🏀 Alabama Men's Basketball Claim 82-62, Season-Opening Win Over Southern

[UA Press Release]

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama men's basketball team will officially begin the 2018-19 regular season when it tips off against the Southern Jaguars on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. CT in Coleman Coliseum.

The Crimson Tide's home opener will have a special meaning for head men's basketball coach Avery Johnson, who is set to begin his fourth season at the Capstone. Johnson graduated from Southern University in 1988. A two-time SWAC Player of the Year, Johnson led the Jaguars to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (1987 and 1988) and topped the NCAA in assists in each of his two years. Playing under Hall of Fame head coach Ben Jobe, Johnson, who still owns NCAA records for highest single season assist (13.3) and career (12.0) assist average, became the first men's Division I player ever to average double figures in points and assists in the same season (11.4 ppg/13.3 apg in 1987-88).

PROMOTIONS
• Beat Auburn Beat Hunger: $5 tickets with a canned food donation

THE BROADCAST
• Tuesday's game will air on SEC Network + via the WatchESPN app with Eli Gold and Wimp Sanderson on the call.
• The radio broadcast can be heard on the Crimson Tide Sports Network, Chris Stewart (play-by-play) and Bryan Passink (analyst) on the call. The pregame show will begin one hour prior to tipoff.

OPENING TIP
• Alabama steps into the 2018-19 campaign returning four starters and 10 letterwinners from last season's team that reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Avery Johnson's returning letterwinners started 73 percent of last year's games and accounted for 69 percent of the total scoring, 80 percent of the total rebounds, 93 percent of the total blocks, 77 percent of the total minutes played, 76 percent of the total steals, 64 percent of the total assists, 74 percent of its made threes and 71 percent of the total made field goals.
• Alabama is receiving votes to be ranked in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls, which came on Oct. 21. The Crimson Tide received 28 votes in the coaches poll and checks in at No. 33 in the nation, while UA's 15 votes to be ranked in the AP poll was good enough for No. 35 nationally.
• Alabama is 84-21 all-time in season openers. The Tide is 46-4 when opening at Coleman Coliseum, but falls to 38-17 when beginning a season on the road.
• Alabama and Southern have not played since the 1988-89 season, 20-years-ago. They have squared off six previous times before then, facing off every season between 1912-17. In the last contest, the Crimson Tide captured a 102-87 victory over the Jaguars on Dec. 19, 1988. Prior to that game, Alabama defeated Southern 72-years before, 22-9, during the 1916-17 season.
• Southern was picked to finish sixth in the Southwestern Atlantic Conference men's basketball preseason poll, as selected by the league's head coaches. The Jaguars Senior Sydney Umude was selected for the second team preseason All-Conference. Umude came in as a transfer halfway through last season after sitting out due to NCAA transfer rules.

ALABAMA BEGINS 106th SEASON OF BASKETBALL
• Alabama will begin its 105th season of basketball in 2018-19. The Tide's first season of hoops came in 1912-13. There was no season in 1943-44 due to World War II.
• The Tide has an all-time record of 1,657-1,030-1 (.617), which includes a 783-606 (.559) record in SEC play. The program's first year of play was 1912-13.
• Alabama ranks second in the SEC in league victories and all-time winning percentage.
• UA has made 35 NCAA (20) or NIT (15) appearances and has won seven SEC regular-season titles and six SEC Tournament championships.

ABOUT ALABAMA
• Alabama welcomes back three of its top four and nine of the top 11 scorers from last season's squad. Leading the list of returnees is senior forward Donta Hall, who leads all returning players in scoring (10.6 ppg). Last season, the Luverne, Ala., native topped the squad in rebounding (6.6 rpg), blocks (2.0 bpg), dunks (68) and field goal percentage (.726).
• Hall is joined by sophomore John Petty, who was one of only two players to see action in all 36 contests a year ago (Avery Johnson Jr.). Petty led the Tide last season in three-point shooting (90-of-242, .393), while also contributing 10.2 points and 1.8 assists per game in 2017-18, which both rank second-best among all returnees. Meanwhile, junior Dazon Ingram was also a force to reckon with at 9.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, while returning as the team leader in assists (2.6 apg) and free throws made and attempted (122-of-177).
• Senior Riley Norris returns for his graduate year after receiving a medical redshirt last year, and joins senior Avery Johnson Jr. (36 games played, 4.3 points, 1.1 rebounds per game), junior Daniel Giddens (4.2 points, 2.5 rebounds) and a trio of sophomores in Herbert Jones (4.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game), Alex Reese (4.2 points, 32.4 percent from three) and Galin Smith (2.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, 0.7 blocks per game) as veteran players who will look to make key contributions for the Crimson Tide in 2018-19.
• Junior guard/forward Tevin Mack will be eligible after sitting out the 2017-18 season as an NCAA transfer. Mack, who played his first two seasons at Texas, played in 48 games in his two seasons at Texas and finished with double-digit points 16 times including three games of 20 or more points. Mack led the team in 2016-17 in scoring average (14.8 ppg) and three-point percentage (.391) despite playing just 15 games.

NEWS AND NOTES
• Last year, Alabama was the fourth-youngest team in Division I and did not have a senior on its active roster. This season, the Crimson Tide not only has four seniors on its 2018-19 roster, but will have a total of seven players who have graduated or will graduate throughout the course of the upcoming campaign. Both Avery Johnson Jr. and Riley Norris have graduated and are currently pursuing their graduate degrees. Meanwhile, Donta Hall, Dazon Ingram, Daniel Giddens, Tevin Mack and Lawson Schaffer are all on pace to earn a degree this year. Only one other school in the nation (Southern Illinois) can claim to have as many as seven players who either have graduated or will graduate on its 2018-19 roster.
• Freshman Kira Lewis Jr. is the second-youngest player in NCAA Division I this season. Lewis, a native Meridianville, Ala., who graduated early from high school, won't turn 18 until April 6, 2019. On Pepperdine's Everett Perrot is younger, having been born on April 12, 2001.
• Alabama was picked to finish seventh in the Southeastern Conference by a vote of the league's media and head coaches.

Alabama Opens 2018-19 Regular Season by Welcoming Avery Johnson’s Alma Mater, Southern - Alabama Athletics

 

[TerryP]

In case you've missed these notes--

Javian Davis-Fleming - will not play tonight due to a right knee sprain.
Dazon Ingram - doubtful. He's considered day to day with an ankle sprain from Thursday.
Riley Norris - will not play tonight. He had a medical procedure on his heart this week for an elevated heart rate.

 

[#80]

So the only way to watch is online?

 

[TerryP]

So the only way to watch is online?

It may be dependent on the area. I'm showing SEC+ and Watch ESPN here.

 

[BamaFan334]

Roll Tide. Let's start it off right and play a good game. It was a lot of fun making the tournament last season. Hoping these boys can do it again.

 

[#80]

So the only way to watch is online?

It may be dependent on the area. I'm showing SEC+ and Watch ESPN here.

Yeah I'm in Atlanta and have Directv which does not carry the SEC Network alternate channel so I just loaded the WatchESPN app on my TV.

 

[TerryP]

 

[UA Press Release]

Senior Donta Hall matched his career high with 20 points to lead the four players in double figures for the Crimson Tide

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama men's basketball program won its opening game of the season 82-62 on Tuesday night. Senior forward Donta Hall matched his career high with 20 points and went 8-of-9 from the line, to lead the charge for the Crimson Tide, who had four players finish in double figures.

Hall was joined by sophomore John Petty who poured in 17 points while connecting on five three-pointers. Tevin Mack was able to put up 10 points in his debut game for Alabama and Galin Smith also put in 10 points. Freshman Kira Lewis Jr., who earned the start at point guard, finished with a game-high seven assists to go along with six points.

The Tide played without Riley Norris, Dazon Ingram and Javian Davis-Fleming, who were all sidelined for Tuesday's contest with injuries.

"First of all I just want to thank my alma mater Southern University for coming to Tuscaloosa and playing this game," Alabama head coach Avery Johnson said. "As for our team, I thought we finished the first half awfully strong. We got some momentum there and the ball started moving and we were dominant on the backboards. Obviously, throughout the game we still turned it over a little bit too much, but I was really proud of some of the shots we got especially from behind the three-point line. I was proud of the way the guys moved the ball. We had some guys in uniform for the very first time whether its Tevin Mack or Kira Lewis – those guys need reps and minutes. But, I'm really proud of our team because you just never know how these first games could go at home, especially against an opponent that you're not familiar with."

The two teams exchanged baskets early on, until Alabama was able to capitalize on a 12-2 run with 6:27 left in the half to put the Tide up 32-20. From there, the Tide was able to clamp down defensively and force the Jaguars to miss their last 10 attempts from the field before the half. In doing so, Alabama went on a 13-1 run to end the half and take a 45-27 lead at intermission.

In the second half, Alabama remained in control by using a 13-2 run with 7:21 left in the game to take a commanding 71-45 lead. From there, the defense clamped down and helped lead the Tide to the 20-point victory.

The Crimson Tide held the Jaguars to shooting only 38 percent from the field and 17 percent (3-of-17) from beyond the arc.
Prior to the game, Johnson, who graduated from Southern in 1988 as the program's all-time assist leader, was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Jaguars' Alumni Association.

"I obviously was really flattered by the distinguished alumni award," Johnson said. "I don't know what's so distinguishing about me, but I'm very honored and flattered. My wife and I both obviously graduated from Southern. I was impressed with Southern, I thought they fought back in the second half. (Head coach) Sean Woods is in his first year at Southern, but he's going to have them playing at a high level especially come conference. Hopefully they'll be a team to make some noise."

The Crimson Tide will return to action Sunday night when it hosts Appalachian State at 6 p.m. CT on SEC Network in Coleman Coliseum. The game will be part of the Bama Salute and will recognize all veterans before and during the game.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

Avery showing a Lot of Class for his former school. Great Job Coach.

Watching Kansas/Mich State and some of UK vs The Duke shows the game they play is a little different. Duke is just incredible. Maybe Mercer want beat them in round one this year.

 

[#80]

After seeing the product last night I would have to say the preseason ranking by media at #7 is about right.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

Honk if Daniel Giddens fouled you last night