___________________________________________________________________________
Tide Concludes Prep At Home
_________
Arrives Safely In Arizona For National Championship
Nick Saban & Crimson Tide Arrive In Arizona
The second-ranked University of Alabama Crimson Tide arrived in Phoenix, Arizona late yesterday afternoon after having completed their final home practice on the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields early Friday morning. Bama put in a two-hour practice session, then packed and boarded the giant 747 and winged their way to the site of the College Football Playoff National Championship.
The boys from Bama worked through the game plan following the warm-ups and individual drills. All hands were on deck for that final practice.
Alabama meets the No. 1 Clemson Tigers on Monday, January 11th. The Tigers are coached by former Alabama wide receiver and assistant coach DABO SWINNEY, who grew up the typical Alabama football fan. He still supports his alma mater, but has to set that aside as his team does battle for the national championship against "mama."
Alabama and Clemson will do battle at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona for all the marbles. Game time for the National Championship is 7:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast by ESPN. Chris Fowler will be handling play-by-play duties, with Kirk Herstreit on color/analysis, Heather Cox on the sidelines and add Tom Rinaldi to the lineup on the sidelines for this national championship contest.
This is the fourth championship game for the Crimson Tide in seven seasons.
This morning Bama will participate in a one-hour, give or take, media free-for-all. The two head coaches will host a press conference, followed by a team photograph. Then this evening the Crimson Tide will again hit the practice field for a walk through, the first one in Arizona. That will close out the work week, other than some team and positions meetings.
This will be the 16th meeting between the two teams, with Alabama holding a 12-3 series lead. The Clemson Tigers won the first three contests, but now the Crimson Tide rides a 12-game win streak and look to make it 13 on Monday night. The most recent victory for the Tide was a 34-10 win over then-No. 9 Clemson in the 2008 Chick-fil-a Kickoff Game in Atlanta, Georgia. It gave Alabama head coach NICK SABAN his first win over a top-10 foe as the Bama head coach.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Players' Comments
Here are a few comments concerning the upcoming College Football Playoff National Championship:
CYRUS JONES, University of Alabama
"We're here. There's no turning back. There's no tomorrow. This is the defining moment for this team."
Concerning Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson: "He's really dangerous on his feet so we gotta keep him contained. And when we hit him...we gotta make him feel it."
"We came together as a group to achieve once goal, and now we just gotta do it. There's no more talking."
JONATHAN ALLEN, University of Alabama
"We expect to go into every competition and dominate, from top to bottom, without a doubt. You know what's coming...you know we're coming...you just can't stop it."
Concerning Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watston: "Obviously he's dual-threat guy...mobile, fast, can throw the ball...hard guy to bring down."
Deshaun Watson, Clemson
"This is what college football is about. Two of the best teams in the country going head to head. It's going to be a fist-fight."
"You gotta control them before they can control you. You can't really make mistakes, especially against defenses like this."
"We been working for this moment, and now it's here so we gotta go take it."
Wayne Gallman, Clemson
"They're just a team that just really comes out and plays. They don't say too much, not one of those trash-talking teams. They don't need to be."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bama Men's Basketball Hosts Kentucky
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball team opens the 2016 home portion of the SEC season this afternoon at 5 p.m. CT hosting the No. 9/8 Kentucky Wildcats at Coleman Coliseum. This game will be the first of two consecutive games against nationally-ranked opponents, and is the fourth top-25 team this Bama team has faced this season. The Tide is 2-1 right now against these ranked opponents.
The Tide have defeated then-No. 20 Wichita State on November 27th, and immediately after then-No. 17 Notre Dame 74-73 on November 29th. Alabama and Kentucky are the only two SEC teams with at least two wins over nationally-ranked competition during the non-conference portion of the schedule.
This afternoon's game will be broadcast on ESPNU. Dave Neal will be handling the play-by-play, Jon Sundvold on color/analysis and Laura Rutledge on the sideline.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bama Men Swimming/Diving Defeat Vols Today
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The University of Alabama swimming and diving teams hosted the Volunteers of Tennessee today, 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.
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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tide Trails Vols In Swim/Dive Meet
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
The Alabama Crimson Tide swimming and diving teams hosted the Tennessee Volunteers yesterday kicking off their two-day meet at home in the Southeastern Conference contest. Friday ended with the Vols holding a narrow 86.5 to 82.5 lead in men's competition while the Tide women have a much larger deficit to overcome 96-54.
Crimson Tide head coach DENNIS PURSLEY said, "As you always expect in competitions at this time of the year, coming off of an extra heavy training load, you’re going to get a mixed bag. Some are a little more beat up than others and feeling the effects of the heavy training. We had some strong swims, but overall it was a mixed bag. It’s going to be a meet that comes down to the wire on the men’s side. The Tennessee women are a little stronger than we are at this point, but we want to try to whittle away at that lead a little if we can."
Bama's first win of the night came in the 50m butterfly via senior BRETT WALSH. Just behind him was junior KRISTIAN GKOLOMEEV in the butterfly, but then won the 50m freestyle.
In the 200m freestyle, the Bama men took the top three slots with senior CREWS WELLFORD first, followed by junior ALEX GRAY and sophomore MATTHEW ADAMS.
Pursley was complimentary of Wellford, saying, "Our men's team captain, Crews Wellford, really had some great swims."
In the 100m breaststroke junior BRIDGET BLOOD took the win, with freshman JUSTINE MACFARLANE placed second.
Turning to the women's portion of the meet, Alabama senior EMMA SAUNDERS placed second in the 200m freestyle. Sophomore MIA NONNENBERG was third only two-hundredths of a second behind Saunders. Nonnenbert later placed first in the 400m individual medley.
Finishing the Friday night portion of the meet the Bama men won the 400m medley with junior PAVEL ROMANOV, Reid, Walsh and Gkolomeev.
Today's portion of the meet begins at 10 a.m. CT in the Alabama Aquatic Center. If you are living close enough to get there, the admission is free.
Photo Credit: RollTide.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Softball
McCleney-Traina Receive Honor
Graphics/Photo Credit: RollTide.com
Two University of Alabama softball players have been named to the 2016 U.S. Women's National Team roster. Senior outfielder HAYLIE McCLENEY and former All-American pitcher JACLYN TRAINA were named to the team on Friday by the Amateur Softball Association and USA Softball.
The initial list of 43 were narrowed to 18 following a week-long selection camp held in Irvine California. This is Traina's four season to make the team and the third for McCleney.
