Coleman Coliseum has been a place of refuge for the Alabama men’s basketball team, both this season and in the past. Alabama leads all Southeastern Conference teams with 14 consecutive conference wins on its home court.
The last time the Crimson Tide dropped a home game to an SEC opponent was Feb. 14, 2012, to the then-No. 14 Florida Gators, by a score of 61-52.
Alabama will host the No. 6 Gators Thursday night in Coleman Coliseum, where Florida enters the game on a nine-game winning streak. However, the Crimson Tide looks to keep the Gators from wrecking its unblemished home record.
“I think, obviously, anytime you’re in a familiar environment it makes a difference,” Alabama coach Anthony Grant said. “Obviously, here we have the fans cheering for us instead of against us. It’s just a matter of going out there and trying to put yourself in the best position to be successful. I think most teams would tell you they’re able to play with more energy when they’re in front of their home court.”
The Gators boast a 19-5 record against the Crimson Tide under head coach Billy Donovan and have won nine of the past 10 games against Alabama. That includes three consecutive wins in Tuscaloosa.
Florida will start four seniors against the Crimson Tide and have an advantage in terms of on-the-court experience with Will Yeguete, Casey Prather, Patric Young and Scottie Wilbekin.
“They’re obviously led by a lot of veteran guys, [who] understand how to play,” Grant said. “[They have] obviously been very successful over the course of their careers.”
Alabama has veterans on the team who lead the conference in other statistical categories.
Guards Trevor Releford and Retin Obasohan lead the SEC in steals per game, each averaging 2.4 steals per contest. As a duo, they rank fifth in the country with 4.8 steals per game.
“Trevor is the school’s leading steals guy, so he’s done a great job of that his whole career,” Grant said. “Retin’s just a guy that’s just a good defender, athletic. He uses his skills that he has to affect the game as well.”
The Gators are undefeated in SEC play so far this season and come into Coleman Coliseum as the highest-ranked team in the conference.
Grant has preached that his players must play with consistency to be able to upset Florida.
“When you’re playing against good competition, you’ve got to show up,” Grant said. “You’ve got to be able to handle whatever comes at you.”
After Florida, the Crimson Tide will host LSU Saturday, Jan. 25.
