How to Watch Alabama Crimson Tide Basketball at Oklahoma Sooners, TV, Time, Online
After running through the first half of Southeastern Conference play unblemished at 9-0, the University of Alabama men's basketball team is headed to Norman to face No. 24 Oklahoma as part of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge on Saturday morning (11 a.m (CT), ESPN2).
The ninth-ranked Crimson Tide is looking to bolster its NCAA tournament resume and show it can be a national player come time for the Big Dance.
"We’re winning games within the SEC," Alabama coach Nate Oats said after the program's first regular-season sweep of Kentucky since 1988-1989 on Tuesday night.
"If we could get a non-conference win in late January, that would be huge for our resume come March. We’re putting ourselves in a situation where we could have a pretty high seed, and this game would go a long ways if we could go on the road and get one. They’re really good.”
While Alabama has won 10 straight games, the Sooners (10-4, 6-3 Big 12) are on a hot streak of their own — winners of their last four, including back-to-back victories over then-No. 9 Kansas and No. 5 Texas.
Austin Reaves has been a machine for Oklahoma, leading the team in points (15.8), assists (5.1), and rebounds (5.1). The 6-foot-5, 205-pound guard is also shooting 43 percent from the field and 86 percent from the free-throw line.
As a whole, the Sooners are averaging 77.6 points per game, which is second in the Big 12. Defensively, Oklahoma is third in their conference with 7.8 steals each time out.
For Alabama, it hopes to use the next couple of days to get wing Herbert Jones, forwards Alex Reese and James Rojas, and guards John Petty Jr. and Jaden Shackelford as close to 100 percent as it can.
"We’ve gotta get our guys’ legs back under them for the Oklahoma game," Oats said.
No. 9/8 Alabama at No. 24 Oklahoma
Where: Lloyd Noble Center
When: 11 a.m CT, Saturday
TV: ESPN
Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network
Online: ESPN.com
Last time out, Alabama: The Crimson Tide completed its first regular-season sweep of Kentucky for the first time in over 30 years with a 70-59 win inside Coleman Coliseum on Tuesday night. Over the final four minutes, Alabama used an 18-5 run to put the Wildcats to sleep. Guard Jaden Shackelford scored a game-high 21 points and grabbed five rebounds, while wing Herb Jones scratched the surface of a triple-double with 13 points, nine rebounds, a career-high eight assists, two steals and two blocks.
Last time out, Oklahoma: The Sooners earned their second straight win over a top-10 ranked team with an 80-79 victory versus No. 5 Texas in Austin on Tuesday night. Guard Austin Reaves led the way for Oklahoma with a game-high 23 points and two game-winning free throws with 18.3 seconds on the clock. Guard De'Vion Harmon poured in 13 points to go along with six rebounds.
The series: This will be only the ninth meeting between both schools with the Sooners holding a 5-3 edge over the Crimson Tide all-time. Alabama has never won in Norman, losing 68-56 in 2005 and 79-73 in 1971. Ironically enough, two of Alabama's wins over the Sooners have come in 2002 and 2007, when the Crimson Tide was ranked inside the top 10 of the AP poll.
More on the last meeting: Alabama upset No. 12 Oklahoma on Jan. 27, 2018 inside Coleman Coliseum behind a team-high 18 points from future NBA lottery pick Collin Sexton. Three current Crimson Tide players still remain from that team in Jones, guard John Petty Jr. and forward Alex Reese. Jones added 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting, five rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block off the bench on that day.
