How To Watch: South Carolina at Alabama

South Carolina's men's basketball is set for their first road conference matchup as they take on the 9-5 Alabama Crimson Tide.

Lamont Paris and South Carolina's men's basketball team backed up their performance in non-conference play this past Saturday by defeating a tenacious Mississippi State Bulldog squad who could be in the NCAA Tournament this coming March. On Tuesday, however, the competition ratchets up, as the Gamecocks will battle against the Alabama Crimson Tide tomorrow night.

The Crimson Tide's record of 9-5 would indicate on the surface that the team has been through it's share of struggles this season, but that wouldn't be quite accurate. Alabama's five losses have come against No. 4 Arizona, No. 4 Purdue, No. 8 Creighton, Clemson and Ohio State, with the collective record of those five squads being 60-14 to this point in the season.

Nate Oats' team is known for their attacking offensive style, as they have the 28th fastest adjusted tempo in the country according to kenpom.com and rank No. 1 in the country when it comes to points scored per 100 possessions (124.5). While their last opponent, Mississippi State, wanted to slow things down and get the ball down in the paint, the Tide have no issue running down the floor and pushing the pace to see if you get back quick enough defensively.

Meechie Johnson putting up a three-point shot against Alabama's Jahvon Quinerly last season (22nd Feb., 2023) / Jeff Blake | USA Today Network

Another component that will intriguing to watch in this matchup is the battle on the glass between both front courts. Like the Gamecocks, Alabama only has one front court player who's currently averaging more than 5 rebounds per game, and that's Grant Nelson at 5.6.

Also, although both teams are starkly different compared to the ones they trotted out last season, Coleman Coliseum has historically been a house of horrors for South Carolina, with the program having not won a game in that venue since 2009, and having only won two games in their history. Coach Paris helped the program break a longstanding winless streak in Rupp Arena against Kentucky this past Winter; Can they do it once again?

How To Watch: South Carolina @ Alabama

• Gameday: Tuesday, January 9th, 2024.
• Venue: Coleman Coliseum (Tuscaloosa, AL)
• Game time: 7:00 PM ET
• TV: SEC Network
• Radio: Gamecock Radio Network
• Live stream on fuboTV: Start with a 7-day free trial!

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