After winning its first nine conference games, No. 9 Alabama will take a break from conference play Saturday as it travels to No. 24 Oklahoma as part of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. The Crimson Tide is riding a 10-game winning streak and is coming off a 70-59 victory over Kentucky on Tuesday. The Sooners are also hot, winning their last three games, including back-to-back upsets over then-ranked No. 9 Kansas and No. 5 Texas.
Here’s all the information you need to know about Saturday’s game.
How to watch
Who: No. 9 Alabama (14-3, 9-0 in the SEC) vs. No. 24 Oklahoma (10-4, 6-3 in the Big 12)
When: 11:00 a.m. CT, Saturday, Jan. 30
Where: Lloyd Noble Center, Norman, Okla.
Watch: ESPN (play-by-play: Jason Benetti, analyst: Dan Dakich)
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: 12.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.8 apg, 47.7% FG, 48.1% 3-pt
Jaden Shackelford: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 13.5 ppg., 4.2 rpg, 2.4 apg, 39.2% FG, 34.7% 3-pt
John Petty Jr.: 6-foot-5, 184 pounds, senior
Stats: 13.9 ppg., 5.0 rpg, 2.3 apg, 47.6% FG, 41.9% 3-pt
Joshua Primo: 6-foot-6, 190 pounds, freshman
Stats: 9.1 ppg., 3.3 rpg, 1.1 apg, 44.5% FG, 42.0% 3-pt
Alex Reese: 6-foot-9, 230 pounds, senior
Stats: 4.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.6 apg, 33.0% FG, 24.6% 3-pt
Oklahoma projected starting five
Austin Reaves: 6-foot-5, 206 pounds, senior
Stats: 15.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 5.1 apg, 43.0% FG, 24.1% 3-pt
Elijah Harkless: 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, junior
Stats: 4.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.2 apg, 31.3% FG, 30.0% 3-pt
De’Vion Harmon: 6-foot-2, 198 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 12.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.2 apg, 48.5% FG, 37.0% 3-pt
Alondes Williams: 6-foot-5, 201 pounds, senior
Stats: 7.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.7 apg, 48.4% FG, 25.0% 3-pt
Kur Kuath: 6-foot-10, 220 pounds, senior
Stats: 7.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 0.7 apg, 56.0% FG, 28.6% 3-pt
Injury report
Alabama head coach Nate Oats described his team as “really banged up right now” during his Friday Zoom call with reporters. While forward Jordan Bruner (meniscus) is the only player set to miss the game against Oklahoma on Saturday, Oats also provided updates on Herbert Jones, Alex Reese and James Rojas, who are all dealing with either injury or illness at the moment.
For an in-depth injury report, click here.
Notes and quotes
— The outcome of Saturday’s game against Oklahoma could have serious implications on Alabama’s seeding for the NCAA Tournament in March. Unlike in recent years where the Tide has had to fight to earn a bid to the Big Dance, Alabama will spend the next months trying to bolster its resume to ensure an easier path in the tournament.
Heading into Friday, Alabama ranks No. 10 in the NET rankings, the metric used by the NCAA Tournament selection committee. The Tide is currently 5-1 against Quadrant 1 opponents and 4-1 against Quadrant 2 foes. Saturday’s game at Oklahoma would qualify as a Quad 1 matchup. The Sooners, who sit at No. 20 in the NET rankings are also currently the highest-rated team remaining on the Tide’s schedule.
“I told [the players] this one is going to go a long ways come seeding time in March,” Oats said. “So if we’re trying to make some noise in March, the higher the seed you get, the easier it is to make a run like you want to run. The better we do in this game, the more it’s gonna help.
“... This is a huge game for many different reasons. Hopefully, we play better than we have the last two games. I feel like we’ve shown that we know how to win close games these last two, but we haven’t been particularly sharp. We’re going to have to be a lot sharper against Oklahoma.”
— This year marks Alabama’s fifth appearance in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, which enters its eighth season of existence. The Tide is 3-1 all-time in the event. During last year’s challenge, Alabama defeated Kansas State, 77-74, in Coleman Coliseum.
— Alabama enters Saturday’s contest riding a 10-game winning streak. The last time the Tide won 11 consecutive games in a season came during the 1986-87 campaign.
— Oklahoma will be looking to record three straight wins over top-10 opponents. The last team to accomplish that feat was Michigan in 2014 as the Wolverines beat No. 3 Wisconsin, No. 10 Iowa and No. 3 Michigan State as part of a 10-game winning streak.
— Alabama forward Herbert Jones was named to the midseason watch list for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award on Thursday. The senior is one of 15 players from across the nation currently in contention for the honor.
Jones leads Alabama in rebounding (5.9 rpg), steals (1.7 spg), deflections (61) and floor dives (14), while ranking second in charges taken (6) and blocks (1.1 per game). He has also collected a team-high 358.5 blue-collar points, the metric the team uses to measure hustle plays. Jones has 134.5 more blue-collar points than Alabama’s next closest player. The senior has also earned the Tide’s “Hard Hat Award” in nine of its 17 games.
Here’s all the information you need to know about Saturday’s game.
How to watch
Who: No. 9 Alabama (14-3, 9-0 in the SEC) vs. No. 24 Oklahoma (10-4, 6-3 in the Big 12)
When: 11:00 a.m. CT, Saturday, Jan. 30
Where: Lloyd Noble Center, Norman, Okla.
Watch: ESPN (play-by-play: Jason Benetti, analyst: Dan Dakich)
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: 12.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.8 apg, 47.7% FG, 48.1% 3-pt
Jaden Shackelford: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 13.5 ppg., 4.2 rpg, 2.4 apg, 39.2% FG, 34.7% 3-pt
John Petty Jr.: 6-foot-5, 184 pounds, senior
Stats: 13.9 ppg., 5.0 rpg, 2.3 apg, 47.6% FG, 41.9% 3-pt
Joshua Primo: 6-foot-6, 190 pounds, freshman
Stats: 9.1 ppg., 3.3 rpg, 1.1 apg, 44.5% FG, 42.0% 3-pt
Alex Reese: 6-foot-9, 230 pounds, senior
Stats: 4.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.6 apg, 33.0% FG, 24.6% 3-pt
Oklahoma projected starting five
Austin Reaves: 6-foot-5, 206 pounds, senior
Stats: 15.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 5.1 apg, 43.0% FG, 24.1% 3-pt
Elijah Harkless: 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, junior
Stats: 4.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.2 apg, 31.3% FG, 30.0% 3-pt
De’Vion Harmon: 6-foot-2, 198 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 12.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.2 apg, 48.5% FG, 37.0% 3-pt
Alondes Williams: 6-foot-5, 201 pounds, senior
Stats: 7.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.7 apg, 48.4% FG, 25.0% 3-pt
Kur Kuath: 6-foot-10, 220 pounds, senior
Stats: 7.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 0.7 apg, 56.0% FG, 28.6% 3-pt
Injury report
Alabama head coach Nate Oats described his team as “really banged up right now” during his Friday Zoom call with reporters. While forward Jordan Bruner (meniscus) is the only player set to miss the game against Oklahoma on Saturday, Oats also provided updates on Herbert Jones, Alex Reese and James Rojas, who are all dealing with either injury or illness at the moment.
For an in-depth injury report, click here.
Notes and quotes
— The outcome of Saturday’s game against Oklahoma could have serious implications on Alabama’s seeding for the NCAA Tournament in March. Unlike in recent years where the Tide has had to fight to earn a bid to the Big Dance, Alabama will spend the next months trying to bolster its resume to ensure an easier path in the tournament.
Heading into Friday, Alabama ranks No. 10 in the NET rankings, the metric used by the NCAA Tournament selection committee. The Tide is currently 5-1 against Quadrant 1 opponents and 4-1 against Quadrant 2 foes. Saturday’s game at Oklahoma would qualify as a Quad 1 matchup. The Sooners, who sit at No. 20 in the NET rankings are also currently the highest-rated team remaining on the Tide’s schedule.
“I told [the players] this one is going to go a long ways come seeding time in March,” Oats said. “So if we’re trying to make some noise in March, the higher the seed you get, the easier it is to make a run like you want to run. The better we do in this game, the more it’s gonna help.
“... This is a huge game for many different reasons. Hopefully, we play better than we have the last two games. I feel like we’ve shown that we know how to win close games these last two, but we haven’t been particularly sharp. We’re going to have to be a lot sharper against Oklahoma.”
— This year marks Alabama’s fifth appearance in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, which enters its eighth season of existence. The Tide is 3-1 all-time in the event. During last year’s challenge, Alabama defeated Kansas State, 77-74, in Coleman Coliseum.
— Alabama enters Saturday’s contest riding a 10-game winning streak. The last time the Tide won 11 consecutive games in a season came during the 1986-87 campaign.
— Oklahoma will be looking to record three straight wins over top-10 opponents. The last team to accomplish that feat was Michigan in 2014 as the Wolverines beat No. 3 Wisconsin, No. 10 Iowa and No. 3 Michigan State as part of a 10-game winning streak.
— Alabama forward Herbert Jones was named to the midseason watch list for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award on Thursday. The senior is one of 15 players from across the nation currently in contention for the honor.
Jones leads Alabama in rebounding (5.9 rpg), steals (1.7 spg), deflections (61) and floor dives (14), while ranking second in charges taken (6) and blocks (1.1 per game). He has also collected a team-high 358.5 blue-collar points, the metric the team uses to measure hustle plays. Jones has 134.5 more blue-collar points than Alabama’s next closest player. The senior has also earned the Tide’s “Hard Hat Award” in nine of its 17 games.
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