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Tide Men's Basketball Takes 72-60 Home Win
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Robert Sutton
There's no place like home.
After nearly a month away, the University of Alabama men's basketball team (7-2) took a 72-60 victory at home in Coleman Coliseum last night over Winthrop (6-3). The was only the third home game for the Crimson Tide in nine outings. One would have to go back to the 2011-12 season to find a Tide basketball team starting the season in such fine fashion. That year Bama got off to an 8-2 start.
Four players for the Crimson Tide scored in double figures. Sophomore point guard Justin Coleman tied his season-high with 18 points and five assists on the night. Next in scoring was forward Jimmie Taylor with 14 points, who incidentally recorded the team's first double-double of the young season adding 11 rebounds. The other two scoring in double figures were Retin Obasohan with 12 points and Arthur Edwards with 11.
Alabama head coach Avery Johnson was enthusiastic with the team's first home appearance in nearly a month. He said, "What a terrific second half for our team. In the first half (Keon) Johnson got away from us, 17 points in the first half. We talked about how we wanted to minimize his production in the second half. Fortunately, we switched Retin Obasohan, reigning SEC Player of the Week, on him and Retin did a phenomenal job defensively."
Johnson then shared a bit of his defensive strategy, saying, "One of the things that I share with Justin (Coleman) is, when you have a guy that’s the major focal point of the opposition’s offense like Johnson, their point guard, the way you attack him is not just defending him, but attacking him when he’s on defense. So we put him in a lot of different situations, a lot of screening situations. We ran him off picks off the baseline. We tried to work him as much as we can and fortunately Justin took and made some big shots for us."
There were seven ties in all in the first half of play, but the Tide went on a late run to be able to go into the half with a 32-27 lead. Coming back from the break Bama continued the hot hand and going up by as much as 20 early in the second half. Winthrop managed to put on a couple of small scoring bursts itself but was never able to draw any close than the 12-point final margin of victory.
The Crimson Tide won the battle of the boards with 40 rebounds to 30 for Winthrop. This was Bama's second consecutive game the Tide has managed at least 40 rebounds in a game. Taylor led in rebounds with 11, followed by Riley Norris with a season-high seven, Edwards with six and Obasohan with five.
Alabama was 28-of-54 (51.9%) in field goals, including 5-of-15 (33.3%) from three-point land and 11-of-17 (64.7%) from the free throw line.
Next up for the Crimson Tide is a short trip to Birmingham's Legacy Arena on December 21st to face the Oregon Ducks in the Vulcan Classic. Tip off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. CT.
Santa & Big AL
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Robert Sutton
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Robert Sutton
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Bama Football Begins Prep For Michigan State
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
In their first practice session after winning their 25th Southeastern Conference Championship the Alabama Crimson Tide football team once again renewed their quest for their 16th National Championship yesterday. Bama had a nearly two-hour session yesterday in shells inside the Hank Crisp Indoor Practice Facility. As is the practice with all first-of-the-week practices, the emphasis yesterday was on fundamentals.
Yesterdays's practice was the first of 11 practice sessions scheduled prior to facing Michigan State in the College Football Playoff Semifinal in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl on Thursday, December 31st. The game is to be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas which is where the Tide began their National Championship quest with a seaons-opening victory over Wisconsin.
Bama's next defensive coordinator, Jeremy Pruitt, observed practice from the sidelines. Current DE and newly-installed Georgia head coach Kirby Smart led the defensive drills. All players were present and participating in the team's opening practice.
Bama's next defensive coordinator, Jeremy Pruitt, observed practice from the sidelines. Current DE and newly-installed Georgia head coach Kirby Smart led the defensive drills. All players were present and participating in the team's opening practice.
This will be only the second meeting between the Tide and the Spartans. Alabama won the 2011 Capital One Bowl 49-7 over Michigan State.
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Alabama Football
Tide Offensive Line Wins 2015 Joe Moore Award
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The awards just keep rolling in for the Alabama Crimson Tide football team.
The Crimson Tide offensive line has been awarded with the 2015 Joe Moore Award by the Joe Moore Foundation in a surprise presentation yesterday on the UA campus. Alabama is the first team to win the annual award for the nation's best offensive line.
Assistant head coach and offensive line coach Mario Cristobal said, "Like a lot of offensive lines, our guys worked hard all year long, battled through adversity and improved every week. This offensive line plays the position the right way, with toughness, teamwork and a relentless focus on being dominant on every snap. We’ll need to keep that up and keep improving down the stretch, because this is the part of the year where good offensive line play counts the most."
The recipient of the Joe Moore Award is selected by a voting committee comprised solely of those who have either played or coached the offensive line position. This group includes all current offensive line coaches at the FBS level as well as former players, coaches and collegues of Coach Moore and select media.
Aaron Taylor, CBS Sports college football analyst and Chairman of the Joe Moore Award Voting Committee said, "Many voters shared how impressed they were with the physicality and athleticism of the Crimson Tide’s offensive line unit. The film shows them exploding off of the ball, getting to the second level and working to finish plays, which is the hallmark of outstanding offensive line play."
The Joe Moore Foundation for Teamwork will be making a $15,000 donation on behalf of the Alabama to the Athlife Foundation, whose mission it is to ensure that deserving high school student-athletes in our nation's most challenged communities can achieve academically and prepare to compete successfully in their future careers beyond sports.
The press release states, "The actual Joe Moore Award trophy, crafted by legendary sports sculptor Jerry McKenna, is the largest trophy in college football and weighs more than 350 pounds. Along with Alabama and the other Finalists, the trophy will be the subject of a CBS Sports Network special scheduled to air in early January."
The Alabama Offensive Line
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Offensive Line Coach
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Mario Cristobal
Head Coach
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Nick Saban
Starting Line
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LT Cam Robinson SO #74
LG Ross Pierschbacher RS FR #71
OC Ryan Kelly SR #70
RG Alphonse Taylor JR #50
RT Dominick Jackson SR #76
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Four Tide Footballers Named To Another All-America Team
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
Four University of Alabama football players have been named to the AFCA FBS Coaches' All-America Team. The announcement came yesterday afternoon from the American Football Coaches Association.
Alabama again led the nation in the number of first-team honorees to an All-American team with four. Those are Derrick Henry. Reggie Ragland, Ryan Kelly and A'Shawn Robinson.
Henry has already won the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell, Doak Walker, and Player of the Year honors as well as having been named to numerous other first-team All-American teams.
Besides Henry, Ragland also earned unanimous first-team honors. He is a finalist for the Bednarik, Butkus and Nagurski awards.
Kelly is the winner of the 2015 Rimington Trophy as well as receiving five first-team All-Amercia honors this postseason.
Robinson has been named to four first-team lists this postseason.
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