Bama Football Gets In Final Full Practice
Crimson Tide-LSU Tigers Meet Tomorrow Night
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
Just one more day. Tomorrow night a very important game for both the Alabama Crimson Tide and the LSU Tigers will be played in Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Tide head football coach Nick Saban is basically considering it a battle-of-unbeatens, but in reality is is a battle of Top-25 teams, SEC Western Division teams, a game that can help determine the outcome of the SEC Championship and one that could upset the apple cart in the College Football Playoffs championship.
Xavian Marks and true freshman Trevon Diggs have been practicing returning punts since the injury to Eddie Jackson. Though Alabama head coach Nick Saban says that receiver Calvin Ridley could be good at it, it is these two primarily in competition for the job. Both Marks and Diggs returned some punts early in the season. Marks had five returns, including a 75-yard touchdown return against Kent State. Diggs returned two punts, averaging 7.5 yards.
No real updates on the injury front, with those previously listed still day-to-day.
The game is set for a 7 p.m. CT kickoff, and will be broadcast live by CBS Sports. Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson and Allie LaForce will call the action for the Crimson Tide-LSU game, the fourth Bama game of the 2016 football season.
This is the 81st meeting between the two schools a series dating back to 1895. The Crimson Tide leads the series 50-25-5, and is on a five-game winning streak against the Tigers. Alabama has won 20 of the last 25 matchups between the two teams in Baton Rouge, including a 20-13 overtime thriller in 2014. Last season Bama won 30-16 win in Tuscaloosa.
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
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Crimson Tide Men's Basketball Defeats Faulkner 91-71
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| Alabama's Dazon Ingram Alabama 91 Faulkner 71 Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
The University of Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball team, 2016-17 edition, rolled last night in the teams only exhibition game of the season, defeating the Faulkner Eagles 91-71 at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa. Bama junior Ar'Mond Davis was the big gun for the Tide, pumping in 17 points. Redshirt freshman Dazon Ingram is back this season after suffering a season-ending injury last year, right behind with 15 points. Together Davis and Ingram combined to hit 5-of-9 shots from beyond the arc.
"Overall, the pace still has to get a little bit faster. We've got to pay a little bit more attention to detail, especially defending the three-point line. We came out of the gate pretty good. Now we've got some more information on video. We'll break it down in our next practice. We'll try to improve on some of the areas we need to work on. It's good to get back in Coleman and play a game, but the real season starts next Friday."
Alabama outscored the Eagles by a 20-10 score in the paint and had a huge 20-1 advantage in points coming off turnovers in the first half to build its lead. The Crimson Tide was able to connect on 52 percent of its shots from the field and 31 percent from beyond the arc in the opening frame of the game. Defensively Bama was able to swipe seven steals while turning the ball over just six times. At halftime the Crimson Tide was leading its exhibition contest by 12 with a score of 44-32.
The Crimson Tide extended its lead in the second half, and hit on 56 percent of its long balls. Davis was able to connect on 3-of-4 from behind the three-point line in the second half, scoring 14 of his team-leading 17 points over those last 20 minutes of the contest.
Freshman Braxton Key led the defense with a game-high seven rebounds to accompany his 10 points. Junior Nick King, playing in his first game since transferring from Memphis, contributed a team-best five assists, while adding 11 points, four rebounds and two steals to his tally.
Alabama finished the game with 22 assists, compared to just 12 turnovers, and held a 44-22 advantage in points in the paint. The Tide was also able to control the glass with a 41-32 rebounding advantage over Faulkner.
The Eagles had four of its own players reach double figures. Logan Jozwiak led all scorers with 21 points while Marquis Grays pumped in 15 points and Di'mar Hill added 13.
Concerning the play of the Crimson Tide, Faulkner head coach Scott Sanderson (son of legendary former Alabama head coach Wimp Sanderson) said, "Just from last year to this year, they have more players. They have more size. I thought they shot the ball extremely well. When you have that kind of size and you can shoot the basketball as well, and rebound the way they do, I think they are much improved. I really do - much improved. If I didn't think that, I wouldn't say it."
The Crimson Tide officially opens its 2016-17 season in Coleman Coliseum next Friday, November 11th when it hosts Coastal Carolina. The contest will be a doubleheader, with the women battling New Orleans at 5 p.m. CT, followed by the men hosting Chanticleers at 8 p.m. CT. Both games will be broadcast on SEC Network Plus.
| Game Stats | FAULK | UA |
|---|---|---|
| FG% | .421 | .541 |
| 3FG% | .333 | .409 |
| FT% | .650 | .593 |
| RB | 32 | 41 |
| TO | 18 | 12 |
| STL | 5 | 8 |
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
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| Alabama's starting five versus Faulkner last night Graphics/Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
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Fitzpatrick & Holcombe Earn Academic All-District Honors
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Fitzpatrick & Holcombe Earn Academic All-District Honors
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
More honors, more nominations for University of Alabama Crimson Tide football student-athletes! Defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick as well as linebacker Keith Holcombe
were voted to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team, it was announced
Thursday. The honor is the first for both, and with these two Crimson Tide football has 12 since since 2009.
Off the field Fitzpatrick holds a 3.34 grade point average in Human
Performance/Exercise Science. On the field he leads the Crimson Tide secondary in
interceptions (3) pass breakups (5) and sacks (1.5). Fitzpatrick also shares the
Alabama football career record for interception returns for touchdowns with a total of three.
Holcombe also is a Human Performance/Exercise Science major, and carries a GPA of 3.69. He plays as a part of the Crimson Tide's defensive rotation as well as on
special teams, Holcombe has 17 tackles through eight games during the 2016 season, and is tied for the team lead in special teams tackles.
Fitzpatrick and Holcombe will now have the chance to be voted to the Academic All-America Team later this season. The University of Alabama has earned Academic All-America honors seven times under Crimson Tide head
coach Nick Saban.
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
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Daniell, Routliffe Advance At National Indoor Championships
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| Alabama's Andie Daniell (left) & Erin Routliffe (right) Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
The University of Alabama women's tennis team always manages to produce a star or two. This season is no exception as the Crimson Tide's No. 34 ranked doubles pair in senior Erin Routliffe and sophomore Andie Daniell picked up wins in two matches yesterday afternoon to advance to the quarterfinals of the 2016 USTA/ITA
National Indoor Championships at the USTA Billie
Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, New York.
Routliffe and Daniell managed to outlast Kentucky's Lesedi Jacobs and Justina Mikulskyte in the opening match 5-7, 7-5, 10-8. The Bama duo then went into the second match with a full head of steam to defeat California's Maegan
Mansse and Denise Starr in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4.
Routliffe and Daniell will next take on Jada Hart and Ena Shibahara of UCLA today in quarterfinals in the third round.
Routliffe and Daniell will next take on Jada Hart and Ena Shibahara of UCLA today in quarterfinals in the third round.
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Alabama Volleyball Falls To Texas A&M
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| Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
The Alabama Crimson Tide volleyball team traveled to College Station, Texas to last night battle the Texas A&M Aggies only to have to return home after suffering a 3-1 loss. Alabama falls to 15-10 overall, 4-8 SEC while the Aggies improve to 15-7, 9-2.
The Crimson Tide's Krystal Rivers led all players with 25 kills, putting her only 71 short of the Alabama career record. Rivers added 10 digs for her eighth double-double, her fifth in the last seven matches. She also had one ace and one block in the contest. Senior Brittany Thomas picked up her fourth double-double with 12 kills and a team-leading 19 digs, as well as one ace and one block. Leah Lawrence contributed six kills and one block on the night, and Hayley McSparin added five kills and one block.
Alabama returns home to face the Arkansas Razorbacks (5-18, 3-8 SEC) in Foster Auditorium on Sunday, November 6th at 1 p.m. CT live on the SEC Network.
University of Alabama football tight end O.J. Howard was selected as one of 10 finalists for the 2016 Senior CLASS Award. The announcement was made yesterday.
CLASS is Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School. The Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete, encouraging students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
Howard has already earned his undergraduate degree as of this past May and is currently pursuing a master's degree in the Sport Business Management program at Alabama. He achieved the Dean's List honors in his final semester of undergraduate studies and currently maintains a 3.0 grade point average.
Howard has displayed his leadership abilities both on and off the field as he represents the University of Alabama. He is a member of the football team's leadership council and has been named as a game captain on numerous occasions. This exceptional young man makes an effort to be available to the media and fans, and always displays a positive attitude.
Working in the community has been a hallmark of Howard, helping the elderly and youth organizations across the state of Alabama. He regularly visits children's hospitals in Birmingham and also spent time at the children's hospitals in New Orleans and Dallas during the Crimson Tide's bowl trips. Howard has also volunteered numerous hours at retirement homes across Tuscaloosa and at the VA hospital of Tuscaloosa in each of the last three years. He, as well as teammates, spent a day this summer doing a Habitat for Humanity build, and later helped to pack up football equipment for schools in West Virginia affected by the significant floods that hit the state over the summer.
All finalists were chosen by a selection committee from the list of 30 candidates announced in September. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help select the winner, and fans are encouraged to vote through December 12. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches' votes to determine the winner. The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the football bowl season in early January.
The Crimson Tide's Krystal Rivers led all players with 25 kills, putting her only 71 short of the Alabama career record. Rivers added 10 digs for her eighth double-double, her fifth in the last seven matches. She also had one ace and one block in the contest. Senior Brittany Thomas picked up her fourth double-double with 12 kills and a team-leading 19 digs, as well as one ace and one block. Leah Lawrence contributed six kills and one block on the night, and Hayley McSparin added five kills and one block.
Alabama returns home to face the Arkansas Razorbacks (5-18, 3-8 SEC) in Foster Auditorium on Sunday, November 6th at 1 p.m. CT live on the SEC Network.
| Game Stats | UA | TAMU |
|---|---|---|
| Kills | 53 | 61 |
| Errors | 22 | 25 |
| Hitting % | .197 | .225 |
| Points | 62.0 | 72.0 |
| Aces | 4 | 2 |
| Blocks | 5.0 | 9.0 |
| TA | 157 | 160 |
| Assists | 52 | 57 |
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O.J. Howard Selected As Senior CLASS Award Finalist
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| O.J. Howard Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics |
CLASS is Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School. The Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete, encouraging students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
Howard has already earned his undergraduate degree as of this past May and is currently pursuing a master's degree in the Sport Business Management program at Alabama. He achieved the Dean's List honors in his final semester of undergraduate studies and currently maintains a 3.0 grade point average.
Howard has displayed his leadership abilities both on and off the field as he represents the University of Alabama. He is a member of the football team's leadership council and has been named as a game captain on numerous occasions. This exceptional young man makes an effort to be available to the media and fans, and always displays a positive attitude.
Working in the community has been a hallmark of Howard, helping the elderly and youth organizations across the state of Alabama. He regularly visits children's hospitals in Birmingham and also spent time at the children's hospitals in New Orleans and Dallas during the Crimson Tide's bowl trips. Howard has also volunteered numerous hours at retirement homes across Tuscaloosa and at the VA hospital of Tuscaloosa in each of the last three years. He, as well as teammates, spent a day this summer doing a Habitat for Humanity build, and later helped to pack up football equipment for schools in West Virginia affected by the significant floods that hit the state over the summer.
All finalists were chosen by a selection committee from the list of 30 candidates announced in September. Nationwide fan voting begins immediately to help select the winner, and fans are encouraged to vote through December 12. Fan votes will be combined with media and Division I head coaches' votes to determine the winner. The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced during the football bowl season in early January.
