NCAAB Game Preview - Alabama at Minnesota
Sat Nov 25, 2017 5:00 PM EST

NFla
65
Mia-FL
86
F
Bama
84
Minn
89
F
NebOm
73
JackSt
75
F(OT)
CenAR
72
Tuls
92
F
UtSt
77
UNH
63
F
LIU
86
Brown
94
F
MorSt
63
VaTec
96
F
Ball
93
IndSt
85
F
Albany
78
HolyC
62
F
TNTec
90
MD-ES
60
F
(N/A)
59
W MI
88
F
MsVl
59
SeLA
73
F
Hof
76
Sien
85
F
(N/A)
69
Detr
131
F
Colum
71
Colg
77
F
Vermt
79
Yale
73
F
TocF
50
Lib
96
F
GaSo
57
Brad
62
F
Leh
68
Pitt
80
F
BGSU
78
Campbl
72
F
UMass
66
BYU
68
F
Fairf
75
GWebb
64
F
UtVal
83
UND
75
F(OT)
Savan
69
TxTch
103
F
Furm
78
NE
67
F
(N/A)
55
DelSt
68
F
AlaAM
72
WCU
82
F
SHSU
73
SCla
59
F
NM
65
MD
80
F
(N/A)
67
BethC
95
F
S NO
79
McNee
103
F
IPFW
73
ETSU
83
F
VMI
64
Amer
69
F
RobM
78
ArkLR
64
F
JMU
68
Radf
69
F
Drex
53
NJIT
65
F
Denv
60
StFNY
50
F
SIU-E
66
Crei
103
F
Kent
60
LoyIL
75
F
(N/A)
71
E KY
99
F
JU
44
WriSt
68
F
YSU
64
USM
71
F
AbCh
78
USC-Up
88
F
(N/A)
56
Alc
103
F
NoKY
74
Mem
76
F
GTown
82
Rich
76
F
Charl
55
AKAnc
46
F
TCU
89
StBon
79
F
TexAr
95
Niag
90
F
TNWes
60
Chat
95
F
Penn
101
Monm
96
F(4OT)
Navy
54
FlGlf
70
F
TNSt
77
KennSt
74
F(OT)
ODU
77
W&M
79
F
Akr
60
Dayt
73
F
David
62
App
78
F
UNCW
70
Valpa
79
F
(N/A)
59
Rice
70
F
N CO
63
SDak
62
F
Gram
82
UTRGV
76
F
Stetsn
58
NDSU
94
F
SIU
73
Murr
81
F
W IL
45
IaSt
70
F
InWor
58
Hou
97
F
BC
66
Prov
86
F
(N/A)
52
Web
105
F
TxSt
85
Pacif
78
F
UTEP
63
NMSt
72
F
USD
72
GrCan
62
F
LoyMa
48
Bois
68
F
ChaSo
64
IlSt
62
F(OT)
CAPoly
66
Ida
75
F
S UT
82
UNLV
101
F
Canis
81
ArkPB
58
F
CenMI
75
CSBak
72
F
No. 14 Minnesota turns page to No. 25 Alabama
Sat Nov 25, 2017 2:09 AM

Shortly after his Minnesota team defeated UMass on Friday in the Barclays Center Classic in Brooklyn, N.Y., coach Richard Pitino was asked about the 14th-ranked Golden Gophers' next opponent, No. 25 Alabama on Saturday.

"I haven't watched one clip, so I focused totally on UMass," Pitino said after the Golden Gophers beat the Minutemen 69-51 at the Steinberg Wellness Center on the campus of Long Island University.

"Now, I'll turn the page."

Such is the way of life for a college basketball coach in these holiday events playing one game after another.

Alabama enters Saturday's game between the ranked teams coming off a 71-59 win over BYU. The Crimson Tide (5-0) will face Minnesota (6-0) at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, marking the return of Avery Johnson, who coached the Nets before coming Alabama's coach three years ago.

"I know Avery's a terrific coach," Pitino said. "They have really good young talent, so we have to be ready. They have a really big team and a really talented team."

Alabama has 11 players 6-foot-5 or taller and two freshmen, two sophomores and a junior are in the starting lineup.

Johnson joked with reporters about his unsuccessful run with the Nets, who fired him in the 2012-13 season after he compiled a 60-116 record.

"There's been a lot of great basketball played in Brooklyn," Johnson said. "I know that for a fact. Not necessarily my team, but overall."

In Alabama's win over BYU, freshman forward John Petty scored 16 points while making 4 of 7 from 3-point range, Donte Hall had 14 points and nine rebounds and Dazon Ingram 13.

Highly touted freshman point guard Collin Sexton had 10 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

"I thought we played OK," Johnson said. "Second half, offensively we weren't as good, but this young team, they play hard, they're very competitive."

Minnesota routed UMass behind junior forward Jordan Murphy's 16 points and nine rebounds. Amir Coffey added 10 points and defensive ace Reggie Lynch had nine points, six rebounds, two blocks and two steals.

The Golden Gophers' perimeter defense was particularly impressive limiting UMass to only 23.8 percent (5 of 21 shooting) from 3-point range.

"Our guys played great defense," Pitino said. "I thought our intensity defensively, especially in the first half, was terrific. I'm proud of our guys."

Alabama was also impressive with its defense against BYU. The Crimson Tide had six blocked shots and forced 11 turnovers. Daniel Giddens, a 6-foot-11 center, tallied three blocks.

"We tried to mix up our defenses," Johnson said. "I think in today's game you can't have one pick-and-roll coverage. You need four or five or six of them just to try to keep teams off balance."

Team Record Comparison

Standings GB W-L Aw/Hm Stk L10
Alabama  
Minnesota  

Hot Players (Last 10 team games)

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