Sport Slices

Carleton University has done it again.

The Ravens, winners of seven straight Canadian titles, defeated Alabama, 84-71, on Wednesday night in the 2017 Can-Am Shootout.

Yasin Joseph led all scorers with 19 points off the bench for Carleton. Eddie Ekiyor, a former Xavier forward, posted a double-double of 16 points and 11 boards.

Alabama was led by the freshman backcourt of John Petty and Collin Sexton, who scored 16 and 15 points, respectively.

“This was one of the games that we, as a coaching staff, had circled on the schedule because this team has historically done really well against some of the most high-level American universities that have come over here to play,” Alabama head coach Avery Johnson said in a statement released by the school following the loss.

“We knew they were going to play physical, rebound the basketball and shoot threes, and they did all of those things. This is strictly an evaluation trip. We had the chance to play six or seven different lineups, play a lot of different guys and look at a lot of different matchups. We didn’t do as good of a job on both ends of the floor that we are capable of, but this was a great learning experience for our team.”

The Crimson Tide are projected as a top-25 entering this season. But this shouldn’t worry those in Tuscaloosa. Aside from dominating the Canadian college scene, winning 13 of the last 15 national titles, the Ravens have made a habit of defeating some of college basketball’s best programs. It’s also worth noting that the game is played on Canadian soil, meaning the game was played under international rules such as 10-minute quarters and a shortened shot clock.

Wednesday night was Carleton’s 28th victory over an NCAA Division I program.

Last summer, Wichita State fell to Carleton. The Shockers went on to finish the 2016-17 season ranked in the top-10, according to kenpom.com In 2013, Wisconsin was upended by the Ravens. Seven months later, the Badgers appeared in the first of two straight Final Four. If you’re the Crimson Tide, a loss to Carleton is hardly an omen for how this season will unfold.

Alabama concludes its tour of Canada on Thursday against the University of Ottawa. Carleton, which previously lost to Towson, has another chance at a Division I upset, taking on Vanderbilt on August 14 in the Bahamas.