TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama men's basketball team will open Southeastern Conference play when it travels to Gainesville, Fla., to take on the Florida Gators on Saturday at 5 p.m. CT (6 p.m. ET) on ESPN2. It marks the first time since the 2016-17 season that the Crimson Tide will open league play with a road contest.
The Tide enters the contest having won five of its last six games, with the lone defeat during the stretch coming in a true road game at No. 21 Penn State by two points, 73-71. The streak is even more impressive considering four of the six games were played away from Tuscaloosa.
Most recently, UA captured its season-best third consecutive win when it defeated Richmond, 90-78, back on Dec. 29 in Coleman Coliseum in what was the final game of the 2019 calendar year. With the victory, the Tide finished the month of December with a 4-1 mark.
Florida and Alabama will meet for the 145th time in series history, and only meeting this season, when the teams square off on Saturday. UA owns an all-time record of 75-69 in the series. Florida owns a 41-20 lead when hosting the Crimson Tide in Gainesville, however, Alabama enters the game having won two straight in the O'Connell Center. The last time UA won three straight at Florida came more than 60 years ago when it won three consecutive from 1955-57.
The Broadcast
Notes You Need To Know
About Alabama
About Florida
Alabama-Florida – Series Notes
The Tide In The National & Conference Stats
3s Made Per Game 1 3 11.1
Scoring Offense 1 10 82.8
3-Point Made 1 15 133
Rebounds Per Game 3 27 41.0
Defensive Rebounds Per Game 1 31 29.2
3-Point FG Attempts 1 33 361
3-Point FG Percentage 2 48 .368
Blocked Shots Per Game 8 61 4.4
3-Point FG Defense 8 74 .302
Offensive Rebounds Per Game 5 77 11.8
Assists Per Game 6 91 14.8
For all the latest information on the team, follow AlabamaMBB on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. General athletic news can be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and Alabama Athletics on Facebook.
The Tide enters the contest having won five of its last six games, with the lone defeat during the stretch coming in a true road game at No. 21 Penn State by two points, 73-71. The streak is even more impressive considering four of the six games were played away from Tuscaloosa.
Most recently, UA captured its season-best third consecutive win when it defeated Richmond, 90-78, back on Dec. 29 in Coleman Coliseum in what was the final game of the 2019 calendar year. With the victory, the Tide finished the month of December with a 4-1 mark.
Florida and Alabama will meet for the 145th time in series history, and only meeting this season, when the teams square off on Saturday. UA owns an all-time record of 75-69 in the series. Florida owns a 41-20 lead when hosting the Crimson Tide in Gainesville, however, Alabama enters the game having won two straight in the O'Connell Center. The last time UA won three straight at Florida came more than 60 years ago when it won three consecutive from 1955-57.
The Broadcast
- Saturday's game will be televised on ESPN2 with Karl Ravech (play-by-play) and Jimmy Dykes (analyst) on the call.
- The radio broadcast can be heard on the Crimson Tide Sports Network, Roger Hoover, Chris Stewart (play-by-play) and Bryan Passink (analyst) on the call. The pregame show will begin one hour prior to tipoff.
Notes You Need To Know
- After opening the season with a 2-4 mark over its first six contests, the Tide owns a 5-1 mark in the six games since. Turnovers have proved to be the biggest difference. Alabama averaged 18.8 miscues (113 turnovers) over the season's first six games but have since averaged 14.8 turnovers (89 turnovers) in the six contests since.
- Alabama is one of the fastest-paced teams in the nation, ranking third in the nation in raw tempo, averaging 78.9 possessions per game, while its average offensive possession is 10th-fastest in the country at 14.9. The Tide has reached 80 or more points in 58 percent (seven of 12 games) and attempted 30 or more in 67 percent (eight of 12 games) of its contests on the year.
- UA comes into Saturday's game leading the SEC in scoring offense (82.8) and threes made per game (11.1), while ranking second in three-point shooting percentage (.368). The Tide's threes made per game ranks third in the nation while ranking 10th nationally in scoring offense.
- Alabama has scored 90 or more points in three consecutive contests, all victories, entering Saturday's game at Florida. It marks the first time in nearly two decades – dating back to the 2000-01 season – that a Crimson Tide team has accomplished that feat.
- The Crimson Tide's offense has been hitting on all cylinders over its last three contests, which has resulted in Alabama scoring its three highest point totals of the season. Over the three-game stretch, UA is averaging 95.7 points per game and outscoring the competition by 16.7 points per game (95.7-79.0) while shooting 49.7 percent from the floor, 44.9 percent from beyond the arc and 76.2 percent from the charity stripe.
- As a result of its recent offensive surge, Alabama has vaulted to No. 1 in the SEC and No. 10 nationally in scoring offense (82.8). Additionally, the Tide ranks tops in the SEC and No. 3 nationally in three-pointers made per game (11.1) while ranked No. 2 in the SEC and 48th nationally in three-point field goal percentage (.368).
- In 12 contests this season, the Tide has posted more than 30 shots from beyond the arc eight times while Alabama has attempted more than 65 shots from the field in eight separate contests and scored 80 or more points a total of seven times.
- Over its first six contests, the Crimson Tide averaged 13.8 assists and 18.8 turnovers per game. However, in the last six games, Alabama has turned that stat around to 15.8 assists and 14. 8 turnovers per outing.
About Alabama
- Alabama will open Southeastern Conference play on the road for the first time since the 2016-17 season when it travels to Gainesville, Fla., to meet the Florida Gators on Saturday night in the league opener for both teams. The last time the two teams met in a conference opener came back on Jan. 6, 2008 when Florida captured a 90-83 victory over Alabama inside Coleman Coliseum.
- Three Alabama players average double figures, while seven average at least 8.3 points per game through its 12 contests played. Sophomore Kira Lewis Jr. tops the squad and ranks sixth in the SEC at 16.6 points per game. He leads the SEC in minutes per game (37.2), while also leading UA and ranking among the league leaders in assists (8th - 4.8 apg) and steals (t8th - 1.8 spg). A first-team All-SEC preseason honoree, he also tops the team in field goals made (75) and attempted (168), and is shooting 44.6 percent from the field and 33.9 percent (20-of-59) from beyond the arc.
- John Petty Jr. is second on the team and eighth in the league in scoring average at 16.4 points per contest which includes eight double-digit contests over his last nine games. The junior guard is one of the top three-point shooters in the nation. He leads the SEC in three-point field goal percentage (51.2 percent, 42-of-82) and is third in threes made per game (3.5), while ranking fifth and seventh, respectively, in the categories nationally. Additionally, he leads the squad and ranks seventh in the conference in rebounding (7.4 rpg) and also tops UA in threes made (42) and attempted (82) while ranking second in steals (1.3 spg) and minutes (32.7 mpg) per game.
- Freshman Jaden Shackelford also average in double figures at 13.2 ppg. He leads the team in threes attempted as 85 of 125 field goal attempts – approximately 68 percent – have come from beyond the three-point line.
- Graduate senior Beetle Bolden (8.5 ppg), redshirt freshman Javian Davis (8.3 ppg) and juniors Alex Reese (9.1 ppg) and Herbert Jones (8.3 ppg) are all contributing offensively.
- As a team, the Crimson Tide has been outrebounded in just three of its 12 games played this year. Alabama owns a +3.2 advantage on the glass (41.0-37.8). Alabama has outscored the opposition by +5.1 points (82.8-77.7) and is shooting 44.5 percent from the field, 36.8 percent from beyond the arc and 71.0 percent from the foul line.
About Florida
- Florida enters Saturday's contest sporting an 8-4 record in non-conference play following a 102-63 victory over Long Beach State in its most recent contest on Dec. 28. It was the Gators' sixth win over their last eight contests following a 2-2 start to the season.
- Florida is led by graduate transfer and SEC Preseason Player of the Year Kerry Blackshear, who tops the team with 14.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. The former Virginia Tech standout leads the SEC with six double-doubles and ranks among the SEC leaders in scoring (15th), rebounding (4th) and free throw percentage (.835).
- Sophomore forward Keyontae Johnson is the only other UF player to average double figures at 13.3 points per game to go along with 6.4 rebounds and 29.8 minutes a contest – both of which rank second on the team. Sophomore guard Andrew Nembhard leads the team and ranks third in the conference in assists (5.9) and minutes (34.1) per game, while his assist/turnover ratio (2.4) ranks second-best in the league.
- UF enters Saturday's game leading the SEC and ranking 44th nationally in turnovers per game (12.0). As a team, the Gators are outscoring the competition by 8.2 points per game (70.8-62.6) and owns a +4.4 edge on the boards (37.6-33.2). Florida is shooting 44.1 percent from the field, 31.2 percent from beyond the arc and 69.5 percent from the charity stripe. The team ranks sixth in the league in scoring defense, seventh in field goal percentage defense (39.2 percent) and fourth in three-point field goal percentage defense (28.6 percent).
- Florida head coach Mike White is in his fifth year as head men's basketball coach. Prior to coming to Gainesville, White led Louisiana Tech to a 101-40 record (.716) from 2010-14, including three straight conference championships. He owns an 97-57 (.630) record in four seasons at Florida and is 198-97 (.671) in his nine seasons as a head coach.
Alabama-Florida – Series Notes
- Saturday's game will mark the 145th meeting on the hardwood between Alabama and Florida, which is the eighth-most games UA has played against any one opponent. The Tide owns a 75-69 edge in the all-time series.
- In the only contest played between the teams a year ago, the Crimson Tide dropped a 71-53 decision inside Coleman Coliseum on Feb. 16, 2019. It was Florida's eighth consecutive win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
- Alabama came away with wins in each of its previous two trips to Gainesville heading into Saturday's contest, marking the first time since the 1990-91 seasons that UA has accomplished that. The last time UA won three straight at Florida came more than 60 years ago when it won three consecutive in Gainesville from 1955-57.
- The streak began with a 61-55 win at the Stephen O'Connell Center on Feb. 13, 2016. With that win, Alabama snapped a 10-game losing streak when playing Florida in Gainesville. Prior to the victory, the last time the Tide won on the Gators home floor came on Feb. 25, 1995.
- In its last trip to Gainesville, UA beat then-No. 23 Florida, 68-50, marking the Crimson Tide's largest margin of victory against the Gators in Gainesville in program history. It also marked the first back-to-back wins at Florida for the Tide since the 1990 and 1991 seasons.
- Despite its recent road success over the Gators, Alabama has still dropped 13 of the 15 and 24 of the last 29 games played between the two teams.
- Fourteen of the last 20 games in the series have been decided by 10 points or less.
The Tide In The National & Conference Stats
- Alabama leads the SEC in five categories and rank among the top five in eight different categories.
- Nationally, the Crimson Tide ranks third in the nation in threes made per game (11.1) and are among the top 50 teams in seven statistical areas.
- Below is a breakdown of where UA ranks in the SEC and NCAA:
3s Made Per Game 1 3 11.1
Scoring Offense 1 10 82.8
3-Point Made 1 15 133
Rebounds Per Game 3 27 41.0
Defensive Rebounds Per Game 1 31 29.2
3-Point FG Attempts 1 33 361
3-Point FG Percentage 2 48 .368
Blocked Shots Per Game 8 61 4.4
3-Point FG Defense 8 74 .302
Offensive Rebounds Per Game 5 77 11.8
Assists Per Game 6 91 14.8
For all the latest information on the team, follow AlabamaMBB on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. General athletic news can be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and Alabama Athletics on Facebook.
