After coming away with a lopsided win against Samford in Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday, Alabama basketball will continue its tour across the state Saturday as it takes on Belmont in Huntsville for the Rocket City Classic. The Crimson Tide (5-5) will look to move above the .500 mark for the first time this season as it takes on a Belmont (8-3) team currently riding a four-game winning streak. Here’s all the information you need to know about the game.
How to watch
Who: Alabama (5-5) vs. Belmont (8-3)
When: 2:30 p.m. CT, Saturday, Dec. 21
Where: Von Braun Center, Huntsville, Ala.
Watch: SEC Network (play-by-blay: Kevin Fitzgerald; analyst: Dane Bradshaw)
Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network (play-by-play: Roger Hoover; analyst: Bryan Passink)
Alabama projected starting five
Kira Lewis Jr.: 6-foot-3, 165 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 16.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 4.6 apg, 44.1% FG, 34.6% 3-pt
John Petty Jr.: 6-foot-5, 184 pounds, junior
Stats: 16.6 ppg., 7.2 rpg, 1.9 apg, 47.7% FG, 49.3% 3-pt
Herbert Jones: 6-foot-7, 205 pounds, junior
Stats: 7.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.7 apg, 44.1% FG
Alex Reese: 6-foot-9, 245 pounds, junior
Stats: 8.8 ppg, 4.8, rpg, 1.2 apg, 40.8% FG, 34.6% 3-pt
Javian Davis: 6-foot-9, 242 pounds, junior
Stats: 8.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 0.8 apg, 59.6% FG
Belmont projected starting five
Grayson Murphy: 6-foot-2, 175 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 8.5 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 5.5 apg, 46.4% FG, 29.2% 3-pt
Adam Kunkel: 6-foot-3, 165 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 19.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.9 apg, 49.0% FG, 45.8% 3-pt
Michael Benkert: 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, senior
Stats: 4.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.8 apg, 35.2% FG, 25.0% 3-pt
Tyler Scanlon: 6-foot-7, 215 pounds, redshirt senior
Stats: 9.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.3 apg, 44.9% FG, 33.3% 3-pt
Nick Muszynski: 6-foot-11, 235 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 15.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.0 apg, 59.1% FG, 40.0% 3-pt
Game notes
— This year marks the fourth Rocket City Classic. Alabama has never lost in three years of the event, which were all played at the Von Braun Center in front of sellout crowds. The Crimson Tide defeated Arkansas State, 67-52, in 2016, followed by an 80-79 victory over Mercer in 2017 and an 84-75 win over Liberty last year.
— Two of Alabama’s starters hail from the Huntsville area as junior John Petty Jr. went to Huntsville’s Mae Jemison High School, while sophomore Kira Lewis Jr. attended nearby Hazel Green High School. Other notable former Crimson Tide players from the area include Keith Askins (Athens), Richard Hendrix (Huntsville), Bobby Lee Hurt (Huntsville), Riley Norris (Albertville) and Levi Randolph (Madison).
— Saturday’s game will feature two of the country’s top 3-point shooting teams. Alabama currently leads the SEC and ranks No. 7 in the nation in 3s made per game at 10.7, while Belmont is No. 6 nationally and tops in the SoCon in the same category at 10.8.
— Petty leads the SEC in 3-point shooting and ranks No. 11 in the nation averaging 49.3 percent from beyond the arc. Belmont guard Adam Kunkel is also a sharp-shooter and ranks No. 24 in the nation shooting 45.8 percent from deep.
—Belmont ranks third in the nation averaging 19 assists per game.
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