For most people, Feb. 27, 2010 doesn’t have much meaning, but for the Alabama men’s basketball team, it was the last time the team lost a game in Coleman Coliseum.
Alabama has played 24 home games since that day, and 24 times the team has emerged victorious. That stretch includes wins over weaker non-conference foes, as well as big-name teams like Kentucky and Arkansas.
But the streak will be in jeopardy on Thursday night, when the Georgetown Hoyas come to Coleman Coliseum, looking to hand the Crimson Tide its first loss of the season.
While they aren’t ranked in either the coaches or AP poll, the Hoyas are a very strong team, whose only loss came against the No. 14 Kansas Jayhawks.
But Head Coach Anthony Grant said that the team isn’t focused specifically on the streak, but winning one game at a time.
“For us, it’s a great team that we’ve got to prepare for in our next game,” Grant said. “And our goal, although it’s nice, is not necessarily to extend the streak. It’s to take care of one game at a time and put ourselves in position to win.”
Sophomore forward Charles Hankerson echoed his coach’s sentiments.
“It’s in the back of our minds, but we just want to come out and execute. The main thing on our mind is our opponent that night,” Hankerson said. “The records are just a result of that hard work that we put in each and every day.”
The longest home winning streak in team history, a 28-game stretch, came during Mark Gottfried’s tenure between 2001to 2003.
The players have appreciated the support that the home crowd has given the team. On Sunday, 10,500 people came out to watch the Tide’s closest game so far this year, and were passionate throughout the game, booing questionable calls and cheering for big plays.
“Our fans have been great these last couple of games and last year coming in and giving us excitement and energy, cheering for us in and out every game,” junior forward Tony Mitchell said.
“Our fans have been outstanding,” Grant said. “We felt like the other day certainly gave us a boost to be able to come out with the win.”
Injury Update
Tony Mitchell and JaMychal Green have been dealing with nagging injuries over the last couple of games, but Grant expects the two to be ready to play in Thursday’s game.
Green appeared to aggravate his elbow on Sunday night, but returned to the game and played to the finish. Mitchell went down against Alabama A&M with an apparent ankle injury, which turned out to be just a sprain.
“My training staff is doing a good job of getting [my ankle] better,” Mitchell said. “Getting it well, and getting it ready for the next game.”
