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Media Day, Final Practice, Hoopla Before Championship
Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban Media Days
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Sutton
It was a full day, a very full day, for the University of Alabama football team on Saturday. Not the least of which was the final full practice prior to Monday night's national championship bout with the Clemson Tigers. Bama worked out approximately two hours yesterday in full pads on the Arizona State University campus.
The Tide's busy day started out at the Phoenix Convention Center for Media Day. Bama head football coach NICK SABAN and the entire football team were available for just over an hour for interviews recapping the season, personal thoughts as well as Monday night's championship game. The Alabama portion of the media-fest followed Clemson's head coach and former Alabama player and assistant coach DABO SWINNEY.
Following the interviews, lunch, and then a team meeting prior to departing for Arizona State for practice. Absent from that practice was cornerback TONY BROWN who was suspended and sent home from the Cotton Bowl Semifinal contest. In fact, Brown didn't make the trip to Arizona with the team.
During the portion of practice open to the media quarterbacks and receivers were working on mainly short routes. Bama went through its usual workout program this close to a game.
University of Alabama Director of Athletics BILL BATTLE was seen observing the Saturday practice.
The Crimson Tide finished out their Saturday night with a comedy jam, followed by free time after a long day.
The Saturday practice was the sixth and final one prior to the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday night when the second-ranked and Southeastern Conference Champion Alabama Crimson Tide battles number one and ACC Champion Clemson at University of Phoenix Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN beginning at 7:30 p.m. CT. Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will handle the action from the booth, with Heather Cox and Tom Rinaldi working the sidelines. This will be the fourth national championship game for the Tide in the past seven seasons, but the first in the College Football Playoff era.
Alabama will head over to University of Phoenix Stadium this afternoon for its first visit to the championship venue for a team photograph and a final walk-through. Then tonight the guys will be treated to a movie, and then more meetings.
This will be the 16th meeting between the two teams, with Alabama leading the all-time series 12-3. It was a shaky start to the series, with the Tide losing the first three games. However, Bama has won twelve straight since then. The most recent contest between the two was a 34-10 blowout win for the Crimson Tide in the 2008 Chick-fil-a Kickoff Game in Atlanta, Georgia. Coincidentally, this was Saban's first victory over a top-10 opponent after taking the reins at Alabama.
According to ESPN.com's College Football Power Index, the Alabama Crimson Tide had the toughest schedule in college football heading into the 2015 season. 13 of the top 25 toughest schedules in college football belonged to the Southeastern Conference, the conference Alabama won defeating Florida back on December 5th. Eight of the Tide's foes this season have won a minimum of eight games, with 10 playing in bowls. Also, Charleston Southern made the FCS Playoffs this season.
Alabama leads the NCAA in bowl victories with 35 (36 including one later vacated by NCAA ruling). The next closest team is Southern Cal with 33.
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Sutton
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Sutton
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Sutton
Photo Credit: RollTide.com/Sutton
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Men's Basketball
Alabama Falls To Kentucky 77-61
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Drops To 0-2 In SEC Play
The University of Alabama Crimson Tide lost their first game of the season at Coleman Coliseum to the No. 9/8 Kentucky Wildcats 77-61. Bama falls to 9-5 overall and 0-2 in the SEC.
The game was never really in any doubt, though the Tide was able to pull within four points at one time early in the second period.
Crimson Tide head coach AVERY JOHNSON said, "It was a tough night for us tonight (Saturday). We got off to another slow start. They kind of dominated us on the boards early and set the tone in terms of the rebounding throughout the course of the game. We couldn’t get (Alex) Prothress under control. He had a terrific game. (Jamal) Murray made some shots. We did a good job of defending the three-point line tonight, but our interior defense just wasn’t there and then offensively we’re still a work in progress in terms of trying to become a balanced team."
It was the first packed out house at Coleman Coliseum this season. Bama had 15,383 fans in the house, most of whom were hoping for the upset of nationally-ranked Kentucky.
Johnson further commented, "I want to thank all of our fans, donors, season ticket holders and especially our students. Our students were unbelievable. They came back early. We’ve been talking a lot about it on social media. I’ve been all over this campus trying to promote our basketball team and encourage our students to come out and we’ve done it via our tailgates during football games and we pointed to this game. That’s the type of home court advantage we’re after for every game. We want to ask our fans to be patient with us because we’re going somewhere but you showing up tonight, even though we lost the game and we didn’t have our best performance, was very encouraging."
Bama trailed by as many as 16 points in the first half, but managed a 6-0 run prior to heading into the locker room to bring the score to 38-28. The Tide then came out of the break hot, going on a 14-4 run to bring the game within six, 42-36, with 16:43 remaining. Shortly thereafter the Tide pulled to within four, 46-42. That was "all she wrote," however, as the Wildcats went on a 12-2 run themselves over a five-minute span effectively putting the game out of reach for the Tide.
There were some bright spots in the game. Alabama hit on seven three-point baskets as well as blocking seven shots on the night, making this the second consecutive game to do so. Bama hit on 18-of-27 from the foul line, but fell short in rebounding to the Cats, 43-25. The Tide also lost out in the paint to Kentucky, 34-20.
Crimson Tide senior RETIN OBASOHAN had his third consecutive 20-plus point game last night to lead all scorers with 21 points. All-in-all it was the fifth 20-point game for the senior this season. He was also 3-of-4 on three pointers last night. Senior guard ARTHUR EDWARDS pumped in 11 points, and sophomore RILEY NORRIS added another 10 points to round out double-digit scoring.
It was junior JIMMIE TAYLOR and freshman DONTA HALL tying for the most rebounds on the evening with six. Taylor also had a game-high four blocked shots last night.
"We don't make excuses," Johnson stated. "We all know this was a tough stretch for our team, opening up at Ole Miss and playing here in less than 48 hours. I think some of that showed in our energy. We're a hard hat team. We don't talk to referees. We don't complain. We just play. And I thought our guys overall had pretty good focus tonight, but we just didn't have enough sustainable energy against a very athletic team."
It doesn't get any easier for the next game either. Alabama hosts the undefeated No. 22/20 South Carolina Gamecocks on Wednesday, January 13th. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network with an 8 p.m. CT tip off.
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Give Kiffin A Break On Monday Night
Offensive Coordinator Lane Kiffin
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
Overall, no, I actually like him. He's changed over the past two years, just as head coach NICK SABAN has changed over the years at the helm of the Tide. Saban has been complimentary of his O.C. He has been complimentary of his defensive coordinator as well. He's also disagreed.
The thing is, even before games even began this season many on Twitter (and other places) were criticizing Kiffin before he had a chance. The game against Michigan State? I block six people on Twitter for actually talking smack about the man, worse than I had seen from non-Bama fans. Turns out that every major football guru has said Kiffin called a great offensive game, had the perfect game plan for Michigan State...despite the fact that many of the "Alabama faithful" were screaming to give the ball to running back DERRICK HENRY.
Michigan State had hinged its game plan on stopping running back Derrick Henry. Kiffin took that away from them. Once they had to defend the rest of Alabama's offense, Kiffin turned Henry loose. It worked. 38-0 it worked.
There's a difference in questioning and uninformed criticism. Especially when the criticism is brought to the level of calling Kiffin names. I'm talking about Alabama fans calling him names. NOT others.
Nick Saban is the head coach at the University of Alabama. No me. Not you. He has said that the game plans prepared by his coordinators of the offense and defense are on his desk between Tuesday and Thursday of each week. He has the final say. Saban determines whether the game plan is sound. It is not "sprung on him" when the game is underway. He has already examined every contingency by his coordinators. Ever any changes during the game? Of course, so don't be ridiculous.
The MAIN point here is...Nick Saban approves that game plan that Lane Kiffin is calling from the sideline. You criticize Kiffin, go ahead and throw Saban in there. He's already approved it. Deviate from the plan? Make a mistake? Sure. And I'm sure Saban handles that just fine. With both coordinators.
My point? When the defense has struggled (very few times) this season, the complaints on Twitter are the DEFENSE. The complaints about the offense are mostly KIFFIN. Now, THAT is my point. Let's pull together this Monday night. It's not like any of our coaches are trying to throw the game.
Roll Tide! Let's bring home number 16 with class from the fans just as it is done on the field.
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Tide Gymnasts Meet UCLA Today
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The two-time defending Southeastern Conference champion Alabama Crimson Tide gymnastics team heads west to open the 2016 season at UCLA today in Pauley Pavilion. The third-ranked Bama bunch will take on the sixth-ranked Bruins today 4 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast live on the Pac-12 Network.
Tide head coach DANA DUCKWORTH said, "Competing against the best prepares you for the best and at the end of the season, it’s going to be the best, so why not start out that way?" Duckworth is entering her second season as Alabama’s head coach.
Alabama and UCLA combine for a total of 12 NCAA Championships, including three straight from 2010-12. The Bruins captured the crown in 2010, and the Tide brought it home in both 2011 and 2012.
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Bama Women's Basketball Collides With Commodores Today
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The Alabama women's basketball team (12-3, 1-1 SEC) will seek to improve their SEC standing this afternoon as they return home to host the Vanderbilt Commodores (11-4, 0-2 SEC) in Foster Auditorium. The game is scheduled for a 2 p.m. CT tip off and will be broadcast on the SEC Network+.
This will be the 44th contest between the Lady Tide and Commodores, with Vandy holding the series lead 31-12, including the last two straight. Alabama's last win over Vanderbilt came on February 23, 2014 in
Nashville by a score of 66-62, and just happened to be Alabama’s first win
on the road to the Commodores as well. UA last won a game against
Vanderbilt in Tuscaloosa on February 8, 2004, by a score of 81-68.
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Bama Men Swimming/Diving Defeat Vols
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The University of Alabama swimming and diving teams hosted the Volunteers of Tennessee yesterday, completing a two-day showing with the conference rivals. The men's team defeated the Vols 164.5 to 154.5 after trailing by three points at the end of the first day.
The Alabama Crimson Tide men's swimming and diving teams defeated the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday
morning at home to finish off a two-day meet against their Southeastern Conference rival. The Bama men beat the
Volunteers in a 164.5 to 154.5 after trailing
by three points at the end of Friday night's competition.Crimson Tide head coach DENNIS PURSLEY said, "It's fun when we've been racing hard for two days and then it all comes down to the very last event. It doesn’t get more exciting than that."
The Bama women didn't fare quite as well as the men, as the ladies lost 186 to 116 to the Vols.
Pursley commented, "We've got to look at where we (the women's team) are at now in relation to four years ago. The women are getting stronger each year. We’ve got a much more competitive and stronger squad than we’ve had in the last three or four years."
The first win this morning came with 26.80 in the 50m backstroke that was turned in by sophomore CHRISTOPHER REID. His second first-place finish came in the men's 200m backstroke.
It was a sweep for the Tide women this morning in the 50m breaststroke. Junior BRIDGET BLOOD took first, followed by freshman EMMA MURRAY in second. For the men it was PAVEL ROMANOV taking the win.
Other winners for the Crimson Tide today were KRISTIAN GKOLOMEEV and ANTON McKEE for the men. For the women, winners were senior EMMA SAUNDERS, JUSTINE MACFARLANE, STEPHANIE KLOTZ and MIA NONNENBERG.
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
