Alabama Squares off Against Gonzaga in Top-25 Showdown at the Battle in Seattle

SEATTLE – The No. 16/16 Alabama men's basketball team has made the 2,581-mile trek from Tuscaloosa, Ala., to Seattle, Wash., where it will take on the No. 3/3 Gonzaga Bulldogs in the "Battle in Seattle" Saturday night at 7 p.m. CT (5 p.m. PT) on ESPN2. It's the first meeting between the two programs and the front end of a home-and-home series, as the Zags will make the return trip to Alabama next year.

The top-25 showdown marks the 14th edition of the Battle in Seattle which returns after a six-year hiatus in the newly-opened (October of 2021) Climate Pledge Arena, home to the NHL's Seattle Kraken. The event, which debuted in 2003, brings the Gonzaga basketball program to Seattle to face a marquee opponent where it holds an all-time record of 9-4 including winning six straight before the event was halted in 2015.

The Broadcast

Saturday's game will be available on ESPN2 with Roxy Bernstein (play-by-play) and Sean Farnham (analyst) on the call
The radio broadcast can be heard on the Crimson Tide Sports Network with Roger Hoover (play-by-play) and Bryan Passink (analyst) on the call. The pregame show will begin one hour prior to tipoff.
Due to the SEC Football Championship game, Saturday's contest can be heard live on WQRR 101.7 FM in Tuscaloosa

Notes You Need To Know

The Crimson Tide won two of its three games at last week's ESPN Events Invitational, which was held in Orlando, Fla. After the Rick Pitino-led Iona Gaels, the preseason pick to win the MAAC, used a late run to earn a four-point win over Alabama in the opener, the Tide responded with back-to-back victories over Missouri Valley Conference preseason favorites Drake followed by a 32-point win over Miami to close out the event.
Alabama remained ranked in the nation's top 25 four a fourth straight week to start the season, checking in at No. 16 in the nation in both the Associated Press and Ferris Mowers USA Today Coaches polls. The Crimson Tide is one of six SEC schools that are ranked in this week's AP poll, which leads all conferences.
The Crimson Tide ranks among the top 30 in the nation in both offensive (12th) and defensive (28th) efficiency in the most recent KenPom rankings (as of 12/1). UA also ranks No. 12 in the nation adjusted tempo (73.3) and 20th in average possession length (15.3), according to the same site
Alabama challenged itself with what is one the toughest non-conference schedules in the nation. In addition to playing 11 games against teams ranked in this week's AP Poll, the game against Gonzaga will mark one of seven teams on UA's schedule that were picked to win their respective league (including SEC favorites Kentucky). Including the Zags and in addition to already having played South Dakota State (Summit League) and Iona (MAAC) and Drake (MVC), Alabama will square off with Houston (AAC) and Colorado State (Mountain West) later this month.
Gonzaga, ranked No. 3 in both the AP and USA Today polls, is the first of what is currently 11 games (nine teams) which Alabama will face this year that are ranked in the latest AP Top 25 poll. In fact, the Zags are the first of three consecutive ranked opponents the Tide will open the month of December with (Gonzaga, No. 15 Houston on Dec. 11 and No. 18 Memphis on Dec. 14). Following a home game vs. Jacksonville State on Dec. 18, the Tide will face Colorado State, which is receiving votes and ranked No. 31 in the poll, and No. 13 Tennessee, making it five of UA's six December opponents that are all either ranked or receiving votes.
Alabama leads the SEC and ranks 14th in the nation in scoring average at 85.7 points per game, while also ranking 12th nationally in adjusted tempo with 73.3 possessions per game. The Crimson Tide is 20th in the nation in average possession length, while also ranking among the nation's leaders in three-point field goal percentage defense (16th, .253), rebound margin (22nd, +9.4) and total rebounds per game (14th, 43.3).
In addition to scoring offense, the Crimson Tide leads the SEC in three-pointers made (69) and attempted (202), while ranking second in the league in three-point field goal percentage defense, field goal percentage (.485), threes made per game (9.9), rebounds per game and free throws attempted (136).
Alabama is averaging 9.9 threes made per game and 28.9 threes attempted per game (69-of-202), and currently ranks 42nd nationally in threes made and 33rd in total threes attempted. In comparison, opponents are averaging just 5.9 made threes on 23.1 attempts a contest. Last season, the Crimson Tide led the nation and set a new school record in both threes made (348) and attempted (989) as well as threes made per game (10.5).
UP NEXT: The Crimson Tide will have a week between games for final exams and will return to action on Saturday, Dec 11, when it welcomes No. 15/14 Houston to Coleman Coliseum. The contest will tipoff at 9 p.m. CT and will be televised on ESPN2.

About Alabama

Alabama is in its 109th season of basketball in 2021-22. The Tide's first season of hoops came in 1912-13. There was no season in 1943-44 due to World War II.
The Crimson Tide is led by three players who average double figures in Jaden Shackelford (18.0 ppg), Jahvon Quinerly (14.6 ppg) and Keon Ellis (13.3 ppg). The trio combines to account for 54 percent (45.9 of the 84.7 points per game average), 73 percent of the three-pointers made (50 of 69), 50 percent field goals made (111 of 222) and 56 percent of the total free throws made (49 of 87).
A pair of freshmen have also made their mark through the early portion of the schedule in guard JD Davison and center Charles Bediako. Davison, a consesus five star and McDonald's All-American, leads Alabama in assists (4.9 apg) while also ranking among the team leaders at 8.3 points and 4.7 rebounds per contest. Bediako has been a force on the inside, collecting 7.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks a game.
As a team, Alabama is averaging 85.7 points per contest and outscoring the competition by an average of 16.3 points per game (85.7-69.4). The Tide is averaging 9.9 threes made per game, while shooting 48.5 percent from the field, 34.2 percent from beyond the arc and 64.0 percent from the charity stripe. UA also owns a rebounding margin of +9.4 (43.3-33.9) for the year.
The Crimson Tide ranks 28th nationally in defensive efficiency entering the contest. For the year, Alabama has held opponents to an average of 69.4 points per game while limiting foes to 41.2 percent shooting from the field and just 25.3 percent from beyond the arc, which ranks second in the SEC and 16th in the nation.
Alabama was picked to finish second in the league in voting by a select panel of both SEC and national media members. Kentucky was the preseason favorite to win this year's regular season title, followed by the Tide, Arkansas, Tennessee and Auburn to round out the top five. Both Quinerly and Shackelford were named to the SEC Preseason First Team.
Alabama returns its top two scorers and 10 letterwinners from last season's SEC Championship team that went on to finish 27-6 overall and 16-2 in the SEC while claiming the 2021 SEC regular season and tournament championships.
UA won the program's eighth SEC regular season championship a year ago, finishing with a 16-2 league record which tied for the most wins in the conference in program history. In addition to claiming the 2021 crown, the Crimson Tide also claimed regular season titles in 1934, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1987 and 2002.
Alabama claimed its seventh SEC Tournament titles last year. It was the first tournament title by the Tide in 30 years, with the last coming in 1991. In all, the Tide has won 15 combined championships - the eight regular season titles ranking third-most and the seven tournament championships ranking second-best in the league.
The Tide holds an all-time record of 1,721-1,068-1 (.616), which includes an 815-629 (.565) record in SEC play. By capturing its 800th SEC win, Alabama joined Kentucky as the only two teams in conference history to reach the milestone. UA also became the third team in the SEC and 34th team in NCAA history to reach 1,700 program wins. Only Kentucky and Arkansas have more wins than the Crimson Tide.
UA has made 37 NCAA (21) or NIT (16) appearances in program lore. It was the program's third appearance since 2012 (also earned an at-large bid in 2018).
The Tide made its 21st NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and has reached its eighth Sweet 16 showing. Alabama owns a record of 21-21 (.512) in NCAA Tournament games.
Alabama also ranks second in the SEC in league victories and third in all-time winning percentage.

About Gonzaga

Gonzaga enters the Battle In Seattle ranked No. 3 in the nation in both the AP and USA Today Top 25 polls. The Bulldogs began the year ranked No. 1 in the nation and only recently dropped from that spot after suffering their first loss of the year, an 84-81 defeat to Duke in Las Vegas on Nov. 26. The Zags bounced back from that contest with a 64-55 victory over Tarleton State last Monday night to improve to 7-1 on the year.
The Zags are 16-9 all-time versus current members from the Southeastern Conference and has won eight of its last 10 meetings with an SEC opponent. The last coming in a 90-67 victory over Auburn a year ago.
A trio of Gonzaga players (Drew Timme, Chet Holmgren and Andrew Nembhard) were named to both the Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 Watch List and the Naismith Trophy Preseason Watch List. Timme, a Preseason All-American First Team selection and the reigning Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year, currently leads the team in scoring average (17.4 ppg), field goals made (51) and attempted (82) and free throws made (36) and attempted (52).
Holmgren, the consensus 2021 National High School Player of the Year, averages 13.8 points, a team-leading 7.0 rebounds and an NCAA-leading 3.8 blocks per game. Meanwhile, Nembhard, who played at Florida as a freshman before transferring to Spokane, is collecting 9.3 points and team highs of 5.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game after earning West Coast Conference Sixth Man of the Year in 2021.
Sophomore Julian Strawther and senior Rasir Bolton are also dangerous offensive players for Gonzaga's up-tempo offense. Strawther is second on the team in scoring at 14.0 ppg and is tied with Holmgren for the team lead in rebounding at 7.0 rpg. Meanwhile, Bolton also averages double figures (11.6 ppg). Both Bolton (16-of-35, 45.7 percent) and Strawther (17-of-40, 42.5 percent) are the team's top two shooters, combining to make 4.1 threes per game and shoot 44.0 percent (33-of-75) from beyond the arc.
As a team, Gonzaga has scored 80 or more points in all but one game this season –Tarleton State (64). The Bulldogs are outscoring the competition by 24.3 points a contest (86.8-62.5) and own a +12.8 advantage on the glass (41.1-28.3). The Zags are shooting 54.4 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from deep while holding the opposition to 38.5 percent shooting and 29.3 percent from beyond the arc.
Gonzaga head coach Mark Few is in his 23rd season as the head coach of the program and established himself as one of the most successful coaches in NCAA Division I basketball annals. He boasts an all-time record of 636-128 (.832).

About The Battle In Seattle

This contest marks the 14th edition of the Battle In Seattle and returns after a six-year hiatus in the newly-opened (October of 2021) Climate Pledge Arena, home to the NHL's Seattle Kraken.
The event, which debuted in 2003, brings the Gonzaga basketball program to Seattle to face a marquee opponent
Throughout its history, Battle in Seattle games have been among the largest college basketball games in the state of Washington
The last time Battle in Seattle was played came in 2015
The event drew its highest attendance that year (16,670) when the Zags defeated Tennessee, 86-79
Tennessee also appeared in Seattle on Dec. 29, 2007 when the then-No. 11 Vols downed the Zags, 82-72, making UT and Alabama the lone two SEC teams to compete in the event (Missouri played in 2003 when it was still a part of the Big 12)
The Bulldogs have won the last five Battle in Seattle games, and hold a 9-4 record in the event all-time
Gonzaga is expected to return the game in 2022-23 in Birmingham. Further details of that contest will be revealed at a later date.

Previous Battle In Seattle Results

Dec. 13, 2003 - #17 Gonzaga 87, #3 Missouri 80 (OT)

Dec. 4, 2004 - Gonzaga, 68, Massachusetts 57

Dec. 10, 2005 - #11 Gonzaga, 64, Oklahoma State 62

Dec. 30, 2006 - #18 Nevada 82, Gonzaga 74

Dec. 29, 2007 - #11 Tennessee 82, Gonzaga 72

Dec. 20, 2008 - #2 Connecticut 88, # 7 Gonzaga 83 (OT)

Dec. 12, 2009 - #21 Gonzaga 103, Davidson 91

Dec. 4, 2010 - #20 Illinois 73, Gonzaga 61

Dec. 17, 2011 - Gonzaga 71, Arizona 60

Dec. 15, 2012 - #14 Gonzaga 68, Kansas State 52

Dec. 14, 2013 - #20 Gonzaga 68, South Alabama 58

Dec. 20, 2014 - #8 Gonzaga 63, Cal Poly 50

Dec. 19, 2015 - #9 Gonzaga 86, Tennessee 79

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