Texas @ Alabama preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 2, 2016 ) Alabama 68, Texas 77

Texas' Mohamed Bamba and Alabama's Collin Sexton were generally acknowledged as top-10 players in the most recent recruiting cycle, and both players have lived up to their advanced billing so far. Two of college basketball's top freshmen will attempt to lead their teams to a win Friday before beginning conference play next week when the Longhorns face the Crimson Tide in the Vulcan Classic in Birmingham, Ala.

The 6-11 Bamba has wasted little time giving third-year coach Shaka Smart an enforcer in the paint, as the 6-11 native of Harlem, N.Y. is averaging 10.3 points, 9.7 rebounds (second in the Big 12) and 4.1 blocks (fourth in Division I). The 6-3 Sexton has burst onto the scene as well, providing third-year coach Avery Johnson with a SEC-high 21.7 points per game, a team-high 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals. Like Bamba, the Longhorns are coming off their worst offensive performance of the season, as fellow freshman Matt Coleman hit a go-ahead shot with nine seconds remaining to power Texas to an ugly 47-46 victory over Tennessee State on Monday. Sexton scored 15 of his 21 points after halftime as the Crimson Tide overcame some sloppy play late following a 10-day break and a 6-for-28 effort beyond the arc to hold on for an 80-79 win over Mercer on Tuesday.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT TEXAS (8-3): The Longhorns played their third straight game without injured guard Andrew Jones, who leads the team in scoring (15.3 points) and 3-point accuracy (43.2) - two areas in which Texas is struggling mightily (233rd in Division I in scoring at 72.7 points, 338th in 3-point shooting at 27.9 percent). Junior forward Dylan Osetkowski (15.2 points, 7.5 rebounds) has been a steadying offensive force, however, providing at least 16 points in five straight and seven of 11 games this season. Coleman has totaled 20 points on 7-of-30 shooting and 13 turnovers over the last five games - including 10 miscues in his last two - since tallying 19 points on 7-of-15 from the field and one turnover in an overtime loss to Gonzaga on Nov. 26.

ABOUT ALABAMA (8-3): Sexton is getting plenty of help from fellow freshman John Petty (12.8 points), who returned to his hometown in Huntsville, Ala., to drain four 3-pointers for the second straight outing and finish with 18 points - his second-highest scoring performance of the season. Junior forward Donta Hall (11.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.7 blocks) provides an inside presence for the Crimson Tide at 6-9 and 232 pounds and ranks fourth in Division I in field-goal percentage (74.3), although that number took a slight hit with Tuesday's 4-for-6 effort. Sophomore Dazon Ingram (11.4 points, 6.5 boards) is mired in a four-game shooting slump (9-for-32) but is still averaging 10.3 points and 9.7 rebounds over his last three contests.

TIP-INS

1. Alabama is second-to-last in the SEC in free-throw percentage (66.3) but ranks third in the conference in makes (197) and first in attempts (297).

2. Bamba, who set season lows in points (four) on 1-of-8 shooting and rebounds (seven) Monday, has swatted at least four shots in six straight games and in all but one of his 10 outings this season.

3. The Crimson Tide have scored at least 82 points in five contests in 2017-18, one more time than they did all of last season.

PREDICTION: Alabama 75, Texas 71