BamaMag.com: Wofford at Alabama

The Wofford Terriers (4-3) visit Coleman Coliseum to take on the Alabama Men’s Basketball team (5-3) this Monday (12/17/07) at 7pm CST. This game is considered the first round of the Findlay Toyota Las Vegas Classic.

In the last meeting between these two teams, the Tide won in a squeaker 68-64 on Dec. 7, 2000. This season, the Terriers have posted wins over Lees-McRae, Virginia-Wise, Toccoa Falls, and UNC Greensboro while losing to Arkansas, Wisconsin, and Elon.

Wofford is another guard oriented team that starts Drew Gibson (6-2 senior guard), Shane Nichols (6-0 senior guard), Junior Salters (6-1 sophomore guard), Tyler Whatley (6-9 junior forward) and Noah Dahlman (6-6 freshman forward).

The Terriers also rotate several players as they have 11 players who average double figures in minutes per game.

On offense, Wofford averages 65.6 points per game with Nichols leading the team at 16.5 points per game (he has only played in the last two games) and Gibson chipping in 11.4 points per game.

The Terriers shooting percentages are 44.9-percent from the floor, 38.1-percent (45-118) from the three point line, and 56.1-percent from the charity stripe.

Last year, Wofford set the single season team record of three pointers attempted at 816, but they are 70 attempts off the pace for this year. The Terriers distribute the ball at the rate of 12.7 assists and 13.4 turnovers per game. Wofford will work the entire shot clock in an effort to keep it a low scoring affair while looking for open jumpers.

Defensively, Wofford will use their fresh-legged approach to average 38.9 rebounds, 6.6 steals, and 4.4 blocks per game. Opponents are shooting 37.7-percent from the floor and 29-percent from the arc while averaging 57.6 points per game against this pressure defense.

The Terriers also hold their opponents to 31.9 rebounds per game while forcing them to turnover the ball over 12.1 per game.

The Tide will again see a zone (as it will for most of the season) from Wofford as they will see if the Bama shooters can drain the outside shot. That could prove deadly for the Terriers as the Tide has shot the ball good from the arc in the last three games.

If Bama shooters can spread the defense of Wofford, look for them to then go inside to Richard Hendrix and crew which is the Tide’s most consistent offensive weapon.

Look for Bama to play man-to-man most of the game in an attempt to pressure the ball and their shooters. After not playing a game for nine days and seeing the same faces at practices, look for the Tide to take its second consecutive double-digit win.

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