Alabama basketball could have the chance so as to add one other piece of {hardware} to its historic season. After claiming a program-record twenty eighth win throughout Saturday’s SEC Match semifinal in opposition to Missouri, the Crimson Tide can take dwelling its second convention title in three years Sunday because it takes on Texas A&M.
High-seeded Alabama superior to the ultimate by blowing out Mississippi State, 72-49, Friday earlier than coming alive within the second half to down Missouri, 72-61. In the meantime, No. 2 seed Texas A&M notched wins over Arkansas (67-61) and Vanderbilt (87-75) to punch its ticket to the title sport.
This is the whole lot it’s worthwhile to know in regards to the sport.
Find out how to watch
Who: No. 4 Alabama (28-5) vs. No. 18 Texas A&M (25-8)
When: Midday CT, Sunday, March 12
The place: Bridgestone Enviornment, Nashville, Tennessee
Watch: ESPN (play-by-play: Karl Ravech; analyst: Dick Vitale; sideline: Marty Smith)
Pay attention: Crimson Tide Sports activities Community (play-by-play: Chris Stewart; analyst: Bryan Passink; engineer Tom Stipe)
Alabama’s projected starters
Jahvon Quinerly: 6-foot-1, 175 kilos, senior
Stats: 7.7 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 3.8 apg, 37.8% FG, 33.3% 3-pt
Mark Sears: 6-foot-1, 185 kilos, junior
Stats: 12.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.6 apg, 40.9% FG, 35.3% 3-pt
Brandon Miller: 6-foot-9, 200 kilos, freshman
Stats: 19.5 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.0 apg, 45.9% FG, 40.7% 3-pt
Noah Clowney: 6-foot-10, 210 kilos, freshman
Stats: 10.2 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 0.9 apg, 49.1% FG, 27.8% 3-pt
Charles Bediako: 7-foot, 225 kilos, sophomore
Stats: 6.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 0.6 apg, 65.4% FG
Texas A&M’s projected beginning lineup
Wade Taylor IV: 6-foot, 185 kilos, sophomore
Stats: 16.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 4.0 apg, 41.0% FG, 36.5% 3-pt
Tyrece Radford: 6-foot-2, 195 kilos, senior
Stats: 13.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 39.5% FG, 32.2% 3-pt
Dexter Dennis: 6-foot-5, 210 kilos, senior
Stats: 9.0 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.2 apg, 39.3% FG, 29.6% 3-pt
Henry Coleman III: 6-foot-8, 245 kilos, junior
Stats: 9.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.0 apg, 54.0% FG
Julius Marble: 6-foot-9, 245 kilos, junior
Stats: 9.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 0.4 apg, 53.1% FG
An opportunity at redemption
After Saturday’s semifinal win over Missouri, Alabama claimed it didn’t care who it performed in Sunday’s closing. Nonetheless, deep down the Crimson Tide hoped for an opportunity for revenge in opposition to the Aggies
Texas A&M handed Alabama its final loss, beating the Tide 67-61 in School Station in the course of the regular-season finale earlier this month. Throughout that sport, Alabama shot simply 33.8% from the ground, together with 19.4% (7 of 36) from deep. It additionally turned the ball over 18 instances and allowed Texas A&M to stay on the free-throw line the place it transformed 27 of 28 makes an attempt.
“I wish to see A&M once more as a result of they’re one in every of our two [SEC] losses, and we misplaced to them in an in depth one,” mentioned freshman guard Rylan Griffen, a Dallas native. “So I wish to have the chance to play them once more and have an opportunity to go on the market and beat them since we misplaced to them the primary time.”
Since taking up Alabama within the 2019-20 season, Oats is 0-3 in opposition to the Aggies. Texas A&M recorded a 74-68 victory inside Coleman Coliseum throughout his first 12 months whereas the Crimson Tide’s street sport the next season was canceled as a consequence of climate. Final season, Texas A&M beat Alabama 87-71 in Tuscaloosa.
“They’re good,” Oats mentioned. “They’re robust, they trigger issues.
Taming Taylor
Stopping Texas A&M facilities round slowing down sophomore guard Wade Taylor the IV. The All-SEC first-teamer has scored 20 or extra factors in seven of his final 10 video games, together with a career-high 28 factors in the course of the Aggies’ win over the Crimson Tide earlier this month.
Throughout his earlier assembly in opposition to Alabama, Taylor was 8 of 15 from the ground, together with 2 of seven from deep. He additionally received to the road 10 instances, making all of his free-throw makes an attempt. The 6-foot, 185-pound Dallas native is averaging 16.6 factors, 2.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists whereas capturing 41.0% from the ground and 36.5% from deep this season. He additionally leads the SEC with an 87.2 free-throw proportion
Taylor is a part of a trio of proficient guards for Texas A&M together with Tyrece Radford and Dexter Dennis. Radford had 21 factors in the course of the win in opposition to Alabama and is averaging 13.3 factors, 5.5 rebounds and a couple of.5 assists per sport for the Aggies. Dennis is Texas A&M’s chief in rebounding (5.7 per sport) and blocks (0.6 per sport) and can be averaging 9.0 factors.
Recreation notes
— Alabama has gained a program-record 28 video games, surpassing the 2001-02 group for many victories in a single season.
— Brandon Miller set this system file for many factors scored in a freshman season, surpassing Collin Sexton’s mark of 632 factors within the 2017-18 season. Miller has 645 factors by means of 33 video games. Reggie King holds Alabama’s general single-season scoring file with 747 factors over 33 video games throughout his senior marketing campaign in 1978-79.
— Miller’s 99 made 3s this season rank fourth on Alabama’s single-season listing, 14 away from the Eric Washingtons mark of 113 set in 1995-96.
— Nate Oats’ file within the SEC Match is 5-1 with a profitable proportion of .833, which is the second highest since 1979, behind Rick Pitino (17-1, .944)
— Oats joins C.M. Newton as the one two Alabama head coaches which have led UA to a number of SEC regular-season championships.
— Alabama is 15-16 in opposition to AP High 25 groups throughout Oats’ tenure
