No. 8/9 Alabama Hosts Vanderbilt on Senior Day - University of Alabama Athletics
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – After having its midweek contest postponed due to inclement weather, No. 8/9 Alabama returns to action on Saturday afternoon to take on the Vanderbilt
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – After having its midweek contest postponed due to inclement weather, No. 8/9 Alabama returns to action on Saturday afternoon to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores in what will be the only meeting between the two teams during the regular season. The contest is slated to tip off at noon CT and will be televised on SEC Network.
In its last contest, the Crimson Tide (17-5, 12-1) had an impressive 115-82 victory over Georgia on Feb. 13. Alabama shot 64.9 percent (36-of-56) from the field, 60.0 percent (18-of-30) from beyond the arc and 83.3 percent (25-of-30) from the charity stripe en route to setting a program record for points scored in an SEC game, toppling the former record of 113 against LSU on Jan. 17, 1976. It was also the second-most points scored in any game at Alabama. The only time UA scored more points in a game came on Dec. 9, 1971 (124 points vs. South Florida).
Alabama and Vanderbilt will play for the 143rd time in series history when the two teams square off on Saturday afternoon. It's the ninth-most games against any single opponent in the UA record books. The Crimson Tide owns a 72-70 edge in the all-time series, including wins in three of the last four games versus the Commodores.
The Broadcast
- Saturday's game will be available on SEC Network with Mike Morgan (play-by-play) and Mark Wise (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.
- Alabama remained in the national rankings, checking it at No. 8 in the Associated Press Top-25 and No. 9 the USA Today Coaches poll. It's the highest ranking for the Tide in the AP Poll this year. In fact, the last time UA was ranked inside the AP Top-10 in the month of February came in 2002. That year, UA was ranked as high as No. 5 in the month of February on its way to claiming the SEC regular season title.
- Alabama has held 11 of its 13 league opponents to under 30 percent shooting from beyond the arc in SEC play. Nine of those teams shot under 24 percent from deep including four consecutive. As a result, the Crimson Tide currently leads the SEC in three-point field goal percentage defense in league play (.239).
- The Tide owns a record of 13-1 this season when knocking down at least 10 three-pointers in a game, with the lone loss coming at then-No. 24 Oklahoma (went 10-of-28 in the 66-61 loss). Furthermore, Alabama boasts a perfect 12-0 record when it attempts at least 30 threes in a contest
- There are several other factors to look for which could decide the outcome during a game this season. Alabama owns a 15-0 record when leading at halftime, is 14-0 on the year when shooting 40 percent or better in a game and owns a 14-0 mark when reaching at least 80 points in a contest.
- According to the Ken Pomeroy ratings (as of 2/18), Alabama owns the nation's No. 2-ranked defense entering its contest vs. Vanderbilt. Last year, the Tide was rated by the same site at No. 114 in the category. Alabama is also No. 25 in offensive efficiency, making it one of eight teams in the nation to rank in the top 25 in both offense and defense efficiency, according to the site.
- Forward Herbert Jones is one of 30 players across the nation who was named to the Naismith Trophy Midseason Team. Additionally, he was selected to the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Midseason Watch List. Only five other players across the country joins Jones as players who were named to both Watch Lists (Charles Bassey, Western Kentucky; Jared Butler, Baylor; Justin Champagnie, Pitt; Davion Mitchell, Baylor and Evan Mobley, USC).
- Alabama is two wins away from clinching at least a share of the Southeastern Conference regular season championship. Should that happen, it will be the Crimson Tide's first regular season title since 2002 – a span of 19 years. Currently, UA owns a three-game lead in the loss column with five games remaining.
- Alabama enters the game with an 12-1 record against league competition which is the second-best start in SEC play in program history. Only the famed Rocket 8 1955-56 team that finished the conference season with a perfect 14-0 record had a better start.
- Alabama enters its contest against Vanderbilt atop the league standings at 12-1, 3.0 games ahead of Arkansas (9-4) and 3.5 ahead of LSU (8-4) following its 115-82 victory over Georgia on Feb. 13. The victory improved the Crimson Tide to 17-5 overall and marked UA's 13th win across its last 15 contests. It was the last game UA played as its midweek game at Texas A&M was postponed due to inclement weather.
- Four Crimson Tide players are averaging 11.0 or more points per game for head coach Nate Oats on the season. Guard Jaden Shackelford leads the way, averaging 13.9 ppg. Guard John Petty Jr. ranks second on the team in scoring average at 13.4 ppg, followed by forward Herbert Jones (11.9 ppg ) and Jahvon Quinerly (11.5 ppg).
- Jones, considered one of the top defensive players in the SEC and one of just six players from across the nation who has been named to both the Naismith Trophy Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year Watch Lists. He leads the team in rebounding (5.9 rpg), assists (3.0 apg) and steals (1.6 spg), Blue Collar Points (441.5, 20.1 BCP per game), deflections (75), floor dives (15) and Hard Hat Awards (11), while ranking second in charges taken (9) and blocked shots (1.1 bpg). He also boasts much improved offensive numbers during his senior season. In addition to averaging double digits, Jones is shooting 46.7 percent from the field (86-of-184) and leads the team in three-point shooting (52.8 percent, 19-of-36) and free throw percentage (70-of-93, 75.3 percent).
- The combination of Petty (55-of-139) and Shackelford (39-of-116) have combined to hit 94 of the Tide's 240 three-pointers (39.2 percent) and have 255 of the team's 655 total attempts from beyond the arc (38.9 percent). Combined, the duo is shooting 36.9 percent (94-of-255) from beyond the arc.
- As a team, Alabama is outscoring the opposition by 10.7 points per contest (80.8-70.1) while shooting 43.7 percent from the field, 36.6 percent from deep and 72.1 percent from the charity stripe.
- It's UA's defense that has set the tone to its fast start in SEC play. UA leads the league in defensive efficiency, ranking first in field goal percentage defense (38.2 percent) and three-point field goal percentage defense (25.0 percent), while ranking in a tie for first in steals (9.1) and third in scoring defense (68.8).
- This season, the Tide welcomed back four starters and five of its top seven scorers off last year's team, three were named as All-SEC performers a year ago. Petty (Second Team All-SEC), Shackelford (All-Freshman) and Jones (All-Defensive) all earned a spot on the postseason teams. Both Petty and Jones tested the NBA waters, with Petty, who was one of the last players to withdraw his name, announcing his return in early August and Jones in mid-June.
- Alabama was predicted to finish fifth overall as voted on by a select panel of both SEC and national media members. Additionally, Petty All-SEC Preseason First Team honors by both the coaches and media members, while Jones earned a spot on the preseason second team as voted on by the league's head coaches.
- Head coach Nate Oats is in his second season at the helm of the Crimson Tide program and owns a record of 33-20 (.623) during his time at the Capstone. Oats, who is in his sixth season as a collegiate head coach, owns a career record of 129-63 (.672).
- Vanderbilt comes into Saturday's contest sporting a 6-11 overall mark and a 2-9 record in league play. The Commodores are coming off a narrow 82-78 defeat to Kentucky in Nashville, Tenn., last Wednesday night.
- Guard Scotty Pippen Jr. and forward Dylan Disu lead the Commodores' offensive attack. Pippen tops Vanderbilt with 20.3 points and 5.2 assists per contest, which both ranks second in the league statistics, respectively. The second-year guard also leads the team in steals (1.7 spg), minutes (31.9 mpg), field goals made and attempted (109-of-250), threes made and attempted (33-of-89) and free throws made and attempted (94-of-116). Meanwhile, Disu, who is coming off a 29-point, 16-rebound performance vs. UK, leads the team in rebounds (8.9 rpg) and blocks (1.3 bpg), while ranking second in scoring (14.9 ppg). He leads the SEC in rebounding and ranks 10th in the league in scoring and blocked shots per game.
- Guard/Forward Jordan Wright adds 8.3 points per contest and leads the team in field goal percentage (.505) and three-point field goal percentage (.500, 11-of-22). In all, 13 Vanderbilt players average at least 9.0 minutes per contest, while 11 have started at least one contest this season.
- As a team, Vanderbilt enters the contest averaging 73.5 points per game while shooting 43.2 percent from the floor and 34.4 percent from beyond the arc. Defensively, the Commodores are allowing opponents to score 73.4 points, 46.7 percent from the field and 35.0 percent from beyond the arc.
- The Commodores have a 2-9 record in SEC play entering Saturday's contest, with both coming over its last five contests – both double-digit victories when it defeated South Carolina 93-81 at home on Jan. 30 and Mississippi State 72-51 on Feb. 13 in Starkville, Miss. In SEC games only, Vandy is getting outscored by 4.8 points per game (73.6-78.5) and has allowed at least 70 points in all but one SEC contest. Vanderbilt is shooting 43.1 percent from the floor, 35.6 percent from the three-point line and averaging 9.0 threes made per game which ranks third in the SEC.
- Vanderbilt head coach Jerry Stackhouse is in his second year at the helm of the Commodores program and owns a record of 17-32 (.347). He was named the 28th head coach in program history in April of 2019.
- Alabama and Vanderbilt will play for the 143rd time in series history when the two teams square off on Saturday afternoon. It's the ninth-most games against any single opponent in the UA record books. The Crimson Tide owns a 72-70 edge in the all-time series, including wins in three of the last four games versus the Commodores.
- It's the only meeting between the teams during the regular season. Last year, the two squads met twice with each winning on the other's home court. The first game came on Jan. 22, 2020 in Nashville, Tenn., when the Crimson Tide captured a 77-62 win over the Commodores. The 15-point margin of victory was the largest inside Memorial Gymnasium since 1985 and the second-largest win margin at Vanderbilt in series history. The Commodores returned the favor the final home game of the year, as Vanderbilt captured an 87-79 win on UA's Senior Day. Box scores from both contests can be found on pages 7 and 8.
- Alabama has won four of the last six games played between the two teams to overtake the series lead from Vandy.
- UA has a record of 45-20 when playing Vanderbilt in Tuscaloosa, including a 27-12 mark at Coleman Coliseum. However, the two teams have split the 10 games played under the arched roof of Coleman Coliseum.
- Seventeen of the last 19 games played between the two teams have been decided by 10 or fewer points, with nine of those contests being decided by five or fewer points.
- There has been 11 overtime contests in series history, with Vanderbilt winning seven of those games (7-4).
- The series began during 1923-24 campaign.
