Bama Loses Tough One To Hoyas

Alabama played its best game of the year Wednesday night at the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center in Birmingham, but unfortunately it wasn’t good enough against the nation’s fourth-ranked team. Georgetown took a 70-60 win that was closer than the final score.

Alabama took a 57-56 lead with just under three minutes to play against undefeated Georgetown, but Bama could score only three more points while the Hoyas—now 6-0--poured in undefended three-pointers and free throws down the stretch. Georgetown had never managed more than a five-point lead until pulling away in the final two minutes. .

Alabama thus lost its second game to a top ten team in a week. Last week the Tide went on the road to Texas A&M and lost. Bama, now 4-3, will be home at noon Saturday against Nicholls State.

Alabama had a 35-33 lead at halftime as Richard Hendrix had 11 first half points. But Hendrix would get only six points in the second half. Meanwhile, Mykal Riley had only three points in the first half, but got hot in the second half and finished with 15 points.

Although Georgetown’s All-America, 7-2, 275-pound Roy Hibbert, got most of the attention, it was DaJuan Summers who did the damage. The 6-8 Summers connected on crucial three-point shots down the stretch to finish with a game-high 19 points. He also had eight rebounds to go along with Hibbert putting in 14 points and grabbing nine rebounds.

Georgetown out-rebounded Alabama by 45-29.

An unsung hero for Alabama was sophomore post player Yamene Coleman, who has seen only spot duty most of this season. Coleman scored only one point, but had six rebounds and played very well against Hibbert.

Alabama Coach Mark Gottfried was proud of the effort his team gave in the game, part of the Southeastern Conference vs. Big East series.

“I was proud of our team,” Gottfried said. “They are an experienced team with four starters back from the Final Four last year,” Gottfried said of the Hoyas. “They made some big three-point shots at the end and we had some shots and didn’t make them. Roy Hibbard was too much for us at times.”

The Tide coach said, “I thought we were very aggressive. They have some size. They do a good job of altering shots. We had a couple of great looks. We had good shots – shots I want our guys to take – and they just didn’t go in. The difference was late in the game they made some big shots.”

Georgetown came into the game averaging only 10 turnovers per game, but the Tide forced 15 miscues by the Hoyas. Alabama had only eight turnovers in the game.

Gottfried said, “We’re not a great team right now by any stretch, but we’re going to battle you and we’re going to improve and get better every night and I think we’re going to be good.

“I’m proud of our team. If they keep playing hard, good things are going to happen.”

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