re: Alabama Basketball Megathread | 26-7 (16-2)

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I feel greedy saying this but a win tommorow would be huge.

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Starting 6-0 with a really tough trip trip to Baton Rouge next week would add a ton of cushion.

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I think it would be a huge win in that it’d show our role guys were good enough to step up and beat a top half of the SEC type team. That’s when you know you’ve got great depth.

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Chad, I can’t link the Tweet, but it’s a guy called TheLegend. Here’s a quote of the tweet:

Alabama Basketball has turned a corner and is set up for elite success in the future. The 2021 recruiting class is outstanding and it's rumored another big time transfer could be on the way.
Nate Oats... RTR!!

ETA: I think the Tweet has been altered slightly. I believe the first time I read it, it said a big time transfer IS on the way.

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Bracketology Stat of the day: Arkansas is the only Top-50 team in the NET which has played 3 or more quadrant one opponents without a win.

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How to watch

Who: Alabama (10-3, 5-0 in the SEC) vs. Arkansas (10-3, 2-3)

When: 2:30 p.m. CT, Saturday, Jan. 16

Where: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa Alabama

Watch: SEC Network (play-by-play: Kevin Fitzgerald, analyst: Dane Bradshaw)

Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network (play-by-play: Chris Stewart; analyst: Bryan Passink; sideline Roger Hoover)

Alabama projected starting five

Jaden Shackelford: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, sophomore

Stats: 13.5 ppg., 4.5 rpg, 1.9 apg, 37.8% FG, 35.1% 3-pt

John Petty Jr.: 6-foot-5, 184 pounds, senior

Stats: 13.3 ppg., 5.4 rpg, 2.3 apg, 46.0% FG, 35.6% 3-pt

Joshua Primo: 6-foot-6, 190 pounds, freshman

Stats: 8.0 ppg., 3.2 rpg, 1.1 apg, 38.6% FG, 34.7% 3-pt

James Rojas: 6-foot-8, 220 pounds, redshirt junior

Stats: 4.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 0.6 apg, 34.7% FG, 25.0% 3-pt

Alex Reese: 6-foot-9, 230 pounds, senior

Stats: 4.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.6 apg, 30.9% FG, 25.0% 3-pt

Arkansas projected starting five

Jalen Tate: 6-foot-6, 175 pounds, graduate

Stats: 10.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 4.5 apg, 52.9% FG, 36.7% 3-pt

Moses Moody: 6-foot-6, 205 pounds, freshman

Stats: 16.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.7 apg, 45.0% FG, 38.5% 3-pt

Davonte Davis: 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, freshman

Stats: 5.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.5 apg, 44.4% FG, 40.0% 3-pt

Vance Jackson Jr.: 6-foot-9, 238 pounds, graduate

Stats: 5.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.1 apg, 36.6% FG, 34.8% 3-pt

Connor Vanover: 7-foot-3, 247 pounds, redshirt sophomore

Stats: 8.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 0.5 apg, 43.5% FG. 32.6% 3-pt

Injury report

Alabama should see the return of redshirt sophomore point guard Jahvon Qunierly, who missed the past three games with an undisclosed medical condition. During a Friday Zoom call with reporters, head coach Nate Oats provided an update on the five-star guard as well as Herbert Jones, who injured his finger against Kentucky on Tuesday.

Oats said both players could be used on an “as-needed basis” against Arkansas, stating that he ws hopeful they would be able to fully available by next week.

“Jahvon has been able to participate in some of practice,” Oats said. “So we’re going to see where he’s at with the trainer tomorrow. Hopeful on him.

“Herb, we dodged a bullet. It’s not as bad as what we originally thought. It’s still pretty swollen. Nothing broken in there. He’s day-to-day. We’re trying to get him to where he can bend his finger a little bit more.

Quinerly is averaging 13.0 points and a team-high 3.4 assists over 10 games. Jones, is averaging 12.5 points and a team-high 6.1 rebounds over 13 appearances.

Graduate forward Jordan Bruner is out indefinitely after undergoing a surgical procedure to repair a torn meniscus in his knee. According to Oats, the Yale transfer is set to miss 4-6 weeks with the injury.

“Hopefully he can recover, and it will be closer to four than six,” Oats said.

Through 10 games, Bruner is averaging 7.8 points and 5.9 rebounds. He also leads the team with 16 blocks and 20 steals. Oats said the 6-foot-10, 225-pound forward's minutes will be distributed to a combination of James Rojas, Alex Reese, Juwan Gary and Keon Ambrose-Hylton.

Arkansas will also be dealing with a few injuries. Graduate senior forward Justin Smith will miss the game after undergoing arthroscopic debridement surgery on his right ankle earlier this month. The Razorbacks will also be without freshman guard Khalen Robinson, who had surgery Sunday to repair a bone fracture in his right foot. Robinson will miss the remainder of the 2020-21 season.

Notes and quotes

— John Petty Jr. is just four made 3-pointers away from becoming the school’s all-time leader in the category. The record is currently held by former standout Brian Williams, who made 263 3s from 1996-99. Petty is also four points away from becoming the 28th player in program history to reach 1,300 points for his career.

"It means a lot to me," Petty said of the milestone. "But I don't think I get to that record without the chemistry — going into the last few games, our guys have been ourselves with the basketball. Our offense is coming around. I don't think I'll get to that record without the guys on this team just being unselfish and willing passers and getting me great shots.

"I'm going to be happy when I do it, but I feel like some of the credit can go to my teammates as well."

— Alabama will be looking to win its seventh straight game which would mark the longest winning streak since starting the 2011-12 season.

— This will be the 64th meeting between Alabama and Arkansas and 54th since the Razorbacks joined the SEC. Arkansas leads the all-time series, 35-28, and is 28-25 against the Crimson Tide since joining the SEC. The Hogs have six straight and seven of their last eight games in the series. However, Alabama owns a 20-8 advantage in games played in Tuscaloosa.

— Last season, Alabama stormed out to a 12-0 lead against Arkansas before ultimately suffering an 82-78 loss inside of Coleman Coliseum. Wednesday, Oats said he hopes his team has matured from last season when it let severe leads slip away.

"I think we've been up on some teams here lately and then they'd make a little run. I think our guys have grouped together and made some tough plays, got some stops, got some buckets" Oats said. "I think we're maturing. I like our group. I thought practice was good today. ... We've got five seniors who understand it, who have been with us. They're about the right stuff. (Jaden) Shackelford's really come on in that regard. I think he's really zoned in on winning things that matter."

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Joshua Primo: 6-foot-6, 190 pounds,

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