TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Vincent Council says he was all but weaned watching college basketball on television.

Growing up in Brooklyn, he’d watch games with his brother and his friends and marvel at the crazy crowds and the festive atmospheres on display around the country. Friday night, he’ll experience those fans and the not-so-welcoming Southern atmosphere when Providence College faces the Alabama Crimson Tide at Coleman Coliseum.

“I’m so excited,” said PC’s freshman point guard. “I can’t wait to see the fans on the road yelling at us, just like on TV. I’ve never been there, but it’s a big school. They’ll be heckling us.”

Council won’t be alone in experiencing the newness of a road game. Seven Friars will suit up for their first road test against a Tide team that is still adjusting to first-year coach Anthony Grant. The former Virginia Commonwealth coach is 1-1 in his first two games with the Tide, losing to Cornell and beating Jackson State. After three season-opening wins at home last weekend, the Friars are about to taste the challenge of a road game for the first time.

“This isn’t the ideal schedule,” said coach Keno Davis, “but after three home games we go on the road to face a major conference team, and I really think this will help us down the road. To have a game like this right now is a great early test. If you win, great. If not, it will help us an awful lot, too.”

Asked if he thinks Council, Bilal Dixon, Duke Mondy and his other newcomers are ready for a match up against an athletic Southeastern Conference team, Davis didn’t hesitate with his answer. “No. We’re not. Freshmen are rarely ready to face that test, but they’re going to see it and learn an awful lot from it.”

Both teams are in the learning stage. Grant, a former top assistant of Billy Donovan’s for the University of Florida’s national title teams, said Thursday that his team is very much a work in progress. But the Tide does return four starters, including 6-9 sophomore big man JaMychal Green (15 points, 7 rebounds) and senior guard Mikhail Torrance (14.5 ppg).

“We’re still learning how we want to play, like a lot of teams,” Grant said. “We have limited numbers right now and we need to practice. We need to get better.”

Grant said that after watching PC’s three victories, he sees a very familiar style. “They press and shoot a lot of threes and really hit the boards very hard. Those are some of the things we want to do, as well,” he said.

The problem for the Friars is Alabama may have better athletes and more size. The Tide will be without senior point guard Anthony Brock. He’s suspended for the second straight game. Junior-college recruit Charvez Davis, a big-time shooter, will replace him. The Tide also welcomes one of the top freshmen in the SEC in explosive swingman Tony Mitchell. The 6-6 Georgia native leads the team with 17.5 points a game and has already established himself as a future star. “Tony has a great motor,” said Green. “He loves to dunk.”

Alabama lost its opener to Cornell, 71-67, when a veteran Big Red team frustrated the Tide by making 10 3-point shots. Paced by 23 points from Mitchell, ’Bama played much better in an 86-69 win over Jackson State.

PC is hoping its leading scorer, Marshon Brooks, will be close to full strength. Brooks twisted his ankle in the second half of the Friars’ 79-77 win over Mercer. Brooks can run but is not 100 percent.