) and Avery Johnson Jr. (10 points) hit double figures off the bench in the winning effort.
• Alabama outscored Florida 41-17 in the second half, while the Tide reserves outscored its counterparts, 29-1, in the victory. The 18-point win was not only the largest by an Alabama team at Florida in program history, but it also marked the second consecutive win in Gainesville. The last time the Tide won two straight over Florida on the Gators' home floor came during the 1989-90 and 1990-91 campaigns.
• With the win over then-No. 23 Florida on Saturday, Alabama has now won four straight games over AP Top-25 opponents. In addition to the 68-50 win over the Gators, the Crimson Tide owns wins over then-No. 5 Texas A&M, then-No. 17 Auburn and then-No. 12 Oklahoma this season. Since Avery Johnson's arrive in Tuscaloosa, Alabama owns a record of 9-8 when facing an AP Top-25 team. Prior to his arrival, the Tide dropped 21 consecutive games to nationally-ranked opponents.
• Alabama is ranked as one of the top defensive teams in SEC play this season. Against conference opponents, the Crimson Tide leads the league in blocks per game (5.7), ranks second in scoring defense (65.6), field goal percentage defense (.392) and steals (7.5), while also ranking fourth in three-point field goal percentage defense (.307).
• Ken Pomeroy ranks Alabama's experience at 348 out of 351 teams in the nation. According to his formula which is determined by a player's eligibility class (a freshman has zero years of experience, a sophomore has one year of experience, etc.), Alabama owns a 0.77 rating, which is the least experienced team in school history. The previous record in the rankings, which began in 2007, was the Tide's 2012 squad which was ranked No. 322 with 1.01 years of experience.
• Alabama leads the SEC in dunks with 110 on the season, led by junior forward Donta Hall, who has slammed home 47 dunks.
• Alabama will begin a two-game homestand when it hosts No. 15/14 Tennessee on Saturday, Feb. 10, at 5 p.m. CT on SEC Network. It will mark the only meeting between the two teams this season.
SCOUTING ALABAMA
• Alabama captured its second road win in the league and fourth win over a top-25 opponent this season when it took a 68-50 victory at then-No. 23/24 Florida last Saturday. The win was the Crimson Tide's sixth victory over the last eight games entering Tuesday's contest.
• The Tide is averaging 73.5 points per game and outscoring the opposition by 4.4 points per contest (73.5-69.1). As a team, Alabama is connecting on 46.5 percent from the field and 33.2 percent from beyond the arc. The Tide owns +1.2 advantage on the boards, 36.9-35.7 per game. Additionally, Alabama leads the SEC and ranks seven in the nation in blocked shots per game (6.1).
• In addition to blocking shots, the Alabama defense is allowing opponents to shoot 40.9 percent from the field and 31.9 percent from deep, while also averaging 7.0 steals a contest. In league games, the Tide ranks as one of the top defensive teams in the SEC. Through 10 conference games, Alabama leads the league in blocks (5.7), ranks second in scoring defense (65.6), field goal percentage defense (.392) and steals (7.5) and is fourth in three-point field goal percentage defense (.307).
• The Tide ranks eight in the SEC in league games only in free throw percentage at 71.8 percent and is shooting 67.7 percent at the line for the season, which ranks 13th in the SEC. Furthermore, Alabama ranks 63rd nationally in free throws attempted (523) and is 104th in the nation in free throws made (354). In fact, nearly 21 percent of Alabama's point total (354 of 1,691 points) has come from the charity stripe.
• Four players are averaging double-figure scoring for the Tide, led by freshman Collin Sexton's 18.7 ppg. That number not only tops the team, but also ranks second in the SEC and 85th nationally. Sexton also tops the team in assists (3.4 apg) and field goals made (116) and attempted (266). Freshman John Petty ranks second on the team with 11.0 ppg and tops UA in threes made (60) and attempted (162), while his 2.2 treys made per game is sixth-best in the SEC.
• Junior Donta Hall leads the Tide in field goal percentage (.739, 102-of-138), which would lead the country but he's just shy of meeting the minimum requirement of 5.0 or more field goals made per game (Hall is at 4.64 made per game). Hall also tops the team in dunks (47), rebounds (7.0 rpg) and blocks (2.3 bpg), while ranking fourth with 10.9 points per game. Sophomore guard Dazon Ingram is averaging 10.8 ppg, and ranks second on the team in rebounding (6.3 rpg) and assists (3.0 apg) a game. Meanwhile, Ingram's 5.8 defensive rebounds per contest is second-best in the SEC.
SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI STATE
• Mississippi State and Alabama will meet for the 199th time in series history when the teams square off on Tuesday night. It will be the second meeting this season between the two teams. The Crimson Tide held on to capture a 68-62 win over the Bulldogs just 17 days ago, back on Jan. 20 in Tuscaloosa.
• Alabama owns an all-time record of 124-74, and has won 10 of the last 11 meetings and 14 of the last 17 overall between the two programs. The Crimson Tide has won four straight and five of the last six meetings over the Bulldogs in Humphrey Coliseum.
• The 199 games played and the 124 wins against Mississippi State marks the most for Alabama against any single opponent in each category in program history.
• Quinndary Weatherspoon leads the Bulldogs with a 15.0 points and 4.0 assists per game. He also tops the squad with 1.4 steals and 30.2 minutes per game. Aric Holman is second on the team in scoring average (11.4 ppg) and tops State in rebounds (7.0 rpg) and ranks second in blocked shots (1.3 bpg). Freshman Nick Weatherspoon, the younger brother of Quinndary and the recipient of this week's SEC Freshman of the Week award, is the third Mississippi State player to average double figures at 10.8 points a game, while ranking second in minutes (28.4 mpg). Center Abdul Ado leads MSU with 2.0 bpg and is tied for the team lead with 7.0 rpg, to go along with 7.6 ppg.
• As a team, Mississippi State (17-5, 5-5) has won three consecutive games and four of the last six coming into Tuesday night's contest. The Bulldogs are outscoring the opposition by 8.9 points per game (74.2-65.3) and outrebounding the opposition by 3.9 boards a contest (38.2-34.3).
• Ben Howland, who is in his third season at the helm of the program, was named the 20th head coach in Mississippi State history on March 23, 2015. In four different stints as a head coach, Howland has a 448-245 record – Northern Arizona (79-59), Pittsburgh (89-40), UCLA (233-107) and Mississippi State (37-25). He led UCLA to three-consecutive Final Fours, including a national runner-up finish in 2006.
ALABAMA-MISSISSIPPI STATE – SERIES NOTES
• Alabama and Mississippi State will meet for the 199th time in series history then the teams square off on Tuesday night. The Tide owns a 124-74 edge in the all-time series, including wins in eight of the last nine contests played between the two teams.
• The 198 games played and the 124 wins against Mississippi State marks the most for Alabama against any single opponent in each category in program history.
• Alabama claimed a narrow 68-62 victory over the Bulldogs in the first meeting this season, which was played just 17 days ago (Jan. 20) at Coleman Coliseum. The Crimson Tide jumped out to a 19-point lead at halftime, but had to withstand a second half surge from Mississippi State to hang on for the win. The complete recap and box score from the first meeting can be found on page 11.
• The Crimson Tide won all three contests between the two teams last season. Alabama claimed a 68-58 win in Starkville on Jan. 3, followed by a 71-62 victory in Tusclaoosa on Jan. 20. The two teams also met in the second round of the SEC Tournament, with the Tide capturing a 74-55 victory over the Bulldogs on March 9.
• With its win earlier this season, Alabama owns a record of 77-17 in all-time games against the Bulldogs at home, including a 40-9 mark at Coleman Coliseum.
• Coming into Tuesday's game, Alabama has won four straight and five of the last six games over Mississippi State at Humphrey Coliseum. The Tide has an overall mark of 40-54 in games played in Starkville, Miss.
• Alabama won four straight, 10 of the last 11 games and 14 of the last 17 contests over Mississippi State
• The 99-year-old series has seen 14 overtime contests including the 2008-09 season's double-overtime affair. The Tide owns an 8-6 lead in such games.
• Sixty-four of the meetings have been decided by five or fewer points.
TOPPLING THE TOP 25
• Alabama head coach Avery Johnson has led his teams to success when playing against teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 during his three seasons at the Capstone.
• This season alone, the Crimson Tide boasts a record of 4-1 against Top-25 teams, including four consecutive wins over ranked opponents. Alabam has toppled then-No. 5 Texas A&M (79-57 on Dec. 30), then-No. 17 Auburn (76-71 on Jan. 17), then-No. 12 Oklahoma (80-73 on Jan. 27) and then-No. 23 Florida (68-50 on Feb. 3).
• In 2015-16, the Tide was one of 15 teams nationally that defeated four AP top-25 teams – the first time since 2001-02 that UA recorded at least four wins against top-25 competition.
• In 17 total games played against teams ranked in the AP Top 25, Johnson has led the Tide to a record of 9-8. That's a huge improvement, especially considering prior his arrival, Alabama had lost 21 consecutive games to nationally-ranked opponents.
ALABAMA'S TOURNAMENT RESUME CONTINUES TO LOOK STRONG
• The Crimson Tide comes into the final full month of the season boasting a quality NCAA Tournament resume after 24 games played this season.
• Alabama is a perfect 3-0 against teams ranked in the top 15 of the RPI, defeating Auburn (No. 5), Rhode Island (No. 6) and Oklahoma (No. 14). The Crimson Tide owns a 5-3 record vs. ESPN.com's top-50 RPI and is 9-6 when playinng teams ranked in the RPI top 100.
• The Tide is 4-1 this season when playing a team ranked in the Associated Press Top-25 and has won four consecutive contests against Top-25 opponents.
• According to ESPN.com's latest RPI rankings (as of Feb. 4), the Tide checks in at No. 36 in the nation and boasts the No. 14 overall strength of schedule and the No. 19 non-conference strength of schedule. WarrenNolan.com ranks the Tide No. 39 in its RPI with the No. 13 overall strength of schedule. Meanwhile, CBSsports.com rates the Tide at No. 38 in the RPI, boasting the No. 13 non-conference strength of schedule and the No. 19 overall SOS.
• Alabama is receiving votes in both polls this week and has been receiving votes to be ranked in all but three weeks 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.
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