| MBB/WBB đźŹ€ No. 4/5 Alabama falls to the No. 15/15 Gonzaga 100-90 in the 2022 CM Newton Classic

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Alabama faces the Bulldogs at Legacy Arena​

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – For the second straight season, Alabama will square off against Gonzaga in a top-15 matchup in Birmingham, Ala. at Legacy Arena. This is the third top-15 matchup the Tide have faced this season as head coach Nate Oats and his team enter the game ranked No. 4 in the AP Top 25 Poll, the program's highest ranking since the 2006-07 season.

The Broadcast​

Saturday's game is set for a 12 p.m. tipoff and will be aired on CBS with Spero Dedes (play-by-play) and Jim Spanarkel (analyst) on the call.
The radio broadcast can be heard on the Crimson Tide Sports Network with Chris Stewart (play-by-play) and Bryan Passink (analyst) on the call, while Tom Stipe (engineer) is turning the dials. The pregame show will begin one hour prior to tipoff.

Notes You Need To Know​

  • Alabama has beaten three ranked teams before the New Year, its previous high was when it defeated two ranked teams in 2015 when the Tide knocked off #17 Notre Dame and #20 Wichita State prior to conference play beginning in 2016.
  • Alabama is ranked No. 4 in the AP Top 25 Poll, the highest ranking for the Tide since 2006-07 (Ranked No. 4).
  • For the second straight week, Noah Clowney has been named SEC Freshman of the Week.
  • The Crimson Tide is one of two schools (Arizona) in Division I that currently has three wins over top-25 opponents.
  • Alabama is the first team since 1965-66 (Duke) with multiple wins over the AP No. 1 team before the New Year.
  • Alabama's win over No. 1 Houston was the Tide's first true road victory over the nation's top-ranked team in almost 40 years, dating back to Jan. 28, 1983 when UA won at then-No. 1 UCLA, 70-67.
  • Alabama is 5-7 all-time against the No. 1 team in the country, most recently defeating No. 1 Houston on Dec. 10 and No. 1 North Carolina on Nov. 27.
  • Alabama is 5-4 against AP top-5 teams since Nate Oats' arrival in 2019.
  • Nate Oats' five AP top-5 wins is the most in program history.
  • Brandon Miller is averaging 18.5 points per game, the most by any freshman in the country and No. 53 overall.
  • Miller is the only freshman in the country to rank in the top 65 in points per game (No. 65) and rebounds per game (No. 65).
  • Miller and Noah Clowney are tied for No. 66 in the country at 8.4 rebounds per game, which is third best among freshman in the country.
  • Alabama ranks No. 1 in the country in rebounds per game (48.8), defensive rebounds per game (33.2), tied for No. 1 with Tennessee in offensive rebounds per game (15.6) and ranks No. 2 in rebound margin (+11).

About Gonzaga​

  • Since 2018-19, Gonzaga boasts a 6-1 record in regular season games against teams ranked in the Top 5 in either the AP or Coaches polls. The lone loss was to Duke by three points last season in Las Vegas.
  • Drew Timme is first in the West Coast Conference averaging 20.5 points per game and second shooting 62.1 percent from the field. He is eighth with 1.1 blocks per outing. Nolan Hickman is second in the league in assists per game (4.00). Julian Strawther's 8.3 rebounds per game are fifth.
  • The Zags are No. 15 in the Associated Press poll. The Bulldogs' 120 straight AP Poll appearances top the nation. Baylor is the next closest at 62 consecutive appearances in the Top 25. GU's 120 consecutive appearances in the Top 25 is 12th all-time in the poll's history. Syracuse is also 12th with 120 straight appearances from 1984-91.
  • Timme was named the CBS Sports Preseason National Player of the Year and to the NABC and Naismith Player of the Year Preseason Watch Lists. He was also tabbed Preseason AP All-American First Team.
  • Gonzaga returns three starters and nine letterwinners from last season's squad that claimed the Zags' 25th West Coast Conference regular season title and 20th WCC Tournament title. The Bulldogs advanced to their 23rd straight NCAA Tournament, and won their opening round game for the 13th straight season.
 
ESPN Matchup Predictor gives us a 52% chance to win Vegas has the Tide as a 1'pt favorite. We will have to play better than we did against Memphis to win.
 
We are a turnover machine. Solid, half the turnovers team would be up by at least 10 right now, instead of down by 5 at the half. IMO, this should be a blowout. Behind 14 to 3 in turnovers.
 
Defense is lacking since Burnett went down. You could see it in the Memphas game and now this game. The turnovers are well what they are under Oats. Same with FT's. Little things that will get you beat. Let's see if they can find an answer in the 2nd half on the defensive end.
 
Dang. Just saw the score and looked straight at the box score. 21 turnovers to 11 assists. That sucks. Seeing they scored 100, I figured either they shot the lights out or we had a ton of turnovers.

Miller looks to have had a huge game. He keeps getting better. I don’t know who is in the running for top pick in the draft, but who is out there looking better than Miller? He’s incredible.
 
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