Trap game vs Arkansas brews for Alabama basketball, but Crimson Tide will stay on the road

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Alabama basketball has another road swing coming up, starting the trip with Arkansas on Saturday.

Compared to the rest of this season’s away slate for Alabama (19-3, 8-1 SEC), which featured Purdue, North Carolina, Texas A&M and Mississippi State, a mismatched roster of Razorbacks could seem like a break with the start the back nine of SEC play.

That’s never the case in Bud Walton Arena. Especially not in one of the most iconic rivalries of SEC hoops after former-SWC member Arkansas (13-8, 2-6) joined the league in 1991. It’s not the case for Nate Oats against John Calipari, either.

Jan 25, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats directs his team during the first half against the LSU Tigers at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Will McLelland-Imagn Images

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Here are three things to know before Alabama gets back to it following the idle week.

Don’t be fooled by Arkansas basketball’s five-loss start to SEC play

The Crimson Tide has been a better team away from Coleman Coliseum. Arkansas could be the first trap game trip, though.

The Razorbacks’ 18-point loss to Missouri on Jan. 18 marked the program’s worst start to conference play in 39 years. They came back with a three-point win over Georgia, which Alabama beat by 21 on Saturday, and fell to Oklahoma by three in their next appearance. Now, Arkansas welcomes Mark Sears and company to town with an 89-79 win over Kentucky in Rupp Arena under its belt.

Bud Walton Arena hasn’t treated Crimson Tide well in past

Until Alabama’s last visit to Fayetteville in January 2023, it had been over a decade since the Crimson Tide had won in Bud Walton Arena. In February 2012, Anthony Grant’s NCAA Tournament team defeated then-first year coach Mike Anderson and the Razorbacks, 79-68.

This will be Oats’ first time facing…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/trap-game-vs-arkansas-brews-100037593.html

Author : The Tuscaloosa News

Publish date : 2025-02-06 10:00:00

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