Bama Men Unable to Turn the Tide Against Arizona

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The University of Alabama men’s wheelchair basketball team came into the UA Early College Classic with a 6-2 record in NWBA Intercollegiate Division play, with both of those losses coming at the hands of the University of Arizona.

The Crimson Tide were able to beat Arizona on the afternoon of Jan. 19 to open the Classic and followed that up with a pair of wins over the University of Texas at Arlington that evening and the following afternoon, but Alabama lost to Arizona once again to close out the Classic’s action.

Alabama led that final game 20-15 at halftime before ultimately losing 55-49.

Alabama freshman Gabe Taylor (50) had a game-high 18 points, including four three-pointers, in the Crimson Tide's 55-49 loss to Arizona in the UA Early College Classic on Jan. 20 at Stran-Hardin Arena
(photo courtesy of Alabama Adapted Athletics)

After being held to 7/28 (25.0 percent) shooting from the field in the first half, Arizona shot 18/29 (62.1 percent) in the second half.

“We shouldn’t have given up 40 points in the second half,” said Alabama coach Ford Burttram frustratedly. “We’ve got to be more disciplined than that, but I think one of the positives is that we played good defense in the first half and made them work for the win.”

See also: Crimson Tide Wheelchair Tennis Bounces Back with Pair of Wins at the Auburn Open

Alabama freshman Gabe Taylor hit a three-pointer eight seconds into the second half and followed that up with two more baskets while Arizona had one basket during that stretch to stretch the Tide’s lead to 27-17 early in the second half.

The game was tied at 38 with seven and a half minutes left in the second half. Then Arizona hit two shots to get a four-point lead before another three-pointer by Taylor cut the deficit back to one.

Taylor hit two more three-pointers in the final minutes of the game en route to his game-high 18 points but Alabama was unable to get defensive stops during that stretch.


Alabama senior Parthasarathi Venkatram (34) prepares to take a shot in the UA Early College Classic game against Arizona on Jan. 20 at Stran-Hardin Arena
(photo courtesy of Alabama Adapted Athletics)

Junior Eric Francis had 11 points for the Crimson Tide in the loss and sophomore Tim Houston had a game-high 11 rebounds.

“We had a lead until late in the game, so we’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing and make sure we can elongate those runs where we’re being productive on offense and smart on the defensive end and not giving them opportunities,” said Burttram.

See also: Zach Smith Takes Over as the New Operations Coordinator for Alabama Adapted Athletics

Houston and Taylor each had double-doubles in Alabama’s 66-60 opening win against Arizona, Houston with 25 points 13 rebounds and Taylor with ten points and ten rebounds.

Senior Parthasarathi Venkatram had 12 points for the Tide in the win.

Taylor added another double-double, 27 points and 14 rebounds, in Alabama’s first win over Texas-Arlington, which came by a score of 68-56. Houston had 22 points for the Tide in that win.

Houston’s double-double performance of 25 points and 14 rebounds helped lead Alabama to a 57-45 win in the second game against Texas-Arlington.

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