Alabama
Texas A&M
2018 SEC Tournament Awaits Alabama Men’s Basketball Team
3/7/2018 2:47:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The No. 9 seeded Crimson Tide set for rematch against eighth-seed Texas A&M on Thursday at noon CT on SEC Network
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama and Texas A&M will meet for the second time in as many games when the teams square off on Thursday in the second round of the 2018 SEC Tournament. This marks the first time since 2010-11 that the Tide will open the SEC Tournament with the same team it played in the final regular season contest. That year, Alabama defeated Georgia, 65-57, on March 5, 2011 in the regular season finale, then captured a 65-59 victory in overtime in the first contest of the 2011 SEC Tournament on March 11.
Last season, Alabama reached the 2017 SEC Tournament semifinals after defeating Mississippi State, 74-55, in the second round, followed by a 64-53 victory over South Carolina in the quarterfinals. In doing so, the Tide won two games in the same league tournament for the first time since 2002 and reached the semifinals for the first time since 2013. Head coach Avery Johnson has a record of 3-2 in SEC Tournament play.
Most recently, Alabama dropped its fifth consecutive contest – its longest losing streak since the 2003-04 season – when it fell on the road at Texas A&M, 68-66, on Saturday afternoon in College Station, Texas. It marked the third game in the current five-game skid that the Tide lost by 10 or fewer points, while four of the five of its opponents have been to teams ranked in the top-30 of the ESPN.com RPI.
Freshman Collin Sexton led the Crimson Tide with 23 points to go along with a season-best seven assists, while junior Donta Hall collected 12 points and six rebounds. In addition, freshman John Petty added seven points and a season-high eight rebounds in the contest that featured 11 ties and 15 lead changes.
Thursday's game will mark the first time since the 2010-11 season that Alabama will face the same team in the SEC Tournament that it ended the regular season against. That year, the Crimson Tide defeated Georgia, 65-57, on March 5, and followed that with a 65-59 overtime victory against the Bulldogs in its first game of the 2011 conference tournament.
THE BROADCAST
• Thursday's game will air on SEC Network with Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Sean Farnham (analyst) and Laura Rutledge (sideline) 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 11 a.m. CT on the Crimson Tide Sports Network.
OPENING TIP
• Alabama has a record of 3-1 against teams ranked in the top 16 of the latest ESPN.com RPI, with wins over No. 8 Auburn, No. 9 Tennessee and No. 16 Rhode Island. Moreover, the Tide owns a 6-8 record when playing teams ranked in the ESPN.com RPI Top-50 (as of March 5) and is 11-11 against RPI top 100 opponents this season.
• Alabama has won five games over AP Top-25 opponents this season, holding a 5-2 record against ranked foes. It's the first time in program history the Tide has won five games over AP top-25 teams in a single season, bettering the four ranked victories accomplished four other seasons (1982-83, 1986-87, 2001-02, 2015-16), Alabama owns wins over then-No. 5 Texas A&M, then-No. 17 Auburn, then-No. 12 Oklahoma, then-No. 23 Florida and then-No. 15 Tennessee this season. The only ranked opponents Alabama has lost two have both come on the road, coming to then-No. 14 Minnesota back on Nov. 25 in Brooklyn, N.Y., and most recently to No. 12 Auburn on Feb. 21.
• Since Avery Johnson's arrival in Tuscaloosa, Alabama owns a record of 10-9 when facing an AP Top-25 team. Prior to his arrival, the Tide dropped 21 consecutive games to nationally-ranked opponents.
• The NCAA selection committee is no longer using only RPI top 50, top 100, 200 and 201 and above as dividing categories. Instead, the new terminology will be quadrants 1, 2, 3 and 4 – something the helps bolster the Tide's 2017-18 tournament resume. Quadrant 1 RPI wins include home 1-30; neutral 1-50; away 1-75. Quadrant 2 include home 31-75; neutral 51-100; away 76-135. Entering the Southeastern Conference tournament, only 15 other teams in the nation have more Q1 victories than the Tide. Alabama is fourth in the SEC in Quadrant 1 wins (5) while ranking seventh in the league in Q1 and Q2 wins combined with nine.
• Alabama finished the conference season ranked as the top defensive team in the SEC and was the only team in the league to rank in the top four in each of the major categories. Alabama topped the SEC in blocks per game (5.4), ranked second in field goal percentage defense (.403) and three-point field goal percentage defense (.305), while ranking third in steals (6.4) and fourth in scoring defense (68.1).
SCOUTING ALABAMA
• Alabama lost for the fifth straight game when it fell on the road at Texas A&M, 68-66, on Saturday afternoon. The Crimson Tide's current five-game skid is only its second losing streak of the season and the longest since the 2003-04 season. Alabama has not lost six consecutive games since the 1997-98 season.
• Despite the recent skid, the Tide is averaging 72.4 points per game and outscoring the opposition by 2.7 points per contest (72.4-69.7). As a team, Alabama is connecting on 45.9 percent from the field and 32.3 percent from beyond the arc. The Tide owns a +0.1 advantage on the glass this season (36.3-36.2) and boasts a +5.4 advantage in points in the paint (34.1-28.7). Additionally, Alabama is tied for the lead in the SEC and ranks sixth in the nation in blocked shots per game (5.8).
• In addition to blocking shots, the Alabama defense is allowing opponents to shoot 41.1 percent from the field, which ranks 38th in the nation, and 31.4 percent from deep, which is 20th-best in the country. The Tide is also averaging 6.5 steals a contest.
• In league games, Alabama ranks as one of the top defensive teams in the conference. During SEC play, Alabama led the league in blocks per game (5.4), ranked second in field goal percentage defense (.403) and three-point field goal percentage defense (.305), while finishing third in steals (6.4) and fourth in scoring defense (68.1).
• Alabama ranks 32nd nationally in free throws attempted (717) and 81st in the nation in free throws made (480). Just over 21 percent of Alabama's point total (480 of 2,225 points) has come from the charity stripe. That number could be more, however, the Tide's 66.9 percent foul shooting ranks 308th in the nation.
• Three players are averaging double-figure scoring for the Tide, led by freshman Collin Sexton's 18.3 ppg. That number not only tops the team, but ranks second in the SEC. Sexton also tops the team in assists (3.6 apg) and field goals made (157) and attempted (364). Freshman John Petty ranks third on the team with 10.4 ppg and tops UA in threes made (77) and attempted (209), while his 2.5 treys made per game ranks sixth-best in the SEC.
• Junior Donta Hall leads the Tide in field goal percentage (.733, 167-of-187), 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 4.57 makes per game). Hall also tops the team in dunks (65), rebounds (6.9 rpg) and blocks (2.3 bpg), while ranking second with 10.9 points per game. Sophomore guard Dazon Ingram is averaging 9.9 ppg, and ranks second on the team in rebounding (5.5 rpg) and assists (2.6 apg) a game. Meanwhile, Ingram's 4.9 defensive rebounds per contest leads the team and ranks sixth in the SEC.
SCOUTING TEXAS A&M
• Alabama leads Texas A&M, 11-6, in the all-time series and owns a 5-3 edge when playing one another as SEC rivals. The Tide has won four of the last six games in the series entering Thursday's contest.
• This marks the first time the two teams will square off in the SEC Tournament. It will be the fourth time Alabama and Texas A&M will meet on a neutral court, with the Tide winning each of the previous three contests (3-0).
• Four of the last five games and five of the last eight contests between the two teams have been decided by a single possession, with three of those coming down to a single point.
• Billy Kennedy, who was named the 2016 SEC Coach of the Year, is in his seventh season as the head coach of the Aggie basketball program. During his head coaching career (20 seasons), Kennedy's teams have averaged 20 wins over his last 12 seasons as a head coach, earning four league titles and making six trips to the postseason (3 NCAA, 2 NIT, 1 CBI). He owns a record of 135-96 (.584) at Texas A&M and boasts a career mark of 346-275 (.557).
• Texas A&M and Alabama split the regular season series this year, with both teams winning on its home court. The Crimson Tide captured a 79-57 victory over the then-No. 5-ranked Aggies in Tuscaloosa in the SEC opener for both teams back on Dec. 30. The squads ended the regular season this past Saturday, with Texas A&M taking a 68-66 victory over the Tide. The most recent contest featured 11 ties and 15 lead changes.
• Aggies' big man Tyler Davis currently leads the team with 14.7 points per game, while also adding 8.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks a contest. Junior Admon Gilder is second on the team with 12.1 ppg, while shooting a team-leading 40.0 percent (42-of-105) from beyond the arc. Junior D.J. Hogg averages 11.4 ppg and leads the team in assists (2.7), threes made (57) and threes attempted (149). Sophomore center Robert Williams give the Aggies four players who average double figures with 10.5 ppg and leads the squad in rebounding (9.0 rpg), blocks (2.5 bpg) and field goal percentage (.627).
• As a team, Texas A&M enters the contest ranked as one of the top rebounding teams in the SEC, topping the league in rebounds per game (41.3) and rebounding margin (+5.8). Meanwhile, the Aggies also rank as one of the top defensive teams in the conference, as they are tied with Alabama for the SEC lead in blocks per game (5.8) and rank second in field goal percentage defense (.401).
ALABAMA-TEXAS A&M – SERIES NOTES
• The contest between Alabama and Texas A&M on Thursday afternoon will mark the 18th meeting in series history and the ninth time the two teams will meet as SEC rivals. It will mark the first time the two teams will meet in the SEC Tournament.
• Alabama owns an 11-6 edge in the previous 17 games, including having won four of the last six in the series.
• The two teams will meet for the third time this season. They opened the SEC season back on Dec. 30 in Tuscaloosa and closed league play this past Saturday in College Station. The Crimson Tide defeated then-No. 5 Texas A&M 79-57 in a game it led wire-to-wire. Most recently, Alabama dropped a 68-66 decision at Reed Arena.
• The Tide and Aggies played just once last season, as Texas A&M hung on to take a 56-53 win over Alabama in College Station, Texas.
• Eleven of the 17 contests in the series have been decided by single digits, including one overtime contest (12/13/08). Five of the last eight games between the two teams have been decided three points or less, including four coming down to two or fewer points. Alabama has won three of the five contests.
• The first game in the series was played in 1958-59.
SEXTON NAMED CO-FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR, HALL TABBED TO ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
• Southeastern Conference Co-Freshman of the Year on Wednesday as announced by the league office. Sexton becomes the second player in program history to earn the honor, joining former standout Mo Williams who earned the honor in 2002.
• Sexton, who was joined by Kevin Knox from Kentucky as Co-Freshmen of the Year, also was named as a Second Team All-SEC performer, while being selected to the All-Freshman team. Sexton became the second Alabama rookie to earn all-freshman honors in as many years, joining 2017 All-Freshman team honoree Braxton Key.
• Furthermore, junior Donta Hall earned conference recognition as the Luverne, Ala., native was named to the league's All-Defensive team.
• Sexton leads the Tide and ranks second in the SEC with 18.3 points per game, while also topping the team in assists per game (3.6), field goals made (157) and field goals attempted (364). He leads Alabama and ranked third in the league in both free throws made (164) and attempted (213), despite missing three games this season.
• On Nov. 25 against then-No. 14 Minnesota, Sexton set an Alabama freshman record when he scored 40 points, including 31 in the second half. He became the first Crimson Tide player to score 40 points in a game since Reggie King had 43 on March, 12, 1979 against Virginia. Furthermore, he became the first Alabama freshman in the modern era to record three straight games of more than 20 points in each of his first three contests.
• Hall has been a force down low for the Crimson Tide throughout the season. In 30 contests, Hall leads the team and is third in the SEC with 2.3 blocks per game, which currently ranks fourth for a single season in school history. He also averages 4.6 defensive rebounds per game, which is 10th-best in the league. In addition, his 68 total blocks on the year ranks 10th in the Alabama record books.
ALABAMA HAS BUILT A SOLID TOURNAMENT RESUME
• Despite its current five-game losing streak, the Crimson Tide boasts a quality NCAA Tournament resume during the regular season.
• Alabama owns wins over Auburn, Tennessee, at Florida, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Rhode Island, among others.
• The Tide is 5-2 when playing a top-25 opponent this season. The ranked opponents Alabama has defeated during the regular season (all ranking at time of the game) include: No. 5 Arkansas, No. 17 Auburn, No. 12 Oklahoma, at No. 23 Florida and No. 15 Tennessee.
• Alabama is 3-1 against teams ranked in the top 16 of ESPN.com's RPI (as of March 1), defeating Auburn (No. 8), Tennessee (No. 9) and Rhode Island (No. 16). Furthermore, the Tide boasts a 4-4 record against top-25 RPI teams with a victory over Texas A&M (No. 23), while all four of its losses in the category have come on the road (at No. 8 Auburn, at No. 17 Kentucky, at No. 18 Arizona and at No. 23 Texas A&M).
• According to the NCAA's Quadrant win-loss system, Alabama owns five Q1 victories (5-6) which is tied for fourth-most in the Southeastern Conference. In addition, the Crimson Tide boasts nine combined victories against Quadrant 1 and Quadrant 2 teams, which is seventh-best in the league.
• Only 15 teams in the nation have more Q1 wins than Alabama does this season.
• According to ESPN.com's latest RPI rankings (as of March 5), the Tide checks in at No. 57 in the nation and boasts the No. 9 overall strength of schedule. WarrenNolan.com ranks the Tide No. 59 in its RPI with the No. 5 overall strength of schedule. Meanwhile, CBSSports.com rates the Tide at No. 59 in the RPI and the No. 6 overall SOS.
• Alabama has been receiving votes to be ranked in all but five weeks of the season, and was ranked as high as No. 24 nationally by the AP poll (week 4).
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