Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Men's Basketball At Mississippi State Tonight; Mississippi Native Scott Lashley Picks Bama; Cornerback Nigel Knott Chooses Bama; 17 Verbal Commitments To Tide; DT Rashan Gary Drops Tide From Consideration; Track & Field In Top 20; Wednesday Is National Signing Day


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Men's Basketball Faces Mississippi State Tonight


The University of Alabama men's basketball team faces off against the Mississippi State Bulldogs tonight at 8 p.m. CT. This is the first of two games between the two during the month of February, with the next contest set for February 20th at 1:30 p.m. CT. The Crimson Tide is 11-9 overall, 2-6 SEC thus far in the 2015-16 season. The Tide is looking for its first SEC road win of the season.

Bama is riding a five game win streak over the Dogs entering tonight's contest, and has won three of the last four at Humphrey Coliseum. The Tide is hoping to keep that streak alive after having lost at South Carolina 78-64 this past Saturday night. A win in State's house would certainly do a lot to boost the morale of the Tiders.

The Tide is mostly healthy, but reserve point guard JUSTIN COLEMAN will be a game time decision, according to Alabama head coach AVERY JOHNSON. Johnson said that Coleman has been suffering with a turf toe ever since the game at South Carolina. Both JUSTIN HALE and BRANDON AUSTIN were injured in the same game, but are a "go" for tonight's contest.

Eight of the Crimson Tide's games this season have been played against teams either ranked in the Associated Press top 25 or receiving votes at the time the contest took place. Bama has faced five top 25 teams in Xavier, Wichita State, Notre Dame, Kentucky and South Carolina. 

Five of the Tide's nine losses have been to teams ranked in ESPN.com's top 30 RPI rankings, while none of the losses have come to teams outside the top 100. Seven of the nine losses have been away from Coleman Coliseum.

Tonight's game will be broadcast on the SEC Network, with Tom Hart handling the play-by-play duties and John Pelphrey providing the color commentary. The game will also be available on the Crimson Tide Sports Network, with Chris Stewart and Bryan Passink making the call.

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Cornerback Nigel Knott Chooses Bama


Four-star cornerback NIGEL KNOTT has announced for the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Madison (Mississippi) Germantown youngster says tomorrow he plans to sign his letter of intent with Bama. 

Knott selected Alabama over home-state schools Mississippi State and Ole Miss, as well as Oregon. The 5' 11", 175-pounder is considered one of the most athletic prospects in this recruiting class. The Tide's BO DAVIS is responsible for Knott's recruitment.

Knott has postponed announcing his decision twice already since the summer, but had been considered leaning toward the Tide. He is the No. 7 corner in the country, and the No. 62 overall player. He becomes the Crimson Tide's 17th commitment. 

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Mississippi Native Scott Lashley Picks Bama



Photo Credit: scout.com


NICK SABAN and the Alabama Crimson Tide football staff are burning the midnight oil, wearing out shoe leather, hitting the road and any other cliche's you can think of. Let's just say Alabama football has bagged another one. 

This is one the Tide "wasn't supposed to get." Or at least he appeared to be a Mississippi State "sure thing."

West Point, Mississippi native SCOTT LASHLEY today announced he is planning to attend the University of Alabama. Lashley, an offensive tackle, is a big boy, weighing in at 295 pounds and standing 6 feet, 7 inches tall...an imposing figure.

This one is a big get for Bama.

Earlier today the Crimson Tide picked up another Mississippi native, NIGEL SCOTT. (See accompanying story.)



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2016 Football Recruiting Class

     This is the complete list of 18 prospects committed to the University of Alabama's 2016 football recruiting class as of 2/2/16.

  • Raekwon Davis, DT (6'7", 315 lbs), Meridian High, Meridian, Mississippi
  • T.J. Simmons, WR (6'2", 185 lbs), Clay-Chalkville High School, Pinson, Alabama*
  • Jonah Williams, OL (6'5", 283 lbs), Folsom High, Folsom, California
  • Brendan Scales, TE (6'4", 230 lbs), Lafayette, Ballwin, Missouri
  • Chris Owens, OL (6'3", 312 lbs), Lamar High, Arlington, Texas
  • Deonte Brown, OL (6'3", 330 lbs), Austin High, Decatur, Alabama*
  • Joshua Perry, DB (6'3", 190 lbs), Amite High, Amite, Louisiana
  • Kendell Jones, DT (6'4", 360 lbs), Shoemaker High, Killeen, Texas
  • Charles Baldwin, OL (6'5", 305lbs), ASA College, Brooklyn, New York
  • Jalen Hurts, QB (6'2", 208 lbs), Channelview High, Channelview, Texas
  • Miller Forristall, TE (6'5", 220 lbs), Cartersville High School, Cartersville, Georgia
  • Quinnen Williams, DL (6'4", 265 lbs), Wenonah High School, Birmingham, Alabama*
  • B.J. Emmons, RB (5'11", 230 lbs), Freedom High School, Morganton, North Carolina
  • Shawn Jennings, DB (6'2", 218 lbs), Dadeville High School, Dadeville, Alabama*
  • Trevon Diggs, ATH (6'0", 186 lbs), Avalon School, Rockville, Maryland
  • Tyler Simmons, WR (5'11", 194 lbs.), McEachern High School, Powder Spring, Georgia
  • Nigel Knott, CB (5'11", 175 lbs.), Madison Germantown, Madison, Mississippi
  • Scott Lashley, OT (6'7", 295 lbs.), West Point, Mississippi
*In-state recruits

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DT Rashan Gary Drops Tide From Consideration

The nation's number one high school football prospect has dropped Alabama from his list. With only hours to go before National Signing Day, defensive tackle Rashan Gary of Paramus (New Jersey) Catholic eliminated the Crimson Tide from consideration while trimming his list to just Michigan and Clemson, according to Scout.com.

The five-star prospect did indeed have the Tide in the mix, and even attended the Iron Bowl game to get a look at both Alabama and Auburn, but now has eliminated both from consideration.

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Crimson Tide Track & Field In Top 20




The University of Alabama men's and women's track teams again rank in the top 20 of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Team Computer Rankings. After three weeks of competition, the men's team advances one spot to No. 16 while the women remain at No. 15.

For the men's jumpers, senior JUSTIN FONDREN is sixth in the high jump, junior JEREMIAH GREEN is 17th in the triple jump and senior JOSH McCULLAN is 34th in the long jump. The men's throwers boast sophomore  DANIEL HAUGH at 19th in the weight throw, redshirt junior ELIAS HAKANSSON at 32nd in the weight throw and junior KYLE FELPEL is 23rd in the shot put.

On the women's team its junior QUANESHA BURKS leads the long jump and is tied for 14th in the 60 meters. Junior VANESSA CLERVEAUX is 36th in the 60 meters and tied for 27th in the 60-meter hurdles. Freshman STACEY DESTIN is 15th in the high jump. Sophomore FILIPPA FOTOPOULOU is tied for 24th in the long jump, with junior LAKAN TAYLOR tied for 27th in the pole vault and junior HALEY TEEL is 31st in the shot put.

In the Regional Team Index rankings, the men's team is fifth while the women hold the seventh position.

Alabama next competes in Albuquerque, New Mexico in the New Mexico Classic & Multis to be held February 5th and 6th.

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Wednesday Is National Signing Day For College Football

Tomorrow is the day. All the hard work over the months, and years for that matter, will come to fruition. It's National Signing Day, the day high school football players actually declare and sign with the college of their choice, where they will spend the next four (approximately) years playing college football.

NICK SABAN and the ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE aren't quite in the same position as years past, but expect to finish with a flourish. Despite numerous recent decommitments, there are still many quality prospects the for whom the Tide is still in the running.

Saban will hold his signing day press conference at 4 p.m. CT tomorrow in the Naylor Stone media room.