🏀 No. 25 Alabama Men’s Basketball Defeats Memphis, 82-70, in Season Opener

[UA Press Release]

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The No. 25 Alabama men's basketball team will open the 2017-18 regular season on Friday night when it takes on the Memphis Tigers in the Veterans Classic in Annapolis, Md. The Tide and Tigers will be the first game of a double header, with host Navy taking on Pittsburgh in the night cap.


THE BROADCAST

• Friday's game will air on CBS Sports Network with Tom McCarthy (play-by-play), Steve Lappas (analyst) and Jon Rothstein (sideline) on the call.

• The radio broadcast can be found on the Crimson Tide Sports Network with Chris Stewart (play-by-play) and Bryan Passink (analyst) on the call, with the pregame show beginning at 4:30 p.m. Tide fans can check their local listings for the exact station.



OPENING TIP

• Alabama begins its 105th season of basketball in 2017-18.

• The Crimson Tide checks in at No. 25 the USA Today/Coaches Poll, while the AP poll lists Alabama as the first team out (No. 26). UA's non-conference opponents include 11 teams who are ranked or receiving votes to be ranked in the AP Top-25 Preseason Poll.

• Alabama and Memphis will meet for the eighth time in series history and the first time since Nov. 17, 2005. The Tigers own a 5-2 lead in the all-time series (Full series info on page 3).

• The Tide returns four starters and seven letterwinners from last season's 19-15 team. UA welcomes back approximately 73 percent of its total scoring output, 58 percent of its rebounding and 77 percent of its assist totals from a year ago.

• Alabama is 83-21 all-time in season openers. The Tide is 46-4 when opening at Coleman Coliseum, but falls to 37-17 when beginning a season on the road.



ABOUT ALABAMA

• Alabama returns four starters and seven letterwinners from last season's 19-15 team that reached the National Invitation Tournament. The Crimson Tide will return 73 percent of its total scoring output, 58 percent of its rebounding and 77 percent of its assist totals from a year ago. In addition, head coach Avery Johnson's returning letterwinners started 69 percent of last year's games and accounted for 68 percent of the total minutes played, 74 percent of its field goals made, 75 percent of its made threes and 73 percent of the total made free throws.

• Alabama welcomes back its top four scorers and seven of the top eight scorers from last season's squad. Leading the list of returnees is SEC All-Freshman honoree Braxton Key, who led the team in scoring (12.0 ppg) and minutes (29.9 mpg), while ranking second in rebounding (5.7 rpg) and assists (2.5 apg). He is joined by Dazon Ingram, who was the only player to start all 34 contests a year ago and topped the team in assists (3.3 apg), steals (0.9 spg) and three-pont field goal percentage (.429), while also ranking second in scoring (10.6 ppg). Together, Key (407 points) and Ingram (360 points) became the program's top scoring freshmen duo in program history, combining to score a total of 767 points.

• Junior Donta Hall returns after a stellar sophomore season in which he led Alabama in dunks (36), field goal percentate (.658) and blocked shots (1.4 bpg). He also established career-best numbers when he averaged 6.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game to go along with his 20 starts. Meanwhile, the Tide's lone four-year senior on the 2017-18 squad is guard/forward Riley Norris. Last season, Norris averaged 9.0 points and 3.8 rebounds a game, while topping Alabama in threes made at 47.

• In addition to the returning letterwinners, Alabama welcomes five freshmen who collectively made up the nation's sixth-ranked recruiting class according to Rivals.com – the highest-rated class in program history. According to the site, four of the Tide's five newcomers were considered top-100 players and included a pair of five-star signees in Collin Sexton (ranked No. 7) and John Petty (ranked No. 25), two four star signees in Herb Jones (Ranked No. 86) and Alex Reese (Ranked No. 95), along with three-star prospect Galin Smith.

• Sophomore Daniel Giddens will be eligible to play after sitting out the 2016-17 season as an NCAA transfer. Giddens, who played his freshman season at Ohio State, was one of the top-rated centers coming out of high school. After playing his final prep season at Oak Hill Academy, Giddens was a consensus top-50 player and top-10 center nationally. In his lone season at Ohio State, the 6-11, 240-pound forward/center saw action in 33 contests, while making seven starts, and averaged 3.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 18.2 minutes per game.



ABOUT MEMPHIS

• Alabama and Memphis will meet for the eighth time in series history on Friday night and the first time in nearly 12 years. The last time the two schools met on the hardwood came on Nov. 17, 2005, when then-No. 12 Memphis defeated then-No. 15 Alabama, 76-67, in Tuscaloosa in the second round of the Preseason NIT.

• Memphis defeated LeMoyne-Own 101-78 back on Nov. 2 in the Tigers' lone exhibition game of the preseason. Junior Kyvon Davenport netted a team-high 19 points and added seven boards and three blocked shots to lift the Tigers to the win.

• Memphis finished the 2016-17 campaign with a 19-13 overall record and a 9-9 mark in American Atheltic Conference contests. The Tigers opened the year with a 17-6 record before falling in seven of their last nine games to close the season.

• The Tigers enter 2017-18 with just two returnees and 11 players that are playing their first seasons at the NCAA Division I level. The 11 newcomers (5 freshmen/5 junior college transfers/1 transfer) are the most for a Tigers team since freshmen became eligible in 1972-73.

• Legendary basketball coach Tubby Smith was named the 18th head coach in the history of the Memphis program. Smith has a 576-289 career record as head coach at Memphis (19-13), Texas Tech, Tulsa, Georgia, Kentucky, and Minnesota. During a 10-year span between his tenures with three different programs (Tulsa, Georgia, and Kentucky), he advanced his team to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 or beyond eight times.

 

[RTB X Bot]

 

[BamaFan334]

I see where Sexton is suspended for one game, tonight's game.

Alabama's Sexton to serve one-game suspension

 

[Alabama17Tide]

Jordan Harper - BamaInsider.com Basketball Correspondent

1. Talk about what each commitment from the Class of 2018 brings to Alabama

Javian Fleming
- Javian has improved every year of his high school career. He's a big kid at 6'9 235 lb and very smooth in the post. His low post moves have improved mightily, so much that I have been told some scouts think he is the best low post scorer in this class. He will add a much needed offensive threat down low to add to Daniel Giddens and Donta Hall. Next year Alabama will have a very nice rotation in the front court.

Jared Butler
-Playmaker, playmaker, playmaker. That is the main aspect of Jared Butler's game that he will bring to Alabama. With Collin Sexton expected to enter the NBA draft after the year, that is a big void that will have to be filled at the PG position. You won't be able to fill that massive void with one player, but to add Butler along with Mack who will be able to play next year is a great replacement package. At 6'2 185, he's at a nice size for a PG and he is a very aggressive guard. Look for him to make a nice impact next season.

Diante Wood
-The surprise of the 2018 class came from Diante Wood, a 6'5 190 lb SG/SF from Anniston , AL. He is a top 5 player in Alabama in this class and he does a lot of the little things very well. He played primarily in the post and mid range for his 1A high school Sacred Heart Catholic, so the adjustment to playing SG primarily in college will be a learning curve. He's a great role player who does the little things to win, which is a sign of a 3-time state champion.

2. Preview Alabama vs. Memphis

When the schedule was announced, this game against Memphis was thought to be a must-watch game between two potential NCAA Tournament teams. Now, with all of the departures for Memphis, this seems like a game Alabama cannot afford to lose. Memphis lost approximately 44 PPG from last year due to players departing. That will be a huge blow for them and you wonder how they will muster up enough scoring to win games. Alabam, whether or not Sexton plays, should win this game due to talent and overall ability alone. However, I have learned to never doubt Tubby Smith and his ability to coach up his teams. Alabama is going to have to dominate the boards and do better shooting from 3 point land than what they showcased in their exhibition against UAH. I predict a 75-63 win for Alabama. I expect a big game from John Petty and Daniel Giddens in this one.

3. How important is the play of Daniel Giddens this year

Speaking of Daniel Giddens, he will be the X Factor for this team all year along with Donta Hall. Having a consistent scoring threat inside throughout the year will really give the guards room to operate outside and find driving lanes. Daniel Giddens showed in the exhibition the kind of force he can be inside both offensively and defensively. He is a freak of nature physically when you see him, and wonder how he is so young. Having his presence inside, and his ability to block and alter shots, could put Alabama on the cusp of becoming a top 15 team this season. That's how good he can be. Do not forget, he was a top 50 recruit coming out of high school and signed with Ohio State.

4. What are your early impressions on John Petty?

He’s got so much potential, but Alabama fans might need to be a little patient with him early in the season. Petty got off to a slow start in both the Tide Tipoff scrimmage and the exhibition game against Alabama-Huntsville, getting hot late in both games. That shows that he’s still probably getting used to the competition at the college level. Once he get’s a little more comfortable, I think he has potential to be the Crimson Tide’s leading scorer this season.

 

[bama alum]

THREES! Bama shoots threes now! Regularly!

 

[RollTideRandy]

Somebody needs to get excited cause this team looks really good

 

[#80]

This team has HUGE upside. Everybody better buckle up!!

 

[Sgt. Lincoln Osiris]

Somebody needs to get excited cause this team looks really good

Working tonight so I couldn't watch. Caught a good bit of 2H on the radio.

Down 3.5 key players tonight too, and still beat a solid Memphis team handily.

We get some Mo going to #2 AZ in a couple weeks, and I think we could give the Wildcats a good game. May even pull the upset if all cylinders are firing.

 

[BAMAneck]

Thought at the end of the first half coach Avery was gonna haft to slip Antonio Pettway is for a couple minutes they were getting so many fouls called ....

They look like they can be good though ..... I’m very excited .....

 

[#80]

We had 20 team fouls in the first half and still led at the half. When we get Key back we will have as deep a bench as any team in the SEC.

 

[Sgt. Lincoln Osiris]

We had 20 team fouls in the first half and still led at the half. When we get Key back we will have as deep a bench as any team in the SEC.

I'm excited.

 

[By Alex Byington Sports]

Short-handed Alabama opens season with offensive showing vs. Memphis

Alabama was without five-star freshman Collin Sexton and left last season's leading scorer back in Tuscaloosa, but that didn't inhibit the new-look Crimson Tide offense from opening the 2017-18 season in style.

Five different Alabama players reached double figures, including a game-high 20 points from sophomore guard Dazon Ingram, as the Tide (1-0) responded to a week of uncertainty with a convincing 82-70 win over Memphis in the first game of the Veterans Classic doubleheader Friday night from the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

Junior center Donta Hall achieved his first-career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, junior guard Avery Johnson Jr. added 13 points, while four-star freshmen Herb Jones and John Petty had 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Alabama was without Sexton, who sat out Friday's opener serving a one-game NCAA suspension, while sophomore wing Braxton Key remained home recovering from knee surgery on Tuesday. Also out Friday were senior wings Riley Norris (hip) and Armond Davis (knee)

Despite battling through 20 first-half fouls, Alabama rallied back from an 8-point deficit to lead 38-36 at halftime and then opened things up in the second half. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Petty and Jones and a dunk from fellow freshman Galin Smith gave the Tide its first 10-point lead, 57-47 with 11:44 left in the second half.

Beginning with a free throw from Hall with 17:04 remaining, Alabama rolled off a 28-9 run over the next 9½ minutes for a game-high 17-point advantage to lead 68-51 with 7:37 left in the game. Memphis, which was led with 15 points from forward Kyvon Davenport, never pulled closer than within 12 points the rest of the contest.


Decatur Daily—Continue reading...

 

[UA Press Release]

No. 25 Alabama Men’s Basketball Defeats Memphis, 82-70, in Season Opener

Junior forward Donta Hall records first career double-double to lead the Tide

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The No. 25 Alabama men's basketball team opened the season with an 82-70 victory over Memphis Friday night in the Veteran's Classic, hosted on the campus of the United States Naval Academy. Sophomore Dazon Ingram led all scorers with 20 points and junior Donta Hall recorded his first career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds to go along with five blocks.

"We didn't get off to a great start, we fouled too much," Alabama head coach Avery Johnson said. "We've been hit by the injury bug, but the guys in uniform got their heart in the right place in the second half.

"We've talked about being prepared to play all 40 minutes. It's part of our offseason conditioning, and part of our grueling but efficient practices. We knew we had to go deep into the rotation and we have enough that if we play the right way, we can win."

The Tide outscored the Tigers, 27-8, over an eight-minute span in the second half to take a 68-51 lead with 7:37 to play and never looked back. The stretch featured a 16-4 run that saw the Tide sink four consecutive three-pointers, bookended by a pair of dunks from Hall and freshman Galin Smith.

Alabama opened the game holding an early 7-2 lead but quickly ran into foul trouble. The Tide had seven team fouls in the first five minutes and reached double-digits with 12:26 on the clock. Memphis made the most of Alabama's mistakes and sparked a 19-6 run over 8:17 to take a 21-13 lead with 9:43 left in the first half. The Tide answered with a 14-3 run to regain a 27-24 lead with 3:19 on the clock and would finish the half leading 38-36.

The Tide recorded 20 first half fouls, more than it totaled in 17 full games last season. Every Tide player went to the locker room with multiple fouls except for Ingram who collected just one and led Alabama with 12 points. Junior Lawson Schaffer saw plenty of time early, playing a career-high with nine minutes in the first half alone while tying his career high with five points.

Memphis came out of the break to regain a 43-41 lead with 16:36 on the clock before the Tide went on its decisive run. The teams traded baskets down the stretch as Alabama held on to claim a 12-point victory despite missing three players to injury, while freshman Collin Sexton was also sidelined due to a one-game suspension by the NCAA. After running into early foul trouble, just one Alabama player, Smith, fouled out of the contest.

In all, five Crimson Tide players reached double figures. In addition to Ingram and Hall, junior Avery Johnson Jr.scored 13 points off the bench, while freshmen Herb Jones (12) and John Petty (11) also reached double digits. Freshman Alex Reese contributed eight points, nine rebounds, four steals and three assists in the winning effort.

The Tide shot 45.6 percent (26-of-57) from the field and 40.7 percent (11-of-27) from beyond the arc, while holding Memphis to just 38.3 percent from the floor and 11.8 percent from deep. Alabama also owned a big 25-9 edge in points off turnovers despite having just one fewer turnover than the Tigers.

 

[We All Bleed Crimson]

Good win! Overcame adversity on the floor and off. ROLL TIDE!

 

[TerryP]

that saw the Tide sink four consecutive three-pointers

Look at these numbers. There's six guys who made one behind the arc. More importantly, you see four with more than one 3-pointer.

Sans Norris, and Sexton, and Key...

Do the math...there's nine in the rotation that can score from the perimeter when this squad is healthy.

 

[Bamabww]

And the defense! Forced 17 turnovers and got 25 points off those turnovers. Herb Jones will be huge on defense this year.

 

[TheChief]

Working tonight so I couldn't watch. Caught a good bit of 2H on the radio.

Down 3.5 key players tonight too, and still beat a solid Memphis team handily.

We get some Mo going to #2 AZ in a couple weeks, and I think we could give the Wildcats a good game. May even pull the upset if all cylinders are firing.

Also, after getting into foul trouble early Giddens didn't even play in the second half.

 

[TerryP]

Also, after getting into foul trouble early Giddens didn't even play in the second half.

He was turning the ball over too much as well. Hopefully, a night where his head just wasn't where it needed to be. By all appearances, he had it the worst, ya know?

 

[TheChief]

I didn't think I saw him in the second half, and thinking back you're probably right. AJ knows what's happening with his team and during games. Can we go ahead and give him a lifetime contract and just say "You're here as long as you will stay". He'll get Alabama as far as they can go.

 

[TerryP]

I didn't think I saw him in the second half, and thinking back you're probably right

I don't know. I'd have to read through the play by play to tell ya and I'm not going to do that this morning.

AJ knows what's happening with his team and during games.

Forgot a C there...

Interesting quote in an article a few posts up:

"We didn't get off to a great start, we fouled too much," Alabama head coach Avery Johnson said. "We've been hit by the injury bug, but the guys in uniform got their heart in the right place in the second half.