Following its upset win over Gonzaga last weekend, Alabama basketball will try to make it two straight victories against ranked teams on Saturday. The No. 9 Crimson Tide hosts No. 14 Houston at 9 p.m. CT inside Coleman Coliseum. The two teams were originally supposed to meet last season but saw the matchup postponed due to COVID-19. Alabama will make the return trip to Houston next season to conclude the home-and-home series.
Here’s all the information you need to know about Saturday’s game.
Who: No. 9 Alabama (7-1) vs. No. 14 Houston (8-1)
When: 9:00 p.m. CT, Saturday, Dec. 11
Where: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Watch: ESPN2 (play-by-play: Karl Ravech; analyst: Jimmy Dykes)
Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network (play-by-play: Chris Stewart; analyst: Bryan Passink; sideline Roger Hoober; engineer Tom Stipe)
Jahvon Quinerly: 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, redshirt junior
Stats: 14.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.9 apg, 41.3% FG, 25.5% 3-pt
Jaden Shackelford: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, junior
Stats: 19.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.5 apg, 44.6% FG, 43.1% 3-pt
Keon Ellis: 6-foot-6, 175 pounds, senior
Stats: 12.1 ppg., 6.9 rpg, 1.9 apg, 52.5% FG, 41.2% 3-pt
Juwan Gary: 6-foot-6, 218 pounds, redshirt sophomore
Stats: 8.3 ppg, 6.0, rpg, 0.7 apg, 55.3% FG, 10.0% 3-pt
Charles Bediako: 7-foot, 225 pounds, freshman
Stats: 7.1 ppg, 5.3, rpg, 1.0 apg, 65.8% FG
Jamal Shead: 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 7.0 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 5.3 apg, 51.0% FG, 35.3% 3-pt
Kyler Edwards: 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, senior
Stats: 13.0 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.7 apg, 41.5% FG, 35.7% 3-pt
Marcus Sasser: 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, junior
Stats: 17.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.9 apg, 48.2% FG, 48.5% 3-pt
Fabian White Jr.: 6-foot-8, 230 pounds, graduate
Stats: 9.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.4 apg, 44.9% FG, 39.1% 3-pt
Reggie Chaney: 6-foot-8, 230 pounds, senior
Stats: 4.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 0.2 apg, 72.0% FG
The last time Coleman Coliseum hosted a game of this magnitude, Nick Saban was being introduced to the crowd as Alabama’s next football coach. Saturday’s matchup will mark the first time two teams ranked in the top 15 have met in Tuscaloosa, Ala., since 2007 when the No. 14 ranked Tide beat No. 13 LSU, 71-61.
Due to graduation and a 9 p.m. start, Coleman likely won't be as packed as it was that night more than a decade ago. However, Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats is still hoping to see a solid crowd for what should serve as a notable game on the Tide’s resume come tournament time next spring.
“This is a premier game," Oats said. "They played in the Final Four last year. They’re top 15 in the country. Coach [Kelvin] Sampson is one of the best coaches in the country.
“It would’ve been ideal if we could have maybe played this game when we would have had all the students on campus. I realize a lot of them maybe have left [after] finals. Hopefully, we still get the place close to a sellout. It’s a good game. The community seems like they’re really behind us, interested in us.”
The matchup will also mark Alabama’s second straight game against an opponent from last season’s Final Four. Last weekend, the Tide secured arguably its biggest regular-season win under Oats as it upset then No.3-ranked Gonzaga, 91-82, in Seattle. Houston will be an equally-challenging test as the Cougars enter the game with four straight wins of 29 or more points.
“It’s going to be a tough game,” Oats said. “They’re one of the hardest-playing teams in the country every year. Coach Sampson does a great job of getting them to play hard. They’ve got a great defensive system. They’re fluctuating between No. 1 and No. 2 in the country in defensive efficiency on KenPom, and they’re one of the best rebounding teams in the country every year.”
This was about the time Alabama started to catch fire last year. Through eight games last season, the Tide was 5-3 and coming off an 85-69 victory over East Tennessee State — a rebound win following a disappointing 73-71 loss to Western Kentucky three days before. The victory over ETSU ignited Alabama, sparking a 10-game winning steak, its longest in a season that saw it go 26-7 while winning both the SEC regular-season title and conference tournament before making a run to the Sweet 16.
This season’s Alabama team is poised for similar success without the bad start. So what changed?
“I guess it’s just kind of learning from last year,” Alabama guard Jaden Shackelford said. “Of course, we’ve got a lot of guys, but coming into the season we were talking about through those seven, eight games we wanted to have a better start. It had to take that [Western] Kentucky loss year for us to kind of switch things up. We’re trying to just avoid that this year and not have to get motivated by a loss or anything of that sort.”
A win Saturday would give Alabama its second Quad 1 victory of the season. The Tide could also be in a position to add another Quad 1 victory to its resume next week as it travels to Memphis, which currently sits at No. 64 in the NET rankings.
— Saturday’s game marks the fifth time Alabama and Houston will square off on the hardwood. The two teams last met on Dec. 29, 1979 when the Cougars beat the Crimson Tide during the Sun Bowl Tournament in El Paso, Texas. Houston has a 3-1 record in the series. This will be the first game between the two schools that won’t take place in a neutral setting.
— The last time Alabama faced two straight opponents ranked in the top 15 occurred in 2001 when it lost to No.5 Missouri before beating No.12 Memphis during the Guardians Classic in Kansas City.
— Heading into Friday, Alabama sits at No. 11 in the NET rankings. The Tide is the only team in the top 185 of the rankings yet to play a game against a Quad 4 opponent. Alabama is 1-0 in Quad 1 games, 3-1 in Quad 2 games and 1-0 in Quad 3 games. Saturday’s matchup would currently fall under the Quad 1 category.
— Houston was selected to win the American Athletic Conference. The Cougars are one of seven projected conference winners on Alabama’s schedule, joining South Dakota State (Summit League), Iona (MAAC), Drake (MVC), Gonzaga (WCC), Colorado State (Mountain West) and Kentucky (SEC).
— Houston ranks second in the nation in scoring defense, holding opponents to an average of 53.4 points per game. The Cougars rank seventh nationally averaging 11.0 steals and rank eighth in opposing field goal percentage (.357).
Here’s all the information you need to know about Saturday’s game.
How to watch
Who: No. 9 Alabama (7-1) vs. No. 14 Houston (8-1)
When: 9:00 p.m. CT, Saturday, Dec. 11
Where: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Watch: ESPN2 (play-by-play: Karl Ravech; analyst: Jimmy Dykes)
Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network (play-by-play: Chris Stewart; analyst: Bryan Passink; sideline Roger Hoober; engineer Tom Stipe)
Alabama's projected lineup
Jahvon Quinerly: 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, redshirt junior
Stats: 14.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.9 apg, 41.3% FG, 25.5% 3-pt
Jaden Shackelford: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, junior
Stats: 19.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.5 apg, 44.6% FG, 43.1% 3-pt
Keon Ellis: 6-foot-6, 175 pounds, senior
Stats: 12.1 ppg., 6.9 rpg, 1.9 apg, 52.5% FG, 41.2% 3-pt
Juwan Gary: 6-foot-6, 218 pounds, redshirt sophomore
Stats: 8.3 ppg, 6.0, rpg, 0.7 apg, 55.3% FG, 10.0% 3-pt
Charles Bediako: 7-foot, 225 pounds, freshman
Stats: 7.1 ppg, 5.3, rpg, 1.0 apg, 65.8% FG
Houston's projected lineup
Jamal Shead: 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 7.0 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 5.3 apg, 51.0% FG, 35.3% 3-pt
Kyler Edwards: 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, senior
Stats: 13.0 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.7 apg, 41.5% FG, 35.7% 3-pt
Marcus Sasser: 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, junior
Stats: 17.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.9 apg, 48.2% FG, 48.5% 3-pt
Fabian White Jr.: 6-foot-8, 230 pounds, graduate
Stats: 9.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.4 apg, 44.9% FG, 39.1% 3-pt
Reggie Chaney: 6-foot-8, 230 pounds, senior
Stats: 4.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 0.2 apg, 72.0% FG
A 'premier' game in Coleman Coliseum
The last time Coleman Coliseum hosted a game of this magnitude, Nick Saban was being introduced to the crowd as Alabama’s next football coach. Saturday’s matchup will mark the first time two teams ranked in the top 15 have met in Tuscaloosa, Ala., since 2007 when the No. 14 ranked Tide beat No. 13 LSU, 71-61.
Due to graduation and a 9 p.m. start, Coleman likely won't be as packed as it was that night more than a decade ago. However, Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats is still hoping to see a solid crowd for what should serve as a notable game on the Tide’s resume come tournament time next spring.
“This is a premier game," Oats said. "They played in the Final Four last year. They’re top 15 in the country. Coach [Kelvin] Sampson is one of the best coaches in the country.
“It would’ve been ideal if we could have maybe played this game when we would have had all the students on campus. I realize a lot of them maybe have left [after] finals. Hopefully, we still get the place close to a sellout. It’s a good game. The community seems like they’re really behind us, interested in us.”
The matchup will also mark Alabama’s second straight game against an opponent from last season’s Final Four. Last weekend, the Tide secured arguably its biggest regular-season win under Oats as it upset then No.3-ranked Gonzaga, 91-82, in Seattle. Houston will be an equally-challenging test as the Cougars enter the game with four straight wins of 29 or more points.
“It’s going to be a tough game,” Oats said. “They’re one of the hardest-playing teams in the country every year. Coach Sampson does a great job of getting them to play hard. They’ve got a great defensive system. They’re fluctuating between No. 1 and No. 2 in the country in defensive efficiency on KenPom, and they’re one of the best rebounding teams in the country every year.”
A hot start
This was about the time Alabama started to catch fire last year. Through eight games last season, the Tide was 5-3 and coming off an 85-69 victory over East Tennessee State — a rebound win following a disappointing 73-71 loss to Western Kentucky three days before. The victory over ETSU ignited Alabama, sparking a 10-game winning steak, its longest in a season that saw it go 26-7 while winning both the SEC regular-season title and conference tournament before making a run to the Sweet 16.
This season’s Alabama team is poised for similar success without the bad start. So what changed?
“I guess it’s just kind of learning from last year,” Alabama guard Jaden Shackelford said. “Of course, we’ve got a lot of guys, but coming into the season we were talking about through those seven, eight games we wanted to have a better start. It had to take that [Western] Kentucky loss year for us to kind of switch things up. We’re trying to just avoid that this year and not have to get motivated by a loss or anything of that sort.”
A win Saturday would give Alabama its second Quad 1 victory of the season. The Tide could also be in a position to add another Quad 1 victory to its resume next week as it travels to Memphis, which currently sits at No. 64 in the NET rankings.
Game notes
— Saturday’s game marks the fifth time Alabama and Houston will square off on the hardwood. The two teams last met on Dec. 29, 1979 when the Cougars beat the Crimson Tide during the Sun Bowl Tournament in El Paso, Texas. Houston has a 3-1 record in the series. This will be the first game between the two schools that won’t take place in a neutral setting.
— The last time Alabama faced two straight opponents ranked in the top 15 occurred in 2001 when it lost to No.5 Missouri before beating No.12 Memphis during the Guardians Classic in Kansas City.
— Heading into Friday, Alabama sits at No. 11 in the NET rankings. The Tide is the only team in the top 185 of the rankings yet to play a game against a Quad 4 opponent. Alabama is 1-0 in Quad 1 games, 3-1 in Quad 2 games and 1-0 in Quad 3 games. Saturday’s matchup would currently fall under the Quad 1 category.
— Houston was selected to win the American Athletic Conference. The Cougars are one of seven projected conference winners on Alabama’s schedule, joining South Dakota State (Summit League), Iona (MAAC), Drake (MVC), Gonzaga (WCC), Colorado State (Mountain West) and Kentucky (SEC).
— Houston ranks second in the nation in scoring defense, holding opponents to an average of 53.4 points per game. The Cougars rank seventh nationally averaging 11.0 steals and rank eighth in opposing field goal percentage (.357).
