Alabama Set For Crucial Showdown at Mississippi State on Tuesday Night

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama men's basketball team will play its return game against Mississippi State in a crucial showdown between the two rivals on Tuesday night in Starkville, Miss. The Crimson Tide and Bulldogs squared off once this season back on Jan. 8 in Tuscaloosa, with Alabama securing a 90-69 victory.

UA is coming off a 103-78 victory over Ole Miss last Saturday night in Oxford, Miss. The 103 points was the most scored by the Crimson Tide in a road game that ended in regulation in program history. Furthermore, it marked the third time this season Alabama has hit the century mark, something that happened a total of three times over the previous nine seasons combined

Over the last five games, the Tide is averaging 91.0 points per game while sinking 72-of-193 (37.3 percent) from beyond the arc – an average of 14.4 threes made and 38.6 threes attempted per game. Alabama has also averaged 18.8 assists a contest compared to just 12.4 turnovers per game during the stretch.

The Broadcast

Tuesday's game will be televised on SEC Network with Dave Neal (play-by-play) and Daymeon Fishback (analyst) on the call.
The radio broadcast can be heard on the Crimson Tide Sports Network with Chris Stewart (play-by-play), Bryan Passink (analyst) and Roger Hoover (sideline) on the call. The pregame show will begin one hour prior to tipoff.

Notes You Need To Know

Alabama enters the contest vs. Mississippi State owning the No. 40 overall NET Ranking (as of 2/23) and the No. 21 overall strength of schedule. The Crimson Tide leads all SEC teams in strength of schedule, while its NET Ranking is fifth-best in the league.
Despite setting a number of three-point records this year, Alabama is a team that relies heavily on getting to the free throw line. Entering Tuesday's contest, the Tide has made 426-of-612 free throws, which ranks 47th and 34th in the nation, respectively, for foul shots made and attempted. Alabama has scored 18.9 percent of its total points on the season at the charity stripe and 39.7 percent from beyond the arc.
Sophomore Kira Lewis Jr., currently has 912 points in his career and is on pace to join James "Hollywood" Robinson as the only players in program history to reach 1,000 points in only two seasons. Robinson accomplished the feat in his 57th game of his career (25th game of his sophomore season). Lewis will be playing in his 62nd career game when the Tide takes on the Bulldogs on Tuesday night.
UA enters Tuesday's contest ranked No. 2 in the nation in scoring offense (as of 2/24) at 83.3 points per game, while also ranking second nationally in three-point field goals made per game at 11.0. Furthermore, Alabama ranks No. 3 in the nation in threes attempted (840) and is No. 5 in three made (298) – both of which are single-season program records.
UA has had 15 games of 80 or more points and eight games of scoring 90 or more this season. The program record of games of scoring 80 or more points is 17 which was set on three occasions (1986-87, 1978-79 and 1976-77). The 1971-72 team had a school record 12 games of 90 or more points with nine such games occurring in 2001-02 and 1974-75.
Junior Herbert Jones, playing with essentially one hand, has been an important presence for the Crimson Tide. Since being reinserted in the starting lineup after missing three games with a fractured left wrist (vs. Arkansas, vs. Tennessee, at Georgia), Jones has been a defensive force, earning the Hard Hat Award in two of the three games. Over the three-game stretch, the left-handed forward is averaging 8.7 rebounds, 2.7 offensive rebounds, 2.0 steals and 2.0 blocks per game – all team-leading numbers. A candidate for SEC Defensive Player of the Year, Jones leads Alabama in Hard Hat points (485.5), charges (21) and deflections (69).
Over 14 SEC games played, Alabama leads the conference in scoring average (84.3), three-pointers made a game (11.2), assists per game (15.1) and assist/turnover ratio (1.1).
Junior John Petty Jr. will become just the fifth player in program history to attempt at least 600 threes in his career with his next three-point attempt. Currently, the Huntsville, Ala., native is 232-of-599 from beyond the arc in his three seasons at The Capstone, which ranks fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Alabama record books.

About Alabama

Three UA players average double digits, while six average 8.0 ppg or better on the year to lead the Alabama offense. Sophomore Kira Lewis Jr. (17.4 ppg) tops the team and ranks fifth in the SEC in scoring average, while junior John Petty Jr. (15.3 ppg) ranks second on the squad and 11th in the league. Combined the duo produces the second-highest combined points by any two players on the same team in the SEC (32.7 ppg).
Lewis, a two-time SEC Player of the Week (1/27 & 2/17), leads the SEC and ranks ninth nationally in minutes per game (37.39), while also leading UA and ranking among the league leaders in scoring, assists (3rd - 5.2 apg) and steals (4th- 1.9 spg). A first-team All-SEC preseason honoree, he also tops the team in field goals made (172) and attempted (380), and is shooting 45.3 percent from the field, 35.1 percent from beyond the arc and 77.9 percent from the charity stripe.
Petty is one of the top three-point shooters in the nation. He leads the SEC in three-point field goal percentage (44.6 percent, 83-of-186) and in threes made per game (3.1), while ranking sixth and 16th nationally in the categories, respectively. Additionally, he leads the squad and is ninth in the conference in rebounding (6.9 rpg) and tops UA in threes made and attempted while ranking second in steals (1.2 spg) and minutes (34.4 mpg) per game.
Freshman Jaden Shackelford, who was named the USBWA National Freshman of the Week on Feb. 18, also averages in double figures at 14.8 ppg and ranks third in the league three-point percentage (.363) and threes made per game (2.7). He leads the team in threes attempted, as 204 of his 301 field goal attempts – approximately 68 percent – have come from beyond the three-point line. Juniors Alex Reese (9.5 ppg) and Herbert Jones (8.7 ppg) and graduate senior Beetle Bolden (8.0 ppg) contribute offensively as well.
Jones, who has been sidelined multiple games and is currently seeing limited action despite a fractured left wrist, is the team's best defender. He leads the squad in Blue Collar Points (503.5), Hard Hat Awards (13), charges taken (21) and deflections (69). Bolden has also missed time (four games) throughout the year with a variety of ailments, is one of the best perimeter defenders on the team and ranks fourth on the squad in three-point field goal percentage (.330).
As a team, Alabama has outscored the opposition by +4.6 points (83.3-78.8) and is shooting 44.3 percent from the field, 35.5 percent from beyond the arc and 69.6 percent from the foul line. The Tide averages 40.0 rebounds per game which ranks third in the SEC and is 19th-best in the nation. The Crimson Tide has collected 15 games of 80 or more points and has hit 90 or more points seven times.
Through its 14 SEC contests, Alabama leads the league in scoring offense (84.3), threes made per game (11.2), assists (1st - 15.1), assist/turnover ratio (1st - 1.1) and defensive rebounds (27.8). Additionally, the Crimson Tide ranks among the top five teams in league play in rebounding offense (3rd - 39.6), scoring margin (3rd - +4.2), three-point field goal percentage (3rd - .341), offensive rebounding (3rd - 11.8), blocked shots (4th - 4.6), field goal percentage (5th - .439). field goal percentage defense (5th - .418).

About Mississippi State

Mississippi State enters the contest sporting an 17-10 record on the season and an 8-6 mark in league play following the team's 87-75 loss at Texas A&M this past Saturday. The Bulldogs are currently in a three-way tie for fifth overall in the SEC standings at 8-6, just a game ahead of the Crimson Tide.
Four players average in double figures to lead Mississippi State, topped by Preseason First Team honoree Reggie Perry. The sophomore forward is averaging a near double-double at 17.3 points, which ranks sixth in the SEC, and a league-leading 9.8 rebounds per game. The 6-10, 250-pound forward also leads the conference in defensive rebounds per game (6.8) and ranks third in the conference in field goal percentage (.505) and offensive rebounds per game (3.0).
Senior Tyson Carter is second in scoring average (13.5) while also leading the team in threes made (48) and attempted (155) and ranking second in assists (3.1 apg). Sophomore Robert Woodard is second in the team in rebounding (6.8 rpg) and third in scoring average (11.6 ppg), while junior Nick Weatherspoon also averages in double figures (11.9 ppg) and tops the Bulldogs with 4.4 assists per contest.
As a team, Mississippi State leads the league in rebounding margin at +7.6 (37.5-29.9), which also ranks 11th in the nation. Additionally, the Bulldogs are 23rd nationally and third in the conference in blocked shots per game (4.9). For the year, MSU is outscoring the competition by +5.1 points per game (73.6-68.5), while shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 34.0 percent from beyond the arc.
Ben Howland, who is in his fifth season at the helm of the program. In four different stints as a head coach, Howland has a 487-266 (.647) record – Northern Arizona (79-59), Pittsburgh (89-40), UCLA (233-107) and Mississippi State (95-66, .590). 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 203rd time in series history and second time this season when the teams square off on Tuesday night. The Crimson Tide defeated the Bulldogs 90-69 back on Jan. 8 in Coleman Coliseum.
With that win, UA improved to 126-76 edge in the all-time series, including wins in 10 of the last 13 contests played between the two teams. Both the 200 games played and the 126 wins against Mississippi State marks the most for Alabama against any single opponent in each category in program history.
Despite Alabama's recent dominance in the series, the teams have played fairly even in each of the last three seasons, with each team winning on its home floor. The Tide own a 3-2 record over the stretch, with three wins under the arched roof of Coleman Coliseum, while the Bulldogs are 2-0 at The Hump over the stretch coming into Tuesday night's game.
Prior to the most recent five-game stretch, Alabama had captured wins over the Bulldogs in 10 of previous 11 games, including winning four straight in Starkville, Miss. Dating back to the 2011-12 season, the Crimson Tide has claimed victory in 16 of the last 21 games played between the long-time rivals.
Alabama has lost two consecutive games against Mississippi State at Humphrey Coliseum. However, the Tide had a four-game winning streak in Starkville prior to the recent skid. In the past two games, played between the two teams inside The Hump, the Crimson Tide fell 67-63 on Feb. 6, 2018 and 81-62 a year ago. With those losses, Alabama fell to 40-56 in all-time games played in Starkville, Miss.
Sixty-six of the meetings have been decided by five or fewer points.
The series, which first began during the 1912-13 season, has seen 14 overtime contests including the 2008-09 season's double-overtime affair. The Tide owns an 8-6 lead in such games.

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