High Flying Tide hosts Auburn

Tide set on winning SEC West outright

Bama's Top Gun...

Chubb is a load...

     For Bama hoops fans Wednesday night is a very important game. First, beat Auburn in any sport is fun. Second, it is very important to dominate your In State Rival. Anthony Grant understands that. He understand that 365 days a year, and like another coach in Tuscaloosa he approaches his season with the same goal in mind.  When Alabama was thinking about hiring Grant I sent Mal Moore an email. In sum, it said if you hire Grant he will beat Auburn 4 out of 5 games and never loose at home.  It may take a couple of seasons to do so, but he will do so. I also suggested that he get ready to sign a long term contract with a HUGE buyout clause. That's how sure of success Anthony Grant would be in my eyes.

This is Mitchell
to ground control

On Wednesday night before a regional audience on the SEC Sports Network Coach Grant prepares his team to beat the Tigers for the second time this season. Do that every season and Grant will live long and prosper as Mr. Spock once said.

BAMA ON A ROLL...     
     Alabama has won 13 out of their last 15 games.  Excellent... but more important they have won 10 of their last 12 SEC games.  Alabama now stands at 18-8 and with a couple of more wins will get an NCAA invitation for what Ben Cook said had to be the worst name for any sports championship - the Big Dance. He always said it sounds like something you won at a dance marathon.

Gabriel can score

"and then throw it to Green
again, Got it?"

     When you look at Alabama's remaining schedule you have to think that Bama will do no worse than a tie for first in the SEC.  Florida on the road will be tough, but not impossible. The Gators will come in at about a five point favorite in a game on which no one will place a bet except the truly gambling impaired. Bama should take care of Georgia at home. That leaves Ole Miss on the road. That will be a toughie. A lot of teams don't play well in the Tad Pad, and Alabama has no exemption on that list. However... What if Bama wins the SEC outright, and knocks off a couple of teams in the SEC Tournament?  I know you are thinking what if the cow jumped over the moon? Check the pasture and start seeing a lot of bovines (no knock to AU) looking into the night time sky. 14-4 is going to win the SEC. 13-3 will win the SEC outright. If Bama wins the SEC outright and then wins a couple of games in the SEC Tourney they will be a five seed. They might be a four. Okay, you say what is this old man smoking? Perhaps the Crimson Tide won't be a five. Maybe they'll be a higher seed who makes an opposing coach gasp when he sees the pairings.

ALABAMA SHOULD BEAT AUBURN ON WEDNESDAY...

Can Davis go downtown?

because they are a better team. Auburn is not as bad as their record. Early this season I told a buddy of mine that Auburn might be the worst team in SEC history. I went back and found out a few past Bama teams might win that one.  One paper the match ups are pretty close. But  here is why Bama should win:

Green vs. Chubb: Advantage to Green but Chubb is a lot better than you think. The worst thing that Chubb could do is get Green in foul trouble.

SEC Coach of the Year?

Gabriel vs. Mitchell:  I think that Kenny Gabriel is underrated. The 6-8 forward has quietly had a banner year for the Tigers. Likewise, Mitchell is underrated in the eyes of national media. He scores very high among super heroes, however.
Releford vs. Eric Ross:  Trevor Releford has astounded the SEC basketball world. More than anything Releford's steady play has made the Tide a good team. His play has allowed Green and Mitchell to elevate their games to a higher level. But don't sell Ross short. The 6-4 guard, a walk-on, has done well for the Tigers. You have to like his hard play.

Chris Hines vs. Allen Payne: Auburn plays four guards. So this match up is a big plus for Bama if Hines can post up however matches up with him.

Can Barbee pull top
kids to AU?

Charvez Davis, Andrew Steele, and Antonio Hillman vs. Josh Langford: 

I put all three of these guys together because they have been splitting minutes. I wonder if Grant might start Davis and Hillman in their last game against Aubie. It would be nice but not necessary. All three bring strenghts. Davis is a underrated defender. Davis is dynamite when he is on from the outside. Steele is just old school solide. He can score from an outside and slash inside. He seems to have a calming effect on the team when they need it most.  Hillman is a thief in the night. He'll have your pants before you know it, and he seems to have a way of making big baskets.
COACHES:  Grant vs. Barbee - You can't win picking the "best" coach. I think Barbee has a good upside. I'm just not sure how up you can go at AU. Grant is a proven winner at VCU and he has Bama on the upswing. Bama is a historically signficant basketball school regardless of being a football school. Bama is second only to Kentucky in the SEC in school wins. Almost any school in the nation would be second if they were in the SEC. What Bama lacks is a trip to the Final Four.

Can Grant get the Tide to the Final Four?

Hines had key steal in comeback
over Arkansas.

Scenario needs to play
tough D and score some
outside.

 Can Grant eventually get Bama there? I'm betting he can. I'll go out on a limb and say I think Bama gets there before Kentucky. Laugh if you want, but you will not win a national championship starting primarily freshmen, and if all you do is recruit one and done it's tough. How often do you look over your shoulder a recruiting and say "Am I done?"  Bama can find great players and promise them playing time in a big time arena, the best athletic facilities in the country, and a bright and promising future.

Final Score Prediction:  Bama 71 Auburn 59

NEXT WEEK ON BAMABASKETBALL.NET

Can Anthony Grant get Lacey to come to Bama?
I'm betting he will...

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