TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Coleman Coliseum might feel a little less familiar for No. 7 Alabama basketball on Saturday night.

It has been 33 days since the Crimson Tide played a game on their home court on November 11th, defeating McNeese State 72-64. During that time, Alabama endured a trying stretch, picking up wins over then-ranked No. 25 Illinois, No. 6 Houston, Rutgers and No. 6 North Carolina, while falling to then-ranked No. 13 Purdue and Oregon.

The Tide’s long-awaited homecoming hit a hurdle this week as Alabama’s opening ceremonies were held at Coleman Area on Thursday and Friday. The Tide was able to practice in its home gym on Monday and Tuesday, but due to school closures, will not be able to complete the typical gameday shootaround situation before Saturday’s matchup against Creighton.

“We’ll be there right before the game and try to get a feel for it,” head coach Nate Oats said during his press conference Friday. “I think the good thing for us is that we play here and we had the opportunity to do some practice there. But yeah, we were mostly at the gym or practicing on the road in Las Vegas last month.”

Alabama (7-2) is currently the favorite by 11.5 points over Creighton (7-3). The Bluejays hold a 3-0 record over the Crimson Tide, including an 85-82 win in Omaha, Nebraska last year.

Here’s everything you need to know about Saturday’s matchup.

WHO: No. 7 Alabama (7-2) vs. Creighton (7-3)

When: 7:30 p.m. CT, Saturday, December 14th

Where: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Regard: SEC Network (Play-by-Play: Tom Hart, Analyst: Dane Bradshaw)

Hear: Crimson Tide Sports Network | SIRIUS/XM 134/201 (Play-by-Play: Roger Hoover, Analyst: Bryan Passink)

Mark Sears: 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, graduate

Statistics: 16.4 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.1 apg, 37.0% FG, 28.8% 3pt

Labaron Philon: 6-foot-4, 177 pounds, freshman

Statistics: 11.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.0 apg, 52.0% FG, 27.3% 3pt

Jarin Stevenson: 1.95 meters tall, 100 kilograms, sophomore

Statistics: 5.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.0 apg, 41.7% FG, 25.9% 3pt

Grant Nelson: 1.90 meters tall, weighs 110 kilograms, graduate

Statistics: 13.1 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.0 apg, 54.1% FG, 29.6% 3pt

Clifford Omoruyi: 1.90 meters tall, weighs 110 kilograms, graduate

Statistics: 8.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 0.8 apg, 71.8% FG

Steven Ashworth: 6 feet, 175 pounds, senior

Statistics: 15.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 5.9 apg, 41.5% FG, 40.0% 3pt

Jamiya Neal: 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, senior

Statistics: 10.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 4.7 apg, 46.7% FG, 25.0% 3pt

Mason Miller: 6-foot-9, 195 pounds, junior

Statistics: 1.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 0.6 apg, 15.0% FG, 15.8% 3-pt

Jackson McAndrew: 1.90 meters tall, 100 kilograms, freshman

Statistics: 7.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 0.2 apg, 36.7% FG, 29.4% 3pt

Ryan Kalkbrenner: 7-foot-1, 270 pounds, senior

Statistics: 17.3 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.2 apg, 73.8% FG

These types of plays are why Alabama brought in Clifford Omoruyi this offseason. The Rutgers transfer is considered one of the best rim protectors in the country. While he hasn’t yet matched his numbers from previous seasons, the 6-foot-2 center is off to a solid start for the Tide.

Omoruyi leads Alabama with 1.4 blocks per game and is averaging 8.1 points and 6.1 rebounds over 18.3 minutes per game. The graduate big has already held his own against top names like Illinois’ Tomislav Ivisic and Oregon’s Nate Bittle. However, this weekend will be his biggest test since joining the Tide.

Creighton is bringing one of the best college basketball players in Ryan Kalkbrenner to Coleman. The 7-foot-1 senior was named to the watch list for the Naismith Player of the Year award and posted a 49-point game earlier this season.

Last season, Alabama struggled to protect Kalkbrenner, as then-starting Tide center Mohamed Wague was fouled in just seven minutes on the court before backup Nick Pringle was fouled over 23 minutes. Kalkbrenner finished with 19 points and eight rebounds despite dealing with a sprained ankle.

Alabama will need a better performance from Omoruyi to better compete against the Creighton big man on Saturday night.

“Cliff has to rise to the challenge and play a little better,” Oats said. “We didn’t stress our post-D period before the Purdue game as much as we should have in hindsight. I didn’t think it would be a problem. The fact that Cliff never has to guard the post in practice makes it a little more difficult for him to be a great post defender since he doesn’t face a great post player every day in practice. But I think he’s more than capable of being good and against these dominant post players who like to feed the post players, we probably need to let him play a few more minutes.”

It will be much easier for Alabama to contain Kalkbrenner if its supporting corps doesn’t strike from deep. Creighton has been hot and cold from across the Arc this season. The Bluejays have shot a total of 33 of 73 (45.2%) in their last three wins against UNLV, Kansas and Notre Dame, but have shot a total of 31 of 110 (28.18) in their last three games against Texas A&M, San Diego State %) defeats and Nebraska.

Last season, Mason Miller led Creighton with a 45.4% shooting percentage from three. The 1.99 meter tall forward has only 3 of 19 (15.8%) balls from distance this season, but managed two of four deep balls during the Bluejays’ upset -NO. 1 Kansas last week. Miller hit 2 of 3 shots from distance against Alabama last year, while Creighton shot 6 of 18 from 3 shots.

While Alabama needs to focus heavily on Kalkbrenner inside, Oats said his team also needs to respect the Bluejays’ shooters Saturday night.

“There are several guys on this team who can shoot,” Oats said. “So you start doubling and playing forward (Kalkbrenner). Whether you double after it goes in (into the paint) or in front, you’re pulling two people in to protect it, which means there’s a two-on-one battle somewhere. These guys move the ball really well, they find the tackle. When it’s two-on-one with two elite shooters and two great passers, all of a sudden you’re giving up threes.”

– Saturday’s game will be the fifth and sixth of the last seven straight games in which Alabama will face a player on the Naismith Player of the Year watch list (Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner, North Carolina’s RJ Davis, Jackson Shelstad of Oregon, Ace Bailey of Rutgers, etc.). Dylan Harper, Houston’s LJ Cryer and Purdue’s Braden Smith).

– Alabama faced eight opponents ranked in the KenPom top 100. Four of those were in the top 20. Alabama is currently tied with Purdue for the most games of this type this season.

— Alabama is one of five SEC teams ranked in the Associated Press top 10. This is the first time the conference has had five teams ranked in the top 10.

– Creighton and Alabama have made the Sweet 16 in three of the last four seasons. Houston, Gonzaga and UCLA are the only other programs to achieve this feat in that span.

– Since January 20, 2014, Creighton has recorded 15 wins against teams ranked in the top 10 in the AP poll. Before that, the Blue Jays went 14,588 days (February 10, 1974 to January 19, 2014) without such a win.

– Creighton head coach Greg McDermott has a 7-5 record against SEC teams, including a 3-0 record against Alabama.