It'll Be A Hoops Doubleheader in Coleman Coliseum Saturday

TUSCALOOSA ?? It will be a doubleheader of hoops action inside Coleman Coliseum Saturday afternoon as both the University of Alabama men’s and women’s basketball teams host games.

The day tips off at noon CT when the Alabama women, 5-2, host Savannah State. The No. 6 ranked Crimson Tide men’s team follows at 2:30 p.m. CT when it plays host to Tennessee State, 2-2, and a media favorite contender to win the 2007 Ohio Valley Conference championships.

One ticket will get fans into both games, however, restrictions will apply. The women’s game ticket is $5 and will be sold through the end of the first half of the women’s game. Beginning with the second half, the men’s ticket will be sold. Cost is $12 for adults/$8 for youth for the men’s ticket. The arena will not be cleared in between games, so those who got in on the women’s ticket are allowed to remain for the men’s games, HOWEVER, the patron holding the men’s ticket has priority on that reserved seat.

The Tide men are 6-0 and have a 10-game home win streak going into the game. The Tennessee State Tigers are led by 6-foot-7 senior forward Clarence Matthews who is averaging 15.5 points a game, junior guard Ladarious Weaver who averages 15.0 points and has been named the OVC’s “Newcomer of the Week” for the past two straight weeks, and also by 6-foot-11 senior center Larry Turner who is averaging 9.8 rebounds a game.

“Tennessee State is another team that we need to make sure we play at a high level,” said Alabama coach Mark Gottfried. “When they walk through the door, they’re going to look like an SEC team physically: 6-11, 6-9, 6-7, 250; some junior college players who are excellent players. We still feel like we can still play a lot better. I don’t know the status yet with Ronald (Steele) as far as whether he’ll play or not. But Tennessee State is a team that I think will have a chance to win the Ohio Valley Conference.”

Alabama’s All-American point guard, Steele, sat out the last two games, strictly as a precautionary measure to allow more time for the tendonitis in his right knee to heal. He practiced on Thursday and is expected to practice again Friday. If he does not start Saturday, junior JUCO transfer Mykal Riley will start. Riley is averaging 11.5 points and 4.8 rebounds.

The Tide has played Tennessee State three times previously and leads the series 3-0. The last time they played was in 2005 when Alabama won 87-79 in Tuscaloosa.

 

“Coming out against Tennessee State,” said Tide sophomore starting forward Richard Hendrix, who averages 13.7 points and 8.7 rebounds, “we need to come out and be prepared and give it all we’ve got, execute our offense and also keep up the intensity on defense. Hopefully, if we do those things, everything should come out the way we want it to.”

Following Saturday’s game, Alabama hits the road for a Thursday, December 7 game at Notre Dame. That game will be televised by ESPN with Jay Bilas, Bill Raftery and Sean McDonough at 8 p.m. CT.

University of Alabama Athletics

It'll Be A Hoops Doubleheader in Coleman Coliseum Saturday

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