TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — One other week and one other alternative for Alabama basketball to rewrite some historical past.
With the crew making its first highway journey in over two weeks, the 2022-23 Crimson Tide will look to change into the third crew for the reason that 1986-87 season to begin convention play an ideal 4-0. To try this Alabama must beat its fourth quad 1 opponent when it travels to Fayetteville to face No. 15 Arkansas.
“It is a huge highway recreation for us and an enormous take a look at,” Alabama head coach Nate Oats stated. “When you’re making an attempt to win a convention championship, these are huge video games you have to come able to play in. It is two top-20 groups they usually had been picked excessive within the preseason and second by the media to win the title. They have some actually good gamers and coach.”
This is all the things you have to know because the No. 4 Crimson Tide appears to win its seventh recreation in Bud Walton Area in opposition to the Razorbacks.
The right way to watch
Who: No. 4 Alabama (13-2, 3-0) vs. No. 15 Arkansas (12-3, 1-2)
When: 6 p.m. CT, Wednesday, Jan. 11
The place: Bud Walton Area, Fayetteville, Ark.
Watch: ESPN2 (play-by-play: Karl Ravech; analyst: Jay Bilas)
Hear: Crimson Tide Sports activities Community (play-by-play: Chris Stewart; analyst: Bryan Passink; engineer: Tom Stipe)
Alabama’s projected beginning lineup
Jaden Bradley: 6-foot-3, 185 kilos, freshman
Stats: 8.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.7 apg, 44.2% FG, 25.0% 3-pt
Mark Sears: 6-foot-1, 185 kilos, junior
Stats: 14.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.8 apg, 43.3% FG, 40.0% 3-pt
Brandon Miller: 6-foot-9, 200 kilos, freshman
Stats: 19.1 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.9 apg, 43.3% FG, 41.9% 3-pt
Noah Clowney: 6-foot-10, 210 kilos, freshman
Stats: 9.6 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 0.9 apg, 51.6% FG, 28.6% 3-pt
Charles Bediako: 7-foot, 225 kilos, sophomore
Stats: 5.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 0.7 apg, 60.7% FG
Arkansas’ projected beginning lineup
Davonte Davis: 6-foot-9, 185 kilos, junior
Stats: 7.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.6 apg, 35.3% FG, 18.5% 3-pt
Ricky Council IV: 6-foot-6, 205 kilos, junior
Stats: 18.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.3 apg, 47.1% FG, 32.6% 3-pt
Jordan Walsh: 6-foot-7, 205 kilos, freshman
Stats: 7.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.3 apg, 46.8% FG, 34.8% 3-pt
Anthony Black: 6-foot-7, 198 kilos, freshman
Stats: 12.5 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 3.8 apg, 48.8% FG, 40.0% 3-pt
Makhi Mitchell: 6-foot-9, 230 kilos, senior
Stats: 7.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.2 apg, 65.3% FG
Arkansas’ scoring duo
Arkansas’ sizzling begin got here at a price because the Razorbacks misplaced Nick Smith as a result of a knee harm and Trevon Brazile for the season with an ACL tear.
Regardless of dropping arguably its most gifted gamers coming into convention play, Arkansas at present averages 76.2 factors per recreation good for fourth within the SEC. With Smith and Brazile out, the Razorbacks turned to Ricky Council IV and Anthony Black for manufacturing. The transfer paid dividends instantly as both Council or Black has tallied 20 factors or extra in seven of the crew’s 15 video games this season.
Council ranks third within the convention in scoring averaging 18.1 factors per recreation whereas Black is twenty first with 12.5 factors per recreation.
“We recruited each of them, to be sincere with you,” Alabama head coach Nate Oats stated. “We’re very conversant in each of them. Each are actually gifted. Council is extra of a scorer. Black can rating however he is just a little bit extra of a distributor. Council performs off the ball, Black performs with the ball and each are huge expert guards. We’ll need to do a extremely good job on each of them. We’ll need to hold Black out of the lane and we’ll need to hold Council’s scoring restricted.”
The scoring duo is flanked by five-star ahead Jordan Walsh. The previous No. 24 participant within the 2022 recruiting class is averaging 7.7 factors per recreation whereas sporting a 46.8% discipline objective proportion. Arkansas additionally will get manufacturing from Davonta Davis and Makhi Mitchell, however in response to Oats, the Razorback offense depends closely on Council and Black.
“I do assume that Council and Black are the 2 guys that make them go essentially the most however they positively have another gifted gamers,” Oats stated.
Turnover margin is vital
Alabama-Arkansas will characteristic two groups on reverse sides of the turnover margin spectrum.
The Razorbacks are twenty sixth within the nation with a plus-3.9 turnover margin whereas the Crimson Tide sits 343rd with a minus-3.5. Regardless of averaging greater than 16 turnovers per recreation, Arkansas has pressured simply 28 turnovers during the last three video games which have hindered the offense.
Arkansas has out outscored its opponents in factors off of turnovers in 10 of its 15 video games this season and whereas it was capable of win the turnover battle in opposition to Auburn, Missouri and LSU, the crew went 1-2 in these video games.
As for Alabama, the offense has cleaned up its poor ball safety in its final two video games, tallying lower than 10 turnovers in opposition to Ole Miss and Kentucky. With the crew going into its first-ranked highway recreation because it defeated Houston in December, Oats emphasised the significance of ball safety.
“They have some guys which are aggressive,” Oats stated. “I feel with us on our finish, I feel guys have began to be just a little bit extra easy. (They) notice in case you hold turning the ball over we’re not going to have the ability to play you, it is hurting our offense. The fellows have simply been higher. When you take a look at our major ball handler has been higher and we have not had the turnovers from the fellows who do not deal with it that a lot.”
Recreation Notes
— Alabama is seeking to enhance to 4-0 in SEC play for the primary time since 2020-21 and second time for the reason that 1986-87 season
— Alabama is ranked No. 4 within the AP High 25 Ballot for the second time this season. Previous to this season, that’s the highest AP rating since 2006-07 (Ranked No. 4)
— After recording 16.9 turnovers per recreation throughout non-conference play, the Tide is now committing simply 11.7 turnovers throughout SEC video games
— Alabama is 13-12 in opposition to AP High 25 groups throughout Nate Oats’ tenure
—Alabama has posted 4 wins over top-25 opponents in back-to-back seasons for the primary time in program historical past
— For the second straight week and fourth time this season, Brandon Miller has been named SEC Freshman of the Week
— Miller is averaging 19.1 factors per recreation, essentially the most by any freshman within the nation and No. 34 total
— Miller is the one freshman within the nation to rank within the prime 65 in factors per recreation (No. 34) and rebounds per recreation (No. 63)
— Miller is certainly one of 10 gamers in Division I, the one participant within the SEC and the one freshman within the nation that has scored 280 factors and recorded 125 rebounds this season
— Miller and Noah Clowney are tied for No. 63 within the nation at 8.5 rebounds per recreation, which is second-best amongst freshmen within the nation
— Alabama ranks No. 1 within the nation in rebounds per recreation (46.1) and defensive rebounds per recreation (32.6), whereas additionally rating No. 13 in offensive rebounds per recreation (13.5) and No. 13 in rebound margin (+8.3)
