Jan 4, 2025; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama guard Mark Sears (1) glides to the basket towards Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears (0) at Coleman Coliseum. Alabama defeated Oklahoma 107-79. Obligatory Credit score: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa Information No. 5 Alabama will look to construct on a constructive debut in Southeastern Convention play when it takes on South Carolina on Wednesday at Columbia, S.C.
The Crimson Tide (12-2, 1-0 SEC) could not have performed significantly better than they did throughout a 107-79 rout of then-No. 12 Oklahoma on Saturday.
In the meantime, the Gamecocks (10-4, 0-1) wish to put their very own convention opener behind them after a dismal efficiency Saturday. They have been crushed 85-50 by then-No. 17 Mississippi State.
Alabama has received 9 consecutive video games towards South Carolina.
Alabama’s victory on Saturday was its fourth this season over a ranked opponent. The Crimson Tide’s prior three such wins got here in non-conference play towards Illinois, Houston and North Carolina.
“That non-conference schedule actually confirmed us our weaknesses, and we have been in a position to capitalize in observe,” Alabama guard Mark Sears stated after Saturday’s win.
Sears continues to be the catalyst for a Crimson Tide squad that enters Wednesday’s contest on a six-game profitable streak. Sears, who totaled 22 factors and 10 assists towards the Sooners, is averaging crew bests of 18.3 factors and 4.4 assists per sport this season.
Alabama scored 100 or extra factors in a sport for the 14th time prior to now two seasons, which is essentially the most within the nation throughout that span. The Crimson Tide enter the week main the nation in common scoring (91.1 factors per sport) however have allowed 77.4 factors, which ranks 313th.
“We’re able to being an important defensive crew,” Alabama coach Nate Oats stated after the Oklahoma sport. “I nonetheless suppose there’s lots of chemistry to be discovered.”
South Carolina had a seven-game profitable streak snapped towards Mississippi State, and the Gamecocks’ scoring output was a season low and was 16 factors lower than their earlier low after they shot simply 29.1 p.c from the sector and went solely 2-for-19 from 3-point vary.
However what involved South Carolina coach Lamont Paris extra was the obvious lack of battle from his crew early.
The Gamecocks have been held to 10 factors over the primary 14-plus minutes of the sport and trailed by 30 4 minutes into the second half.
“We’ll present lots of the stuff on the movie once we see it, simply conditions the place it is you versus that man,” Paris stated after the loss. “Skill form of, type of issues, however who you’re as a competitor actually issues in that one specific second. And what number of ever those who have been within the sport, we acquired the brief finish of the stick in these conditions. In order that was shocking.”
Zachary Davis scored 22 factors towards the Bulldogs, however the Gamecocks’ main scorer this season, Collin Murray-Boyles (15.8 factors per sport), will attempt to bounce again after being held to 5 factors.
Murray-Boyles has been a power on the glass as properly for South Carolina, averaging 9.4 rebounds per sport. He figures to battle Alabama’s Grant Nelson (8.8) within the paint.
“We acquired 17 extra video games, and it will be lots of comparable video games to that,” South Carolina ahead Nick Pringle stated. “So we have got to step up our sport so much to have the ability to deal with the remainder of the video games coming our method.”
–Discipline Degree Media
