*** This is from our new intern, Hunter Cruse. He'll be helping out with hoops. ***
Alabama basketball will look to continue its excellence following a 31-point victory over Arkansas this past weekend. The No. 18-ranked Crimson Tide has climbed inside the top-20 of The Associated Press Top 25 for the first time since 2011 and will look to expand on a seven-game winning streak as it travels to Baton Rouge, La. to take on LSU on Tuesday. The Tigers ride a four-game winning streak entering tomorrow’s contest.
Here’s all the information you need to know about Saturday’s game.
How to watch
Who: Alabama (11-3, 6-0 in the SEC) vs. LSU (10-2, 5-1)
When: 8:00 p.m. CT, Tuesday, Jan. 19
Where: Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Baton Rouge, La.
Watch: ESPN2 (play-by-play: Kevin Fitzgerald, analyst: Dane Bradshaw)
Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network (play-by-play: Chris Stewart; analyst: Bryan Passink; sideline Roger Hoover)
Alabama projected starting five
Herb Jones: 6-foot-8, 210 pounds, senior
Stats: 12.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.9 apg, 47.2% FG, 50.0% 3-pt
Jaden Shackelford: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 13.6 ppg., 4.3 rpg, 2.0 apg, 39.0% FG, 37.0% 3-pt
John Petty Jr.: 6-foot-5, 184 pounds, senior
Stats: 13.5 ppg., 5.3 rpg, 2.2 apg, 47.0% FG, 37.8% 3-pt
Joshua Primo: 6-foot-6, 190 pounds, freshman
Stats: 7.6 ppg., 3.4 rpg, 1.2 apg, 37.2% FG, 32.7% 3-pt
Alex Reese: 6-foot-9, 230 pounds, senior
Stats: 4.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.6 apg, 30.1% FG, 25.0% 3-pt
LSU projected starting five
Cameron Thomas: 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, freshman
Stats: 22.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.4 apg, 42.1% FG, 30.8% 3-pt
Trendon Watford: 6-foot-9, 240 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 18.7 ppg, 7.0rpg, 3.7 apg, 51.9% FG, 43.5% 3-pt
Javonte Smart: 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, junior
Stats: 15.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.0 apg, 50.0% FG, 45.9% 3-pt
Darius Days: 6-foot-7, 245 pounds, junior
Stats: 13.7 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 0.5 apg, 56.1% FG, 40.4% 3-pt
Mwani Wilkinson: 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, freshman
Stats: 4.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 0.8 apg, 78.6% FG, 50.0% 3-pt
Notes and quotes
— Monday, Alabama received national recognition, ranking No. 18 in the AP Poll and No. 16 in the coaches poll. During a Zoom call with reporters, head coach Nate Oats talked about the achievement, stating that he told his players to live in the moment and make the most out of their success.
“ I keep telling them, ‘I’m going to be coaching for a long time, but you guys get a one time chance to play college basketball,” Oats said. “So they are doing a really good job of it now. To get recognized, they can say 20 years from now and talk about where they were ranked. For right now, today, it really doesn’t mean anything, like it just means we’ve been playing pretty good — shoot, that can all go out the window in one game.”
— John Petty Jr. was named SEC Player of the Week for the second time in three weeks after averaging 20.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 made 3s per game while shooting 60 percent (15-of-25) from the floor and 56.3 percent (9-of-16) from beyond the arc in the two wins over Kentucky and Arkansas. Through 13 games, Petty is averaging 13.5 points and 5.3 rebounds. He continues to provide consistency from outside, connecting on 50 percent of his attempts from three since Dec. 29.
“I think it's great for him,” Oats said. “He’s been about the right stuff since Christmas really, since our winning streak started. He’s been playing great.”
— LSU has the nation’s sixth-ranked offense, scoring 86.1 points per game. Cameron Thomas and Trendon Watford, two of the SEC’s premier scorers, have led the Tigers to this point. Thomas is averaging 22.1 points (conference-best), while Watford is averaging 18.7 points on superb efficiency.
“We’re playing arguably the best offensive team in the league in LSU,” Oats said. “Our guys have to get locked in defensively. LSU is loaded offensively — They have a big four with Thomas, [Ja’Vonte] Smart, [Darius] Days, and Watford. You’ve gotta be locked into all four really.”
— Tuesday’s game will be the 133rd meeting between Alabama and LSU. The Crimson Tide lead 80-52 in the series. Last season, Alabama split the series with LSU, losing 90-76 in Baton Rouge before winning 88-82 in Tuscaloosa. Herb Jones had one of his most memorable performances during the Tide’s win over the Tigers, sinking a pair of free throws with one hand in the closing minutes.
— Alabama will now attempt to win its eighth straight game which could mark the longest winning streak since the 2002-03 campaign when it recorded nine consecutive victories.
Alabama basketball will look to continue its excellence following a 31-point victory over Arkansas this past weekend. The No. 18-ranked Crimson Tide has climbed inside the top-20 of The Associated Press Top 25 for the first time since 2011 and will look to expand on a seven-game winning streak as it travels to Baton Rouge, La. to take on LSU on Tuesday. The Tigers ride a four-game winning streak entering tomorrow’s contest.
Here’s all the information you need to know about Saturday’s game.
How to watch
Who: Alabama (11-3, 6-0 in the SEC) vs. LSU (10-2, 5-1)
When: 8:00 p.m. CT, Tuesday, Jan. 19
Where: Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Baton Rouge, La.
Watch: ESPN2 (play-by-play: Kevin Fitzgerald, analyst: Dane Bradshaw)
Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network (play-by-play: Chris Stewart; analyst: Bryan Passink; sideline Roger Hoover)
Alabama projected starting five
Herb Jones: 6-foot-8, 210 pounds, senior
Stats: 12.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.9 apg, 47.2% FG, 50.0% 3-pt
Jaden Shackelford: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 13.6 ppg., 4.3 rpg, 2.0 apg, 39.0% FG, 37.0% 3-pt
John Petty Jr.: 6-foot-5, 184 pounds, senior
Stats: 13.5 ppg., 5.3 rpg, 2.2 apg, 47.0% FG, 37.8% 3-pt
Joshua Primo: 6-foot-6, 190 pounds, freshman
Stats: 7.6 ppg., 3.4 rpg, 1.2 apg, 37.2% FG, 32.7% 3-pt
Alex Reese: 6-foot-9, 230 pounds, senior
Stats: 4.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.6 apg, 30.1% FG, 25.0% 3-pt
LSU projected starting five
Cameron Thomas: 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, freshman
Stats: 22.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.4 apg, 42.1% FG, 30.8% 3-pt
Trendon Watford: 6-foot-9, 240 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 18.7 ppg, 7.0rpg, 3.7 apg, 51.9% FG, 43.5% 3-pt
Javonte Smart: 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, junior
Stats: 15.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.0 apg, 50.0% FG, 45.9% 3-pt
Darius Days: 6-foot-7, 245 pounds, junior
Stats: 13.7 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 0.5 apg, 56.1% FG, 40.4% 3-pt
Mwani Wilkinson: 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, freshman
Stats: 4.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 0.8 apg, 78.6% FG, 50.0% 3-pt
Notes and quotes
— Monday, Alabama received national recognition, ranking No. 18 in the AP Poll and No. 16 in the coaches poll. During a Zoom call with reporters, head coach Nate Oats talked about the achievement, stating that he told his players to live in the moment and make the most out of their success.
“ I keep telling them, ‘I’m going to be coaching for a long time, but you guys get a one time chance to play college basketball,” Oats said. “So they are doing a really good job of it now. To get recognized, they can say 20 years from now and talk about where they were ranked. For right now, today, it really doesn’t mean anything, like it just means we’ve been playing pretty good — shoot, that can all go out the window in one game.”
— John Petty Jr. was named SEC Player of the Week for the second time in three weeks after averaging 20.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 made 3s per game while shooting 60 percent (15-of-25) from the floor and 56.3 percent (9-of-16) from beyond the arc in the two wins over Kentucky and Arkansas. Through 13 games, Petty is averaging 13.5 points and 5.3 rebounds. He continues to provide consistency from outside, connecting on 50 percent of his attempts from three since Dec. 29.
“I think it's great for him,” Oats said. “He’s been about the right stuff since Christmas really, since our winning streak started. He’s been playing great.”
— LSU has the nation’s sixth-ranked offense, scoring 86.1 points per game. Cameron Thomas and Trendon Watford, two of the SEC’s premier scorers, have led the Tigers to this point. Thomas is averaging 22.1 points (conference-best), while Watford is averaging 18.7 points on superb efficiency.
“We’re playing arguably the best offensive team in the league in LSU,” Oats said. “Our guys have to get locked in defensively. LSU is loaded offensively — They have a big four with Thomas, [Ja’Vonte] Smart, [Darius] Days, and Watford. You’ve gotta be locked into all four really.”
— Tuesday’s game will be the 133rd meeting between Alabama and LSU. The Crimson Tide lead 80-52 in the series. Last season, Alabama split the series with LSU, losing 90-76 in Baton Rouge before winning 88-82 in Tuscaloosa. Herb Jones had one of his most memorable performances during the Tide’s win over the Tigers, sinking a pair of free throws with one hand in the closing minutes.
— Alabama will now attempt to win its eighth straight game which could mark the longest winning streak since the 2002-03 campaign when it recorded nine consecutive victories.
