tide seeks win number seven

RICHMOND IS VERY GOOD...

     The Spiders are always competitive and they have been for a long time. I think Alabama should beat Richmond, but it probably will not be easy. Richmond is an excellent basketball program, but Alabama is getting better.  How good the Tide becomes remains to be seen, but the Nat Oats brand of basketball is pretty impressive. Add Q, Rojas, and Gary to this team and the Tide would be a top-four SEC team in my opinion. The Oats five-out offense is innovated and a lot of fun to watch. If the Tide can cut down on the turnovers and rebound better the wins will add up. 

         Bama is coming off an impressive win over Belmont. Don't confuse Belmont with Kentucky though. In March, Belmont will probably be invited to the Big Dance. Richmond might make it as well. AOL.COM recently suggested that the win over Belmont was a signature win. That was pretty funny in my opinion. Nat Oats knows that a signature win will be over a highly ranked team. Such win will announce a step up for the Tide. John Wooden once said that a team reaches the top in different steps. First, you win your home games, and perhaps whip a bid dog in the process. Next, you win some road games. Next, you win all your home games and most of your road games. Then you win championships. I think he was correct. This was before the NCAA allowed a one-year professional amateur (so to speak).

        Bama is still in step-one but a win over Richmond would be Wimp-like sweet. I think the Tide will be 4 point favorite. It could be as much as six. I like Tide by 8.

tide must do all the little things...

 

  Beating the team that beat Duke would be a pretty good win for the Tide. I'm surprised that Alabama is a 12 point favorite. At this point I'm surprised that Alabama would be a 12 point favorite over anyone. That's no insult to Coach Oats or his players. The Crimson Tide has had more bad luck than any team might overcome. Pat on the back for the effort that Alabama has shown so far. Alabama just doesn't have enough bodies to sustain a fast paced offense for a long season. I don't blame Oats for using his system. He's attempting to change the culture of Alabama basketball. He's trying to install his system. This wide open run and gun offense should attract some big time recruits in the the future. Oats has already convinced one big time player to come to Tuscaloosa.

    Tonight, two high powered offensive teams will hit the floor. It should be a fun game to watch. I've driven from Tuscaloosa to watch it. That's a long drive to see a team with a losing record. Why? I think the future of Alabama basketball is going to get better. It will be better than Avery Johnson and Anthony Grant's tenures? Will Oats be better than C.M. Newton and Wimp Sanderson ? We'll know in a couple of more seasons. One thing I believe. The league is better overall than when either Wimp  or C.M. was the Tide head coach We won't know this year but this team will make some progress if they can do a couple of things. 

1. Turnovers are killers. Kira Lewis, Jr. is a turnover machine because it seems he feels he has to carry the team. He doesn't. He only has to distribute the ball with some common sense, understand he can't always take the ball to the hoop,  and just take a few mid-range jump-shots.

2. Rebounding is always important. The problem is that Bama just doesn't have any animals inside. That is not going to change this season. John Petty is our best rebounder, and that should tell us all something.

3.  Beetle Bailey needs more big time games. In the last game Bailey showed us some shooting skills, and I thought settled the team down some. Is it possibl that Bailey plays the point and Lewis plays the two more now? That's an idea.  

4. Bama has done a better job from the line. Free throws are important. 

    The little things always win or lose basketball games. Cut down on the turnovers, take better shots, play tougher defense, and hit the glass the best you can. If Bama can settle down and do those things they will win some games. Right now, they seem hell bent on running full speed per the coaches instrutions. That's okay. But some the players need to remember to think as well as run. Roll Tide.