GAME NOTES: Seeking to improve on a six-game win streak, the Alabama Crimson Tide will tangle with the South Carolina Gamecocks in an SEC contest at Colonial Life Arena on Tuesday.

Alabama won five consecutive home games before embarking on the team's third road game of the season to Tennessee. The Crimson Tide defeated the Volunteers, 56-38, for their sixth consecutive win to push them to 12-3 on the season, with a 2-0 mark in SEC play.

South Carolina, on the other hand, has dropped two straight decisions to Florida (72-68) and Ole Miss (65-49) - both conference contests. These losses come directly following a seven-game win streak. USC is 9-5 on the season, but owns a 6-2 mark at home.

Alabama owns the all-time series lead over South Carolina, 25-13. The two sides only met once last season, which saw the Gamecocks come away with a narrow 67-66 win.

Alabama absolutely dominated Tennessee defensively, holding the Volunteers to a meager 31.1 percent shooting from the floor, which included a 2-of-17 mark from 3-point distance. The Tide held just a five-point lead at halftime, but a 14-point second half for the Vols (behind 20.8 percent shooting) buried the team from any chance of a comeback. Rodney Cooper tallied 17 points with five rebounds and five assists to lead the team, while Ricky Tarrant added 14 points and Jimmie Taylor chipped in with 13 in the victory. The Crimson Tide shot 41.7 percent from the field.

Levi Randolph was able to maintain his team-leading scoring average, although the senior guard would net just nine points against Tennessee. Randolph heads into Tuesday's game averaging 15.3 ppg, also bringing in 44 assists to top the squad, and a 5.1 rpg mark that comes in tied for second on the team behind Michael Kessens's 5.7 rpg. Tarrant contributes 13.2 ppg this season, and Cooper tallies 10.9 ppg for the Tide, who are averaging 70.5 ppg as a unit on 44.7 percent shooting. Alabama has done a stellar job holding opponents to just 61.7 ppg on 40.7 percent shooting this season.

Much like Tennessee was against Alabama, South Carolina's offense was virtually non-existent in the second half in a 65-49 loss to Ole Miss on Saturday. The Gamecocks connected on 33.3 percent shooting in the second frame, which included a dismal 0-of-10 mark from 3-point range. Overall, USC shot 36.7 percent from the floor in the loss. Tyrone Johnson scored 13 points to pace his Gamecocks, while Sindarius Thornwell and Duane Notice each added nine points in the losing effort.

Notice enters Tuesday's clash leading in the scoring department, averaging 12.4 ppg this season on a 44.2 percent connection from the floor. Thornwell isn't too far off the pace at 10.9 ppg, and Johnson chips in with 10.4 ppg. As a unit, South Carolina is tallying 71.4 ppg this season - a respectable number - with plenty of role players contributing at least 6.9 ppg. Mindaugas Kacinas leads the Gamecocks with a 5.9 rpg mark, and Marcus Stroman's 57 assists is the highest total for a player on USC so far. South Carolina's 59.6 ppg average allowed to opponents is one of the best in the SEC this season.

South Carolina has suffered through some tough losses of late, but the team is by no means down and out for the count. Still, Alabama has been playing on another level in the SEC to start conference play, and the Crimson Tide are to be feared, whether home or away. As long as Randolph, Tarrant and Cooper can play as a cohesive unit, they can be an unstoppable force this season.