Bama Men's Basketball Wins; Women's Basketball Beats Georgia State; 3 More Signees For Crimson Tide Football; Kinlaw Lists Tide In Top 3; Bama's Locksley To Join Kiffin At FAU; Alabama Football Boasts 25 Commitments

Bama Men's Basketball Posts 78-61 Victory

Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics/Kent Gidley

Back home. Back to winning. Back to feeling good.

The University of Alabama men's basketball team got back on the winning track last night by defeating USC Upstate 78-61 at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa. It was sophomore forward Donta Hall pumping in a career-high 15 points to lead the Crimson Tide in scoring, also managing a new career-high for the second consecutive contest. He hit on six-of-seven shots from the floor while pulling down eight rebounds in the victory back home. Alabama improves to 5-4 on the year.

Hall wasn't the only one hitting in double figures on Thursday night. Both senior Corban Collins and freshman Braxton Key accounted for 10 points apiece. Key also added season-highs of nine rebounds and five assists, while senior Bola Olaniyan managed a season-best of his own with 10 rebounds to lead all players.

The Crimson Tide out-rebounded the Spartans last night 44 to 33, and finished the game shooting 53 percent. Once again the Alabama bench contributed in a big way in the victory, accounting for 32 points on the night compared to just 21 points for USC Upstate. This now makes the seventh time in nine games the Tide has outscored its counterparts.

Malik Moore led the Spartan scoring with 14 points, followed by Mike Cunningham with 13. Michael Buchanan led Upstate with a team-high nine rebounds.


Alabama will next face the Clemson Tigers in the BBVA Compass Vulcan Classic this Sunday, December 18th at Legacy Arena in Birmingham. The contest will air on ESPNU with a tipoff time of 3 p.m. CT.

Team Statistics

Game Stats	UPST	UA
FG%	.344	.534
3FG%	.303	.300
FT%	.563	.556
RB	33	44
TO	13	10
STL	3	3

Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics/Kent Gidley

Photo Credit: Alabama Athleltics/Kent Gidley

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Crimson Tide Women's Basketball Wins

Defeats Georgia State 80-57

Alabama Women's Basketball 5th Grade Fastbreak
Big AL with young Bama fan
Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics

Over 4,000 screaming fifth graders were on hand at Coleman Coliseum yesterday to cheer the Alabama Crimson Tide women's basketball on to an 80-57 victory over Georgia State at Bama's 10th annual 5th Grade Fastbreak game. All the kids as well as Alabama players and coaches enjoyed the festivities along with the win.

Alabama women's basketball coach Kristy Curry commented, "I want to thank all of the local schools, all of the many fifth grade teachers and administrators that helped create just an amazing environment for our team [yesterday]. We hope they had as much fun being here as we had fun having them here. What a great environment."

It was Crimson Tide junior Hannah Cook pacing the Tide scoring with a game-high 15 points. Also scoring in double figures were freshman Jordan Lewis (14), junior Quanetria Bolton (11) and sophomore Shaquera Wade (11). Lewis, Wade and junior Meoshonti Knight  pulled down a game-best eight rebounds apiece. Knight also added a game-high four assists on the day. For the Panthers it was junior Makeba Ponder leading the scoring with 15 points, followed by graduate student Tiffany Holston with eight points and eight rebounds.

Alabama shot 45.9 percent (28-61) in yesterday's action, while Georgia State was 35.5 percent (22-62) from the floor. The Tide scored 29 points off 22 Panther turnovers. Bama once again won the rebounding battle 43-40. The Bama belles also picked up 11 steals, 12 assists and four blocks in the contest.

The Crimson Tide plays its final home game before the holiday break tomorrow when it hosts Georgia Tech at Coleman Coliseum. Game time is set for 2 p.m. CT. All fans are encouraged to bring a teddy bear or stuffed animal to toss at halftime to benefit the Salvation Army. The first 300 fans in the door at Coleman Coliseum will also receive an Alabama ugly Christmas sweater T-shirt.

Team Statistics

Game Stats	GSU	UA
FG%	.355	.459
3FG%	.353	.353
FT%	.500	.621
RB	40	43
TO	22	17
STL	5	11

Alabama vs Georgia State
Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics

Doing some high-stepping 
Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics

5th Graders Cheering on The Crimson Tide
Photo Credit: Alabama Athletics

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Alabama Football Picks Up Three More Signees

Three more University of Alabama football commitments have signed the necessary paperwork in order to enroll early at UA in Tuscaloosa. Two will enroll this coming month while one will join the Tide in the spring. Tight end Major Tennison, long snapper Thomas Fletcher and five-star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa all inked the grant-in-aid paperwork joining linebacker Dylan Moses, athlete Chadarius Townsend and cornerback Kyriq McDonald slated to enroll in January. Tennison and Fletcher will also enroll in January, while Tagovailoa will enroll in the spring.

Tennison is a 6' 6", 240-pound  four-star recruit and is ranked 10th among tight ends in the 247Sports Composite. The young man made his commitment to Alabama in October after decommitting from the Texas Longhorns back in July.

Fletcher is the No. 2 ranked long snapper in the 247Sports composite and committed to the Crimson Tide in June.

Tagovailoa is ranked as the nation's No. 1 dual-threat quarterback as well as the No. 33 overall prospect. He is Hawaii's all-time leader in passing and a state champion, and will be playing in the U.S. Army All-America Bowl on January 7th in San Antonio.

Additionally, running back Najee Harris, receiver Jerry Jeudy and offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood could also be signing the same paperwork soon in order to report to the university and football team in January.

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Javon Kinlaw Lists The Tide In Top 3

Javon Kinlaw
Photo Credit: 247Sports

Another JUCO player is eying the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. Four-star defensive end Javon Kinlaw from Jones County (Mississippi) Junior College has listed the Tide in his top three along with USC and South Carolina.

The 6' 6", 305-pound behemoth recently decommitted from South Carolina, but still includes them in his top schools. Kinlaw is ranked as the No. 14 junior college recruit in the nation and No. 1 strong side defensive end. He had 26 tackles and 4.5 sacks playing in eight games.

Kinlaw will complete his time with JCJC in May, so he would probably sign in February. He will have three years of eligibility remaining.

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Bama's Mike Locksley To Join Kiffin At FAU

UA Photo

Football Scoop is reporting at Alabama offensive analyst Mike Locksley is expected to join Alabama offensive coordinator and new FAU head coach Lane Kiffin at Florida Atlantic as the team's new offensive coordinator. Locksley was hired by Crimson Tide football head coach Nick Saban this past spring.

Locksley was previously the offensive coordinator and then interim head coach for the Maryland Terrapins, a head coach at New Mexico as well as the offensive coordinator at Illinois.

According to Fox Sports, Kiffin's brother, Chris, will be his defensive coordinator. Chris Kiffin has served as the defensive line coach at  Ole Miss since 2011.

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2017 Football Commitments For Alabama Football

The University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team currently has 25 student-athletes who have committed to furthering their football careers at the Capstone. As new commits are announced the list will be updated and released. 

Here is the complete list of 2017 commitments to UA as of 12/16/16:

• Najee Harris, RB (6-1, 210), Antioch, California 
• Alex Leatherwood, OL (6-4, 300), Pensacola, Florida
• Chadarius Townsend, ATH, (6-0, 180), Tanner, Alabama*
• Brian Robinson, RB (6-2, 210), Tuscaloosa, Alabama*
• VanDarius Cowan, LB (6-4, 217), Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
• Tua Tagovailoa, QB (6-1, 210), Honolulu, Hawaii
• Elliot Baker, OL (6-7, 295), City College of San Francisco (California)
• Mac Jones, QB (6-2, 185), Jacksonville, Florida
• Markail Benton, LB (6-2, 245), Phenix City, Alabama*
• Brandon Ruiz, K (5-10, 165), Gilbert, Arizona
• Tyrell Shavers, LB ( 6-6, 202), Lewisville, Texas
• Thomas Fletcher, C (6-2, 220), Bradenton, Florida
• Akial Byers, DL, (6-4,  275), Fayetteville, Arkansas
• Jhavonte Dean, (6-2, 189), Homestead, Florida
• Hunter Brannon, (6-4, 290), Cullman, Alabama*
• Jerry Jeudy, ( 6-1, 177), Deerfield Beach, Florida
• Kyriq McDonald, DB (5-11, 185), Madison, Alabama*
• Kendall Randolph, OL (6-5, 290), Madison, Alabama*
• Kedrick James, TE (6-5, 250), Waco, Texas
• Dylan Moses, LB (6-3, 235), IMG Academy, Bradenton, Florida
• Major Tennison, TE (6-6, 230), Bullard, Texas
• Jedrick Wills, OT, (6-5, 318), Lexington, Kentucky
• Christopher Allen, LB (6-4, 234), Baton Rouge, Louisiana
• Daniel Wright, DB (6-1, 187), Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Isaiah Buggs, DL (6-5, 290), Mississippi Gulf Coast

*State of Alabama Recruits/Commitments

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