TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - The first No. 1 ranking in Alabama basketball history didn't exactly set off bells and whistles.
The Crimson Tide moved to the top of the AP poll Monday afternoon, and just hours later it beat Morehead State 82-64 to remain perfect as the top-ranked team.
``The No. 1 ranking just makes it harder on us,'' said forward Kenny Walker, who scored 24 points. ``We don't feel like we're No. 1.''
Alabama (9-0) has played like a No. 1 team at a school that has six national football championships.
Coach Mark Gottfried gathered the seniors - Terrence Meade, Erwin Dudley and Walker - at midcourt in the pre-game shootaround after telling the team of its No. 1 ranking.
``I told the seniors today I'm proud of them,'' he said. ``They came to Alabama when our program was a long way from where it is now. They've laid the foundation for us.''
Dudley had seven points and 12 rebounds.
``It's not a big deal,'' he said of the ranking. ``We've still got to go out and play. It just makes the target bigger for us.''
In other games involving ranked teams Monday, it was: No. 12 Florida 74, Charleston Southern 62; No. 20 Tulsa 78, Texas Christian 65; No. 21 Xavier 96, Siena 88; and No. 23 Maryland 101, Maryland-Baltimore County 60.
Mo Williams had 21 points and seven assists for Alabama, and he and Walker combined for 35 points after the Eagles (4-4) took a 41-39 lead with 16:45 to play.
``We took a good shot from them,'' Gottfried said.
Before this season, Alabama had never been ranked higher than No. 3, and that lasted a mere two weeks 26 years ago.
The Tide, which has won 25 straight at home, gets a week off before playing at Utah.
``Every night, we've got a big target on our back,'' guard Antoine Pettway said. ``Everybody's going to try to knock us off now.''
Marquis Sykes and Ricky Minard each scored 17 points for Morehead State.
The Tide shot 54.8 percent in the second half and committed only seven turnovers. Alabama blocked seven shots and recorded eight steals.
``We're not big enough or physical enough to where we can stand there and jump with these guys,'' Morehead State coach Kyle Macy said.
Tuesday
February 4th, 2025
3:05AM
