NCAA BASKETBALL – TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2010
#18 Tennessee Volunteers (14-2) vs. Alabama Crimson Tide (11-6)
The Tennessee Volunteers will travel to Tuscaloosa to do battle against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Coleman Coliseum on Tuesday evening.
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The two teams last met on Mar 13, 2009 when the Crimson Tide fell to the Vols 86-62 in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, after Alabama had won 70-67 in Knoxville five days earlier.
The Tide will have a crack at avenging their early exit at the hands of the Vols on Tuesday, but will first need to figure out how to play a full 40 minutes of basketball as they were outscored 39-25 in the second half after trailing 34-32 at the break in a 71-59 loss to the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday. Mikhail Torrence scored 15 points to lead Alabama while JaMychal Green had 13 points and eight rebounds and Tony Mitchell scored 12 in the loss. Alabama was out rebounded 40-27 in a physical game that included Tide guard Senario Hillman being ejected with 12 minutes to play for a an errant elbow to Rotnei Clarke’s chin. After that Alabama fell apart and ended up on the short end of a 24-13 run and making just five baskets during the final 7:19.
Meanwhile, Tennessee extended their unbeaten streak to six edging out a 71-69 overtime win against No. 21 Mississippi on Saturday. Senior forward Wayne Chism put up 26 points, including six consecutive free throws in overtime to lift his team to victory. The win capped off a full week for the Vols with victories over top-ranked Kansas and Auburn, followed by a 71-69 overtime comeback over Ole Miss. The win also concluded a four-game home stand, as the Volunteers will get ready for their first SEC road trip of the season.
The odds makers have Tennessee at –2-point favorites.
It’s not enough that Alabama lacks depth and is still learning to play Anthony Grant’s up-tempo game, now they need to learn to keep their composure. Tennessee is expected to return four of its players that were involved in a New Year’s Day traffic stop that produced misdemeanor gun, drug and alcohol charges in time for the upcoming road trip.
Expect the Vols to out gun Alabama and cruise to a double-digit victory.
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