Alabama (13-9, 3-5 SEC) at LSU (18-4, 6-1 SEC)
Feb. 7, 2009 at 12 p.m. CST
Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Baton Rouge, La.
LSU
Projected Starters
G 5 Marcus Thornton (6-4, 205, Sr.) 19.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg
G 14 Garrett Temple (6-6, 190, Sr.) 6.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg
G 11 Bo Spencer (6-1, 185, So.) 11.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg
F 1 Tasmin Mitchell (6-7, 235, Jr.) 15.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg
C 21 Chris Johnson (6-11, 210, Sr.) 8.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg
Key Reserves
G 13 Terry Martin (6-6, 210, Sr.) 4.4 ppg, 2.2 rpg
F 32 Quintin Thornton (6-9, 225, Sr.) 3.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg
F 24 Storm Warren (6-7, 220, Fr.) 2.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg
Alabama
Projected Starters
G 2 Mikhail Torrance (6-5, 196, Jr.) 8.7 ppg, 1.8 rpg
G 12 Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219, Sr.) 14.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg
G 21 Senario Hillman (6-1, 188, So.) 13.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg
F 32 JaMychal Green (6-9, 225, Fr.) 10.2 ppg, 7.1 rpg
F 40 Justin Knox (6-9, 236, So.) 5.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg
Key Reserves
G 1 Anthony Brock (5-9, 165, Fr.) 4.9 ppg, 1.1 rpg
F 34 Yamene Coleman (6-9, 236, Jr.) 3.4 ppg, 4.0 rpg
G 25 Andrew Steele (6-3, 190, Fr.) 3.2 ppg, 1.8
Entering the back half of their Southeastern Conference schedule, the LSU Tigers look to avenge their lone SEC loss when the Alabama Crimson Tide travel to Baton Rouge on Sunday.
The Tigers join Florida and South Carolina as the only SEC teams with undefeated home records.
The last time out, head coach Trent Johnson led LSU to a blowout victory over Georgia, pulling away in the second half for the 80-62 finish, the team’s third straight win on the road.
The Bayou Bengals have scored at least 79 points in their last six SEC wins. The last time they had such a streak was the 1992 season, seeing the Tiger’s score 79-plus in six straight conference games.
Tasmin Mitchell and Marcus Thornton combined to shoot 23-of-34 from the field, scoring 57 points in the win.
Mitchell has recorded 11 double figure point games in a row, while Thornton has gone over 20 points in five of the Tiger’s six SEC games.
Thornton’s 19.9 points per game is good for third in the conference, sitting behind only Kentucky’s Jodie Meeks and South Carolina’s Devan Downey.
Bo Spencer’s 12-game streak of treys was ended in Athens, seeing the sophomore go scoreless from behind the arc.
Alabama is coming off of a 79-74 loss to Vanderbilt in Nashville on Thursday night, despite seeing five Crimson Tide players score in double digits.
Anthony Brock led the way off the bench, recording 15 points in 20 minutes of action. JaMychal Green finished with a double-double in his effort with 12 points and ten rebounds.
Phillip Pearson carries a 1-2 record as the interim head coach of the Tide after spending 11 seasons in an assistant’s role.
The Tiger’s are averaging 76.2 points per game, with the Tide averaging 72.2. The Tigers are holding opponents to an average of 62.9 points, the best in the SEC, while the Tide have held their foes to a scoring average of 67.9. LSU is shooting 46 percent from the field to the Tide’s 44.1 percent.
The Tigers have converted on 37.8 percent of their shots from behind the arc, while the Tide have hit on just 31.1 percent, good for worst in the conference.
Garrett Temple’s 46 steals on the season ranks second in the SEC.
The Tigers rank second in the conference in rebounding offense, averaging 39.4 rebounds, and first in rebounding margin (+7.4).
The Tigers average more rebounds, assists, blocks, steals and own a lower turnover ratio per game than the Tide.
The Tigers have an RPI of .5914 and an SOS of 108, while the Tide boast an RPI of .5129 and an SOS of 94.
At 18-4 on the season, the Tigers have clinched an overall winning record with just ten games left on the schedule.
A win against the Tide will give the Bayou Bengals a 7-1 record in conference play for the first time since 2006.