Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
2:53 pm Monday, January 6, 2003

Big crowd keys Tide victory

By By Mark Etheridge / special to the star
Jan. 6, 2003
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. Last week in Utah, Mark Gottfried's team got a taste of what a raucous crowd can mean in a close ballgame as his squad lost its first game and number one national ranking.
In the postgame interviews, Gottfried implored his own crowd for support. What Gottfried and Alabama got was a sellout crowd and a big home win of their own over 19th ranked Xavier 65-58.
Xavier's superstar forward, David West, was impressed with the atmosphere at Coleman.
The game also featured a matchup between two of the nation's top big men, Alabama's Erwin Dudley and Xavier's David West. West appeared to be on his way to a showcase game with 16 points and eight rebounds in the first half.
The Tide clamped down on the 6-foot-9 senior shutting him out in the second half. West played all forty minutes but did collect a single point nor board after intermission.
Dudley responded from a subpar outing in Utah with another double-double. The senior scored 18 points and grabbed ten rebounds for Alabama, now 10-1. He also locked up West for much of the second half.
player. I am a great player. We just wanted to go out just guard him like we are supposed to do."
So what did West think of Dudley who is the reigning SEC
Player of the Year?
Dudley was impressed with West before shutting him down in the second half.
He was shooting the ball."
Freshman forward Chuck Davis was also instrumental in checking the workhorse West.
first half I thought he was going to slaughter us but we came out in the second half and we did a good job. We helped on him more. We didn't let him go one-on-one.
Dudley finished with 18 points and ten rebounds. West ended his night with 16 points and 8 rebounds. West played all forty minutes compared to Dudley's 34.

Also on Franklin County Times
Thorpe to play at Blue Mountain Christian
High School Sports, News, Russellville, ...
Brannon King For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE – Brennon Thorpe made his plans official to attend Blue Mountain Christian University and play baseball for the Toppers during a recent s...
Russellville High Class of 1967 gathers, reminisces
Columnists, News, Opinion, ...
HERE AND NOW
July 16, 2025
You can’t really go back to the good old days of high school, but you can pay them a visit now and then. That’s exactly what the RHS Class of 1967 has...
Former Cypress Lakes official to lead Guntersville State Park
Lifestyles, News
Bernie Delinski For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
GUNTERSVILLE — Heath Puckett had an Auburn University degree and golf course superintendent certification in his pocket when he arrived at Cypress Lak...
European travel builds bonds across cultures
Lifestyles, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE -- A group of Franklin County travelers spent nine days this summer walking through catacombs, exploring castles and standing in places w...
Little Free Library welcomes readers in East Franklin
Lifestyles, News, Phil Campbell
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
PHIL CAMPBELL — Eleven-year-old Aiden Hall is an avid reader, but he doesn’t just want to read books. He also wants to share them, and the way he deci...
King becomes elementary curriculum director
Lifestyles, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELVILLE — Molly King says every child can learn, though not necessarily in the same way or on the same day — a belief she plans to carry into her ...
New Junior Leaders begin their training
Franklin County, News
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
FRANKLIN COUNTY — Forty-two high school students from across Franklin County are beginning 10 months of hands-on leadership training and community ser...
Fire destroys 2-story garage, guest suite
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
R U S S E L LV I L L E – Jason Gist leaned against the wall of his home with a look of disgust while dozens of firefighters worked to extinguish a fir...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Stories
July 4, 2025Augusto Simon Diaz, 42, of Russellville, passed away July 4. Visitation and funeral were held at Spry Memorial Chapel on July 12 from 2pm ...
July 16, 2025
July 8, 2025Jamie Kerby Cummings, 41, of Russellville, passed away on July 8. Visitation took place July 13, at Spry Memorial Chapel from 1 pm to 3pm....
July 16, 2025
July 11,2025Julie “JuJu” Welch Black, 63, of Russellville, passed away on July 11.Graveside service was held at 1pm on July 13, at Belgreen Cemetery w...
July 16, 2025
July 9, 2025Scott Noel Benford, age 58, of Muscle Shoals, passed away on July 9. Visitation was held at Pinkard Funeral Home in Russellville on July 1...
July 16, 2025