Alabama alumnus Williams rooting for ex-teammates

ATLANTA — Outside the locker room, injured Jazz big man Curtis Borchardt shuffled like he had just lost his best friend. Inside, Mo Williams grinned because of what some of his best friends had just found: a way into the NCAA's Sweet 16.

While the Jazz were busy beating Atlanta on Saturday night, Williams' old school, Alabama, was upsetting No. 1 seed Stanford.

That was bad news for Borchardt and fellow Stanford product Jarron Collins of the Jazz, but terrific news for Williams.

"Roll Tide, roll," Williams said.

Williams, a rookie guard who has stuck with the Jazz despite being a second-round draft choice, left Alabama after just two seasons. For that, he has no misgivings, though it's clear where his heart remains.

"I don't regret nothing I've done in my life," he said. "I mean, I'm with them. I love those guys. We had a real close team, so I . . . talk to 'em before every game. I talked to 'em (Saturday) morning.

"I went to a game during the All-Star break, and they embraced me just like I was still there," Williams added. "I mean, I love 'em with all my heart — and I hope the best for 'em. I'm behind 'em, just like I'm there."

He even calls them "we."

"We're going to the Sweet 16, baby," Williams said. "How sweet can it be?"

RAUL'S WOES: Frustrated with how Raul Lopez struggled to get the Jazz into their offense in Saturday's second quarter, coach Jerry Sloan pulled the backup point guard early.

But Sloan gave Lopez a second chance in the second half, and the rookie from Spain responded.

"He did a much better job," Jazz swingman Raja Bell said of Lopez, who, bloody nose and all, finished with five assists and 10 points on 5-of-6 field shooting. "Him getting us into the offense like that and really settling us down . . . was critical."

"I feel good about the last quarter," added Lopez, who suggested patience was all it took.

Still, Sloan expects more, even from rookies like Lopez.

"That's something they've got to learn if they're gonna play in this league — that you've got to have some toughness to be able to stay in there, and put the ball where it's supposed to go, and go ahead and run the play," the Jazz coach said. "You either learn it, or somebody takes your job."

LOCAL GUYS: Ex-Jazz backup point guard Jacque Vaughn had three points on 3-of-4 free-throw shooting in 13 off-the-bench minutes for the Hawks.