TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — If it’s the Southeastern Conference opener for LSU, it must mean a road trip for the Tigers.
LSU opens on the road in SEC play for the fourth straight year Saturday as the Tigers travel to Coleman Coliseum to meet 18th-ranked Alabama at 5 p.m. in a game televised regionally by FSN (Channel 38 in the Baton Rouge area). The radio broadcast of the game will be available on the LSU Sports Network (Eagle 98.1 FM in the Baton Rouge area) and on the Internet at www.LSUSports.net.
The Tigers are 6-4, coming off a 69-55 loss at Utah on Monday night, and this will be the final game in a string of games away from the Pete Maravich Center that will have reached 30 days by the time LSU plays South Carolina on Wednesday night at home at 7 p.m.
Alabama is 11-3 overall and opened SEC play with a loss on the road to Vanderbilt Wednesday night, 70-56. While Alabama leads the series, 90-62, the Tigers won both meetings a year ago, including a 60-54 win in Tuscaloosa.
Brandon Bass continues his strong play for the Tigers, averaging 17.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. He presently stands fourth in the league in scoring, third in rebounding and seventh in blocked shots. He is the league leader in field goal percentage at 65.2 percent and third in free throw percentage at 85.1 percent.
Bass is expected to be joined in the starting lineup at the other forward position by Glen Davis (averaging 11.5 ppg and 6.8 rpg) and the three guards — Tack Minor (12.9 ppg, 5.7 apg), Darrel Mitchell (12.0 ppg, 3.1 apg) and Antonio Hudson (13.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg).
“Alabama has four starters back from an elite eight team,” said LSU Coach John Brady. “They lost their SEC opener at Vanderbilt, which is a very difficult place for the visiting team to play. I’m not sure it is in our best interest to play them after that loss. It will be very important that we take care of the basketball. It’s a new season and our team is excited about playing. We know we have to rebound and defend better to win on the road.”
The Crimson Tide has three players in double figures in the starting lineup — forwards Kennedy Winston (16.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and Chuck Davis (15.1 ppg, 2.1 bpg), and guard Earnest Shelton (16.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg). The Tide had a six-game winning streak going before losing at Wisconsin, 76-62, on Dec. 29. Alabama then beat the University of New Orleans, 68-57, on New Year’s Day in Tuscaloosa before facing Vanderbilt in the SEC opener.
Alabama is a perfect 7-0 at Coleman Coliseum this season.
After the Alabama game, the Tigers return home for three straight games against South Carolina (Jan. 12), Ohio State (Jan. 15) and Arkansas (Jan. 19) before going on the road to face Kentucky (Jan. 22). The Tigers will close out the month with two more home games against Ole Miss (Jan. 26) and Mississippi State (Jan. 29).