Alabama set for their first SEC game...

      Tuesday night at eight P.M., the Tide opens their SEC season with the Ole Miss Rebels. Normally, a home game with the Rebels would be a fun night. That is not going to be the case this time. This will be a pressure-packed game for Nat Oats as his team hopes to right a shaky ship.  

      Expectations soared in the off-season. The Tide stands at 5-3 right now. I thought the Tide would have been 7-1. The Tide could have won a couple of games that we tossed column due to horrible outside shooting. Bad shooting and poor shot selection killed the Tide in all three losses. Poor free-throw shooting was thrown in for good measure. I mean, if you are playing bad, why not throw in the entire enchilada?  Add in 15+ turnovers and getting killed on the boards, and that completed the hat-trick for Alabama. All in all, the three losses and even a couple of the wins gave us a night of terrible basketball.

    Alabama could have won two of those games even though they shot the ball poorly. Late game turnovers seemed to be a part of the game plan, as the Tide squandered a couple of leads. No more messing around now for Oats trying to find which players will be in his rotation. It is time to put up or shut up. Frankly, I have no idea what we'll see. I have been told that the two suspended players from the last game will be back. 

     Assuming Petty is back in the starting line up, the Tide is likely to start Quineraly, Bruner, Jones, and Shackleford. Shack showed Tide fans that his shooting slump may be over. Petty has been one of the walking dead on the offensive end. If the senior can get his shooting eye back, the Tide will be competitive. Quinerly had a good game against East Tennessee State. Ole Miss is not ESTU, however. The Rebels are playing excellent basketball. Kermit Davis is a good coach. The Ole Miss head coach is very underrated. The Rebels are 5-1. The only good team, the Rebels, have played was an affair against the Dayton Flyers. Ole Miss lost that game. 

    The Tide needs to shoot better, reduce turnovers, make their free throws, and break even on the boards. If you wonder what has been wrong with the team, just look at areas of needed improvement. A lot of those problems might be remedied by a set player rotation, I believe.  

I will have more tomorrow...

   

 BEING A TIDE BASKETBALL FAN IS TOUGH

    If you are an Alabama basketball fan, you learn to suffer but always hope. You hope for things you may never see. You try to believe in the future. It rarely comes true; you still return to hoping.  You wish for something that may never occur. Wait, that's not correct. You want something that probably won't come true. Still...

   You can always try to temper your expectations, but the love of anything makes that impossible.  Whether it's a woman or basketball, we all make horrible decisions. It seems we are incapable of being rational. For some reason, the suffering never eradicates our desire to see Alabama become a basketball power.  Take me, for example. I continue to believe that the next coach at Alabama will change things. I started loving Alabama when Johnny Dee coached the Rocket Eight. 

   I watched the longest shot in college basketball. George Linn launched a Foster Auditorium shot that went through the rafters and bottomed out 88 feet and 11 inches later.  The North Carolina head coach had the forethought to mark the spot.    Today, I still believe that Jerry Harper is one of the greatest Alabama players to lace 'em up. As a senior in '55-'56, he averaged 19 rebounds a game.  Think about that for a moment. Let that sink as the current vernacular of social media says.  

    Today, I think how good this current team would be if Leon Douglas walked on the court, or how about Roy Rogers?  There is always an enigma, isn't there? It is a puzzle we can't seem to solve.  Something is forever missing. We are one player short; we can't make free throws or fall one win short of making the NCAA Tournament. The ball is round, so it should bounce straight, but it doesn't. It is as if the laws of gravity conspire against us.  If Alabama basketball was a story, it would be a Grecian tragedy.  Perhaps the football team uses all the good luck up before the basketball season begins. I just don't know. 

   In my lifetime, I have seen the two great Alabama teams. The first would be the 1987 team coached by Sanderson. Derrick Mckey was the Alabama star.  The 1976 team was far and away the best team Alabama put on the floor. A couple of years after that loss to Indiana,  I sat next to Bobby Knight in Birmingham, watching a hoop star the Hoosiers wanted to sign.  He told me that Alabama was the best team in the NCAA in 1976. He quickly added next to Indiana. He kind of threw in the next to Indiana part to cover his bases. In my opinion, Alabama has had three top-notch coaches. Those are John Dee, Wimp Sanderson, and C.M. Newton. Of the three, I'd put Wimp first. But it is a close call. Most fans don't remember Coach Dee. 

    I've been blessed to see a lot of things. I saw Wendall Hudson play his first game at Alabama. He was the first black American player for Alabama. I got to be friends with several SEC coaches I still call friends. I watched Alabama play all over the world. In the summer, the players invited me to play half-court games with them. I've seen some sad things. I went to Charles Cleveland's funeral.  What a pleasure knowing the players and coaches. I used to radio shows with Ben Cook and Herb Winches. It was to promote basketball because it was the red-headed child of Alabama sports. It still it. 

   None of this means Alabama can't be great again. After all, hope springs eternal, indeed. It will cause me suffering but perhaps brings me joy. It is a cross that Alabama basketball fans carry. Roll Tide and Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year to you and your families.

 Tide needs to fix some problems...

    I wanted to let the football and CFP news die down a bit before discussing Alabama's performance in the Western Kentucky game. Losing is never fun. It's much harder to write about a lost game than a winning one. Waiting a few days and watching the game again gives some clarity to what happened. I hope this post provides some both positive and negative commentary.

   I have to say the game was troublesome in several areas. Alabama has some problems. The staff can address some issues in practice, but others will not be so easy to fix. Shooting is always fluctuating between hot and cold. Currently, the term I'd use for Tide shooting is "have you ever been to the South Pole." Petty, Quinerly, and Shack are struggling. Practice can help with most of these shooting problems. Practice also involves when to shoot and when to keep moving the ball. Alabama is not reversing the court with any regularity. That is going to make you take better shots. The free throw shooting is better, and I've noticed a correlation between the free throws and field goals made. The bottom line is that shooting will get better

     I have been impressed with the defense. Last season the defense was how many points the offense could score. That might be an overstatement. In the Furman and Western Kentucky games, the defense gave Alabama a chance to win in the second half. The tide took a three-lead in the Western Kentucky game but couldn't hold it. My point is the Bama defense played well enough to win. Alabama has no answer to a big inside player, however.

     Two problems concern me. First, the Alabama point-guard play isn't good enough to win. Alabama hasn't replaced Lewis, Jr. Quinerly, a five-star recruit and a Parade All-American in high school hasn't played to his ability. I'm not sure what the problem is. Oats seem more comfortable playing Herb Jones at the point. Jones isn't a deadly outside shooter, and he doesn't dish when he goes inside. He also has a hard time finishing at the basket. Playing Jones at the point is, how do I say it, a unique move. I don't see it being a long term solution to our point-guard situation. Herb gives the Tide leadership and effort,  however. 

   Rebounding isn't up to SEC standards. Part of rebounding is technique. You have to block out. We don't do that well. The second part is an effort. I see effort from Petty, Shackleford, and Rojas. Rojas got limited minutes in the WKU game. Bruner isn't what I'd call a big man. He is a good rebounder, given the fact that he hangs around the three-point line. In theory, if you put your big man on the perimeter, it might cause the opponent's inside man to come outside. What Stansbury did was let his power forward to guard  Bruner and Reese.

    Shackleford and Petty cannot win the battle of the boards. Each gives it their best effort. Petty has to rebound and guard the small forwards and two guards. You can't rebound missed shots when you guard on the perimeter. The final thing regarding our inside game is playing your big men on the arc allows opponents to penetrate. 

    When the shots fall, this team will look better, but Oats needs to address and fix a few problems. He can only do what his roster allows him to do. 

ROJAS LIGHTS A FIRE...  

  

 A thumbs up to Bamathor for posting - that as we look back on this basketball season, it may well be that James Rojas turned the page for Nat Oats. Rojas turned vicious under the boards and on the floor to start a comeback against Furman. It seemed to me that JR lit a fire for the Tide. Rojas has gotten a lot of criticism from fans about his play. A torn ACL kept him off the court for over a year. Juan Gary contributed to the comeback as well. Gary is strong, and he can help the Tide under the boards. Of course, Herb Jones elevated his game in the second half. 

     You might recall my post at the end of the first half. Furman played a tremendous first half. They had won 25 games for the last two seasons and are a lock for the NCAA field o 64. In the first half, Petty, Shackelford, and Quineraly were 0 for everything. When your three leading scorers get shut down, you won't be leading. Alabama picked up their defense in the second half. Furman didn't get a lot of uncontested shots. The Tide took better shots in half two, and slowly Alabama overcame the ten-point Furman lead. Alabama took their first lead with 1:13 left on the clock when Rojas buried a three to give the Tide a three-point lead.

      The main reason Alabama won the game was winning the battle of the boards. Alabama had a commanding 49-28 lead on the glass. The offensive rebounds gave Alabama a lot of second and third shots that helped overcome shooting. Bama had 21 offensive boards. Furman had only 5

1. Tough defense and rebounding won the game for 'Bama.
2. The was only 50% from the free-throw line.
3. Quinerly strangely disappeared
4. Shackelford refound his touch in the second half. He is the dynamo for this team. He needs to play as much as possible.
5. Petty continues his slump. He will find his touch again. Shooters have to shoot. 
6. Oats is shortening his bench. That should lead to more cohesion on the floor.
7. Alabama will find itself in a war with Western Kentucky. Rick Stansbury will once again be on the sideline at Coleman.
8. Three years is usually needed to turn a program around. The boo birds need to shut up.
9. 
   

MVP OF THE GAME: tie between Jones and Rojas.

Tide clicks on all cylinders to beat the Friars...

   

Alabama put together a complete game to beat Providence 88-71. The Tide shot 53% in the second half to open up a commanding 23 point lead. The Friars put together a run to cut the lead to 11, but triple threes put the game away for Alabama, but it was rebounding that made the difference. The Tide outboarded the Friars 48-28, and that was the difference. 18 of those boards were offensive—the Tide had13 turnovers. The Friar run in the second half was the result of several turnovers. Alabama settled down and put the game away with the beforementioned three-pointers. It was Alabama's third win of the young season. 

OBSERVATIONS:

1. Alex Reese had a good game. He was 2-4 from downtown. His key contribution was leaning on the Friars big man inside. 

2. John Primo statistically had the best game of any Tide player. He was three of six from behind the arc, pulled down three boards, and had a steal. It is becoming clear that Primo is going to be one heck of a player.

3.John Petty was, well, John Petty. His 16 points led the Tide. He also had 5 rebounds and was 5-6 from the free-throw line. Petty made only 1 of 6 three-pointers, but he is the team leader.

4. Alabama won the battle of boards by 48-28. Alabama got 18 extra attempts due to the offensive rebounds. That was the key stat to me. If Alabama wins off the glass, they win a lot of games.

5. Bruner played well, but he's not a true interior player. He made a three and pulled down a few boards. He fits the Oat's scheme because he is an outside threat. He is a great passer, as well. When the other team has to commit their inside player to the perimeter, you get more offensive boards.

6. Alabama made 78% of their free throws. That is a huge percentage and will pay off in close games. 

7. I think Quinerly needs to distribute the ball more, and I suspect he will. He is a good outside shooter and can penetrate for lay-ups.  He's an outstanding player and

has given Alabama a more than adequate replacement for Kira Lewis. He hasn't played much in the last year, so he'll elevate his have even more.

     Alabama now takes off ten days for final exams and preparation for Clemson.  That game will be played, pandemic allowing, in the Holiday Hoopsgiving played in Atlanta Georgia. 

     

   

 TIDE SHOOTS 57% IN 2nd HALF TO BEAT UNLV . . . 

     Some will complain about the Tide's win over UNLV.  They'd be wrong to do so. After a lackluster loss to Stanford, the Tide came in to soundly beat UNLV. The final score was 82-64. From a fan's perspective, it was a great game to watch. Bama's John Petty and UNLV's Caleb Grill both put on a shooting exhibition. Both players shot lights out from downtown. Grill couldn't miss in the first half. Petty opened up the game by draining two consecutive three-point shots. The UNLV small forward made 6 threes in the first half, but only on in the second half. The Tide mixed up their man coverage to shut him down. Petty made 6 threes. It was some great basketball to watch. 

When you rely on an offense that includes a ton of three-point attempts, you are going to have some bad games. Sorry, it's the truth. Cutting down on turnovers and better rebound will help. Do all three of those things, and you will beat some great teams. 

Why did the Tide win?

l. The Tide shot 48% from the floor and 57% in the second half. 

2. Nat Oats played fewer players and got some consistency on the floor.

3. John Petty had 22,Jahvon Quinerly had 19, and Herb Jones had 18. Balanced scoring helps

4. The Tide only lost the rebound war by 1. Rebounding needs to be improved. 

5. Good help off the bench. I think Josh Primo showed us he is going to a star and a solid contribution this season. 

TONIGHT'S GAME:

KenPom has Alabama a one-point favorite tonight. Providence was picked third in the Big East. The game time is 6:00 PM CST. The winner of tonight's game will 5th place. It means Alabama could be the winner of the losers bracket.  

Providence held on last night to beat Davidson College by one point. 

     

Tide stumbles against Stanford...

    Jack Nicklaus once said, "good putting covers up a multitude of sins." You can apply the same regarding shooting as basketball. Alabama, whose offense seems to live and die by the three, made only 23% from downtown against Stanford. That was the main reason the Tide got embarrassed in their first game of the Maui Classic. Add 15 turnovers to the mix, and Alabama dug their own grave. 

Alabama kept it close in the first half, but slowly the turnovers, poor shooting, and rebounded killed the Tide. Alabama also took too many questionable or even horrible shots. Once again, Alabama didn't finish enough inside shots to win. I'm sure this game is going to light up posting boards on several internet sites. 

It is going to take some time for this team to gel. Alabama played a helter-skelter game against Jax State but had enough athleticism to win. When you play a good team like Stanford, it will beat you every time. Alabama looks out of sorts, confused, and it will take some time. One game isn't the end of the season. The boo birds will flock to add their opinions. Let's move on. Nothing to see here, as the saying goes. The entire SEC is off to a bad start. A couple of horrible officiating calls early on put the Tide's game plan in jeopardy as well.

Alabama plays UNLV tonight. The Tide is an 8 point favorite.

 STANFORD CARDINAL PICKED 4TH IN PAC-12

    Alabama takes on Stanford at 8:30 CST in the Maui (not in Hawaii) Classic.

   The Maui Classic is perhaps the best Holiday basketball tournament in College basketball. Due to Covid, the tournament is being played in Ashville, North Carolina, and not in Hawaii. The Tide is a one-point underdog tonight. It's the Capstone vs. the Farm. Stanford is locked down from practicing in Santa Clara County, California. The Cardinal has been practicing in a high school gym in an adjacent county not under lockdown order. 

   The media has picked Stanford to finish 4th in PAC-12. Zaire Williams. The Cardinal is led by 6-9 Oscar da Silva. He is a two-time All Pac-12 Conference player. Stanford has signed its first five-recruit. Ziaire Williams, a 6-6 small forward, was one of the nation's top 25 high-school players. This pair is where the Cardinal will sink or swim. The Tide will like put  Bruner on da Silva and Jones on Williams. The remaining starters are solid and expect the Cardinal to play at least 8 players.

Alabama will likely start Bruner, Jones, Quinerly, Shackford, and Petty. It will be interesting to see if Nat Oats will go 10 deep in this game, or could he reduce the minutes to give his starters a little more time together. The Tide needs to improve its rebounding. 

KenPom has Stanford a one-point favorite.

My pick: Alabama by five.

 Alabama takes on Jacksonville State...

 

Nat Oates begins his second season

   Tonight at 7:00 PM the Crimson Tide opens to 20-21 season against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. According to the bookies, the Tide is a 21 point favorite. It marks the second season for Nat Oates who is fast becoming a fan favorite. In my opinion, Oates fits the bill for being the most successful basketball coach at Alabama since the Wimp Sanderson. Granted, the game has changed in some way since the Plaid One was our coach. Some things never change. In hoops, you have to build any team on the defensive end of the floor. The Tide has Herbert Jones to set the example on defense. You have to have a point guard whose ego is set aside to make other players offensive threats. Jahvon Quinerly has the pedigree to be the next great Alabama point guard. The former Parade All-American will be following in the steps of great Alabama points. You have to have a big man who can play defense and score a few points. Jordan Bruner, the Yale grad transfer, seems to have all those skills. If you have those three things you have a solid foundation for a great team. 

     This team averaged 82 points per game last season on the road to a 16-15 record. The Tide was short on players last year and that clearly showed in the last few games. Alabama finished 8-10 in the SEC last year. Expect this team to finish in the top four this season. If a few things fall into place the team might not win the SEC but they'll likely decide who will. Once again, coming to Tuscaloosa will be a nightmare for other teams. We all wonder how much-limited crowds will affect the home-court advantage. Let's hope not. 

      I like this Tide roster. Oats is ringing the bell in recruiting. John Petty is here to offer senior expertise and leadership. Jones will be a nightmare on defense, and from all reports, he's improved on offense. I can't tell you how many games this Tide team will win. No one knows how many games will be played. I think the Crimson and White will win 75% of the games they play. Number one will come tonight. Roll Tide.

'BAMA GETS A COMMITMENT FROM JOSH PRIMO...

Primo picks the Tide.

    Josh Primo, the five-star combo guard from Toronto-Royal Crown Academic School, narrowed his two choices down to Creighton and Alabama. He picked the Tide. Josh is 6-6 and weighs 170 pounds, and he is a five-star student as well. RC accepts four-hundred students. Royal Crown, Josh's school, has the highest acceptance into the premier colleges and universities in Canada. Primos isn't just a basketball player, he is a true scholar-athlete.  Nat Oates has already proven that education is as important as basketball with his players. 

Josh will be a key player for Alabama from the moment he hits the floor.  He is a John Petty type shooter from downtown. His ball-handling is above average, but his defense needs some work. It is rare to see a true freshman come into the SEC and be a stud on defense but Primo is a hard worker with an exceptional wingspan. Kudos to Oats and his staff for getting this young man to ink with Alabama. I expect he will be next year's version of Shackford. 

Jordan Bruner has 'Bama as one of his six 

        Let's assume that Lewis and Petty leave for the NBA. The Tide is still in a good position to be better next season. We will have Q at the point. Shackleford will be back. Primo might start in Petty's position. Alabama has Rojas and Gary coming in. I know that Oats loves the upside for both players. Knee injuries are tricky. If both are 100% the Tide will be a good team. Except... the Tide needs a rim protector. Davis showed some skills. A name we need to remember is Jordan Bruner of Columbia, S.C. who played at Yale. If Bruner signs with Alabama he will start and he will star. He is 6-9. He has the hops and he will finally give Alabama some size inside. 

      Next season I think Bama will have a better record.  The NCAA will give us a bid. I thought that Oats did a great job considering all the injuries and lack of depth. I know that he is looking everywhere for the type player that can sustain his system.   

What's next for sports?

     I don't have a crystal ball. Do we need one to predict the immediate future of sports in America?  The NCAA has declined to allow fans to come to the games in the Tournament. The NBA has shut down for the "immediate future." My guess is the SEC Tournament may not finish. That won't matter if the NCAA shuts down the Tournament. That may or may not happen, but we can tell which way the wind is blowing. If the CDC experts are correct (and I bet they are), things are going to get decidedly worse before getting better. Some pandemic experts believe that as many as one-hundred million Americans might contract the virus. The estimated death rate (as of now) is 3 or 4 percent. That could be 330,000 deaths. If the number is 1%, that is over 100,000 deaths.

     Don't be surprised if Alabama announces that the A-Day is canceled. I'm not saying I know anything, but adaptation is the keyword for all of our upcoming sports lives. Sadly, that might happen. When the NBA shuts down the schedule, it is going to cost owners a ton of money. My bet there is some sort of insurance for the cancellation of games. But there is no insurance for those who will die to bring them back to life. We shouldn't forget that. Above all, we must remember that. Things are going to change.

     What about Spring football. Are we looking at that getting suspended? Will, the University of Alabama, shut down if the virus spreads. I'll be honest. The fact that Alabama hasn't reported a single case of Covid 19 is more suspicious than surprising. The State of Alabama may have been very lucky. What is the over and under on the spread of Covid 19 that doesn't affect our hometowns? 

    What about Nat Oats and Nick Saban's staffs recruiting new players? How will that be affected by the virus? If US citizens can travel overseas, are we allowed to go to Canada to recruit basketball players? Will prospective players be allowed to come for on-campus visits? I'm not sure anyone knows the answers to any of these questions? I'm not really projecting, but I'm tossing out these questions for our posters to discuss.

MARCH MADNESS WITHOUT FANS PER NCAA...

     In a move that is sure to be controversial, the NCAA has decided to keep fans from attending games for the National Championship. Mark Emmert, President of the NCAA, made the announcement on Wednesday afternoon. This is an unprecedented decision that will be met with derision by fans and the cities which stand to lose millions of dollars in revenue. In reality, the Board of Governors had little choice in making their decision.

While many fans will be disappointed and will disagree, it will safeguard thousands of Americans from the Covid-19 Virus. The World Health Organization has just declared the outbreak as a World Pandemic. There is no way to ensure fans would not be exposed to a virus that is exploding across the United States at this time. It is a high moral conclusion given all intendant circumstances. This isn't going to popular, but the NCAA deemed it necessary. 

Part of the reason the NCAA reached this decision is to avoid litigation for exposure to the virus. This isn't a political decision, although it is likely some will paint it that way. This was an unprecedented decision in a unique situation.

It is what it is. This was a decision not made lightly. I was in Italy 10 days ago. This is a severe virus. It is killing thousands of people. We should respect what the NCAA has done, in my opinion. 

 It will not be surprising if the Tournament is shut down entirely.

Tide was just horrendous, but...

     It was a logical end to the illogical season.  Alabama finished the year at 16-15. Disappointing for sure. Some liken it to the apocalypse of Crimson basketball. Seriously? What did we really expect from a team that had no inside game, and injuries to numerous to count. Before the season began, some cautioned fans to be patient. Patience is not a part of the Alabama supporter's vocabulary. Nate Oats saw his team wither at the end due to fatigue, and too many minutes played. The coaching staff attempted to put a bandage over a hemorrhage. With 31 games played, it came as no surprise too many. It was misunderstood by casual fans.

    The record doesn't mean that Nat Oats is a poor coach. We shouldn't come to the conclusion that Alabama basketball will be stuck in the mud forever. There is plenty of reason to believe that Alabama's future will get better. I think that we should understand the coaching staff did all they could do given their limitations. Alabama will have a lot of talent back next season. There are reasons to believe that Oats started to build a foundation. Year two will be better. It takes time to build a program unless you take the Coach Wiretap route or you have an assistant coach who is, shall we say,  is familiar with cash transactions. In all fairness, it was disappointing to see a defense that had no teeth, poor rebounding, and far too many turnovers. The fact that Alabama won 16 games might have been their limit. 

    Alabama landed a four-star commitment early on, and there is reason to believe that a five-star two-guard will commit next month. Is Alabama looking in Europe for a quality big man? Let's say that the staff will leave no stone untouched. I think the future is bright for the Tide. 

Will Petty play today?

You have to admire John Petty. The junior shooting guard says he is suiting up today and play against Missouri. When Petty was injured during the Mississippi State game, it appeared his season was over. I don’t think there is much doubt that the Alabama run for an NCAA bid ended when Petty was hurt. Alabama has very little depth. The loss of John Petty was a bridge too far for the Tide.  After gutting out a win over South Carolina, the Tide played a horrible game against Vanderbilt and lost in TTown. That ended the Tide’s hope for an NCAA bid.

   I kept wondering how effective Petty would have been against Saban Lee. Petty had the quickness and wingspan to keep Lee’s scoring down. It wasn’t just Petty’s offense, which was missed. His defense and rebounding were outstanding as well. Today,  Alabama expects Petty to play. I think the term we should keep in mind is “cautiously.” Oats wants Petty in the SEC Tournament. That means that Petty might not get a lot of minutes, but he will get some vital minutes. Look for John to play some hard defense.

Oats was upset at the lack of hard play against Vandy. That won’t happen today, I’d bet. If you don’t play hard, you might find yourself on the bench. I’m in Columbia to watch the game. My heart says Bama, but Missouri is tough at home. The Tigers are 14-16 and are fighting for an NIT berth. Missouri has a big 6-11 big man inside. That has been real trouble for Bama all season, but Davis has had his moments this season. Will Oats modify his offense to take advantage of Davis and his size? I doubt it. I think we’ll see the same offensive philosophy and spacing as we used the last two games. But that comes with an unless. Unless John Petty is full speed.

TIDE STRIKES OUT FOR THE NCAAT...

Must now turn their attention to SECT

     Mercifully, the Crimson Tide's quest for an NCAA Tourney bid died when Vanderbilt beat the Tide on Tuesday night in Coleman. In another season of seeing the bubble burst, it gets to be old. Next year in Jerusalem seems to be the Tide mantra. That game was a perfect storm for what happens when a team has too many injuries to compete.  The loss of John Petty was a killer. The damage to Herb Jones was a killer. Hats off to Jones for playing when he is injured. Preseason injuries to players and the godawful NCAA robbing a player of the right to play likely cost the Tide a berth.  In retrospect, how many more games could 'Bama have won with a full crew on board. When we look back on the season, I'd like to think we really did much better than we thought they'd do. I thought Bama might win 18 games this season. That was before the injuries and taking into account a new system on offense. All in all, the team has done an excellent job, and the season has games yet to be played. 

    Alabama can nail down an NIT home game with a win over Missouri in Columbia this Saturday. I have not been able to get an answer about Petty this weekend. It might well be that Alabama will wait until the SEC Tournament. Jones should be out of his soft case very soon. Ironically, if Petty and Jones are back to full speed, the Tide could be a team no one wants to play in the SEC or NIT. 

    Alabama is coming off the worst defensive game of the year against Vandy. The cellar-dweller of the SEC embarrassed the Crimson Tide and ended the dwindling hope for the NCAAT. Oats wasn't happy and made that clear in the post-game press conference. It will be interesting to see if Alabama can get off the deck and show some guts. I believe they will. Oats needs to get his inside game revved up like the Carolina game. 

Sorry for my absence. I've been in Italy looking at a few players.

Will 'Bama earn an NCAAT bid?


         I am always interested in what Tide fans believe what it will take to receive an NCAA bid. Most have a pretty decent idea of the road ahead. The single most important game on the remaining regular season is Mississippi State. That game is a quadrant 1 contest and is the last chance the Tide has beat a team in that quadrant. An additional opportunity in the SEC Tournament might be possible.

Quad 1 wins are essential to team struggling to find their way to the Big Dance. If Alabama loses to Mississippi State, the road to an NCAA postseason becomes almost impossible. What do I think it will take for Alabama to make the field of 64? Remember, Alabama can only control what they do. The Tide needs some help from other bubble teams to see their own chances fall by the wayside. I think Alabama needs a minimum of 19 wins to secure a bid. I'd feel more comfortable with 20 wins. Let's assume the Tide beats State. The Tide has a decent opportunity to win their remaining regularly scheduled games. South Carolina and Vandy are home games. Then the Tide will travel to Missouri. Columbia is a tough place to win a game. Win those four games, and the Tide has 19 wins in the regular season. The Tide could finish no worse than 19-13. That isn't a guaranteed resume, but it's pretty good. Say whatever you want, but 20 wins is a lot better than 19. The road to the NCAA is a steep one for Alabama; however, it is complicated. The Tide is walking on the razor's edge. I know one thing. I'd hate to play Alabama in the opening round of the NCAA. If the "good" Tide shows up someone is going home early. 

My late friend, Ben Cook, a great writer, and the most genuine human being I have ever known told me that getting an NCAA bid is rarely won at the end of a season. He said it is a season-long trek. If the Tide doesn't make it, three home losses did incalculable damage. The pre-season injuries and an NCAA decision hurt the Tide. The injury to Herb Jones, early on and recently, hurt the Tide. A stunning loss to  Penn looks bad.  Blown leads led to painful losses.  If Alabama makes the NCAA it will be a memorable year for a team that wants to become relevant again. If the Tide falls short it is to returning players that small things not done might have disastrous results for your season. So the final question for all the fans, players, and coaches is whether being where we are today is a good thing or a bad thing. Roll Tide. 

TIDE BLOWOUTS OLE MISS 103-78

     A blowout is fun. How long has it been since the University of Alabama men's basketball team had a game like the Ole Miss game? The game had a little bit of everything. The Rebels jumped out to a 9-2 lead, which put whatever a land shark is into a frenzy. The Rebel fans could sense a colossal win and killing any chance of Alabama making the NCAAT an impossibility.  The sense of slaughter was in the air. 

     A funny thing happened to the Rebels on the way to a win. They got destroyed. Destroyed is too mild term to use.  I'm not sure exactly what the correct word might be, but there has to some reference to embarrassment.  The only area where Ole Miss beat Alabama in any category was technical fouls.  They got the hat trick. The technicals were some significant differences of opinion with the officials. Kermit Davis was saved from personally watching his home standing team get the death penalty. Lucky him. 

     Alabama made 43% of their three-point shots and  54% overall from the floor. The Tide won the rebound battle. Ole Miss had more turnovers than Bama. Kira Lewis had another double-double. He had 17 points, 11 assists, and no turnovers. John Petty scored 21 points and played a tremendous defensive game.  Five Tide players scored in double figures. In the Lo and Behold category, Javian Davis put the Tide over the century mark with a three. I believe he tied Donta Hall for the career-high percentage from downtown. 

    More than anything, the game had to be reassuring for Tide fans who had begun the negative talk so inherent with basketball. If this is what Oats can do with talent, he didn't recruit what will happen in the future? Stay tuned, it might be exciting. Whether 'Bama can make it to the Big Dance is yet to be decided. For a few days, we can all bask in the warmth of a fun day and smiles on the faces of Alabama players.

ALABAMA WINS KEY GAME ON THE ROAD...

    Winning on the road in the SEC is tough. The league doesn't have a pit stop.  I don't know how often any road team scores over a hundred points to win. Alabama did that last night when they put up 103 on the board. Ole Miss scored 78 and saw their coach tossed when he picked up two technical fouls. The Tide completely dominated the Rebels. If it had been a prizefight, the ref would have stopped it. The win keeps Alabama's NCAAT hopes alive. Their 15-12 win-loss doesn't seem impressive, but the Tide's SOS does. Add four or five more wins to the current record, and Alabama might make it. I'm not holding my breath, but I'm not giving up hope the Tide might get a bid either. 

     Kira Lewis, John Petty, and Jalen Shackleford put on quite a show.  Lewis's quick start matched an Ole Miss red-hot begging.  Alabama's first run gave the Tide its first lead. Later,  Shackleford made three downtown bombs to give Alabama a healthy lead and coupled with a stingy defense caused Ole Miss trouble on the perimeter. Late in the first half, Lewis found Petty underneath the basket for three uncontested baskets. If Ole Miss tried to overplay the three, Lewis threw some laser-like passes to Tide players in the paint. Ole Miss even used a 1-3-1 zone. Alabama ripped it apart. Whatever the Rebels tried didn't work. The Tide didn't shut down Tyree, but who does? What Alabama did was to shut down everyone else when it mattered. It was an old, Wimp Sanderson belief come to life. Alabama won every statistical battle. Ole Miss handcuffed themselves with three technical fouls. It was an impressive win and gives continued hope the NCAAT might still be in reach. 

    Under the lo and behold category, it was Davis who launched a three to put the Tide over 100.  

Tomorrow let's talk about what Alabama needs to do to make the NCAA Tournament. 

TIDE NEEDS A WIN OVER THE REBELS... 

When the season started, I wrote a blog saying that Alabama would win some games they should probably lose, and lose some games they should win. That is precisely what is happening to the Tide. The question is why and the answer is evident in some ways. It's not so clear in others.

1 The Tide lost a First Team JUCO All-American who would have helped the Tide. Rojas would have started at the small forward spot. Petty would have been a full time shooting guard. I think Petty has done a great job this season. He plays three positions in most games. He is a shooting guard, the small forward, and is the best post player Alabama has on offense. None of which is conducive to concentrating on his shooting which is what the Tide needs most from him. He is our best rebounder.

2. Alabama's two post players are not dominating the inside. They can only be as good as their talent level allows, and you can't fault them for that. They play hard. Each has shown improvement but falls short of what the Tide needs. I would love to see both of them on the floor in some situations.

3. Kira Lewis plays far too many minutes. That leads to turnovers. He is Bama's best player. He needs some help in the form of rest. Beetle Bailey plays hard, but he is not a point guard. He can motor. I thought his last game was his best game of the year.

4. The bizarre decision by the NCAA to deny Q the chance to play this season was unfair and unfounded. The young man had been through the trauma of false allegations and mental stress. The NCAA, which denied him the chance to play allows two SEC coaches which questionable ethics to continue to coach. That duality is hard to swallow. Q is a great player. The former  5-Star recruit would have given the Tide a dynamic backcourt.

5. The Tide is unfocused at times. Okay, a lot of times. That one is on the coaching staff. Alabama makes the same mistakes regularly. Some of the errors come from fatigue. Others are just sloppy execution.

   I'm sure other reasons come to the reader's minds. So that brings us to a much bigger question. Can the Oats offense be a consistent winner in the SEC? Our rebounding is not up to par. It falls somewhere between below average and horrible. A talented big man would help, but can a big man play the uptempo game required by Oats? Stamina is always a question regarding big men. Would two quality big men be an answer? It's hard enough to sign one big man much less two.

   I wonder if Coach Oates underestimated the SEC. The five out system may work in a league without quality inside players. Or perhaps the injuries have been too much for any team to bear. My best guess is that the missing players will cost the Tide an NCAA bid. I have questions about the system, but that may be unfair to judge at this time. There is an adage we all might do well to remember - a shooter's gotta shoot. The Tide is likely to lose games every season when the shooting goes cold. Shooters are always going to shoot because most think the next shot goes in.  The inconsistency of the three-point shooting is going to be an ongoing problem for any team. When your offensive strategy consists of lay-ups and downtown shots which eliminates mid-range shooting, it is going to cost you some games, in my opinion. Oats believes the analytics favor his system. He might be right (I think he could be correct), but I think a team with so few players isn't a fair measure of his belief. I think Tide fans need to calm down and give the man some unfettered support. Perhaps we haven't seen the true effectiveness of his system.

Alabama takes on Ole Miss on the road tonight. Most Vegas betting houses have Alabama as a 2.5 point dog. Bama needs a win to keep postseason hopes alive.

Crash and burn?

     It isn't easy being an Alabama basketball fan. For those who witnessed the Newton and Sanderson years, basketball since those times has been frustrating at best. Alabama was ranked #1for week under Mark Gottfried and then fell off the face of the earth. Unfortunately, the trials and tribulations have far outweighed the highs that come with success. Today, the Crimson Tide takes on a Georgia team whose record is 12-10.  The Bulldogs are 10-2 at home. Alabama isn't exactly road warriors are they? 

      Injuries had plagued the Tide before the season began. Then Q was denied eligibility this year. Then team leader Herbert Jones broke his wrist. None of those are conducive to having a winning record this season. But today, it isn't the physical injuries that concern me. It is the mental state of a basketball team that has lost three consecutive games in the SEC.  Two of those games were at home. So can Alabama set aside recent history and get back on the winning track? I'm not sure the Tide can win at Georgia, but I hope that's wrong.

     Alabama has some problems they could fix. Using your head is at the top of the list. Poor decisions with the ball have plagued the team all season long, but the 20 turnovers against Tennessee is depressing. It seemed as if the Tide had turned the corner regarding turnovers. The last game set a new standard for sloppy play and careless passing. Georgia isn't a great team, and Alabama could win this game. I hope the players have a better mental attitude than the fanbase. Patience isn't a virtue for Alabama fans. Before the season began, I said it would take three years for Oats to get his program rolling. I'll stick by that.

Two teams are trying to make the postseason.

     Tuesday night, the 12-9 Tennessee Vols, the SEC Cinderalla of last season, comes to Coleman Coliseum to play the 12-9 Crimson Tide. One of these teams is going to see their hopes for the NCAA, and perhaps the NIT goes up in flames. Despite the loss of Herb Jones, I'm picking the Tide to win a close game. Here's what I'll say about the Vols. They may be the worst defensive team in the SEC.  The game may not be a masterpiece, but I think Bama has the edge due to playing at home. 

      Alabama has a chance to light it up on offense and beat Tennessee. Alabama leads the SEC in scoring with 82.2 ppg. Tennessee 12th with 66.5 ppg. That is a significant difference. The Vols do not have any player in the top 20 in scoring. The Tide has two in the top 10.  The Volunteers don't have a rebounder in the top 15. 'Bama, despite their rebounding troubles, have one player in the top ten.

     After a stellar season, the Vols haven't been able to show the SEC they a good team.  Tennessee has lost four of its last seven home games. If you know SEC, that is phenomenal. Rebounding has been an issue for the Tide. Consider this - Tennessee has been out boarded 82-45 in the last two games. Rick Barnes turned down UCLA to return to Thompson-Bowling. His 4.7 million dollar salary hasn't made Tennessee fans very happy. In all fairness to Barnes, the Vols return zero starters from last season.

      Alabama has installed a new offense, and they lead the league in scoring, and surprisingly, Alabama is 2nd in the SEC in rebounding. Here's a stat that turnover happy Alabama needs to keep in mind. Tennessee leads the SEC in assists. Alabama has made 82 more threes than the Vols. All the numbers point to a Tide victory, but the loss of Herb Jones is hard to quantify. We are also unsure if Bolden will be able to return. Bolden can give Lewis and Shackleford some rest. One overlooked number is that Forbes had nine rebounds in limited minutes. Look for him to increase his minutes. Alabama is not a good defensive team, but they are better than Tennessee. I picked Bama by two, but I do think the Tide could put up some big numbers if they are shooting well.

Always nice to beat Vandy on the road...

       A road win is always a good thing. The Tide has always had a tough time in Nashville. The final score was 77-62. The only reason it wasn't 30 points or more is that Alabama had 25 turnovers. Let's repeat that - 25. How bad is this poor Vanderbilt team? They had 25 extra possessions and still lost by 15 at home. Of course, the 'Dores had quite a few turnovers themselves.  

       Alabama isn't going to win another game with 25 turnovers and we all know that. A win is a win and Tide goes to an unexpected 4-2  in the SEC. Next up, Kansas State, fresh off a technical knockout against Kansas comes to Coleman. KSU will be minus two players who got suspended for the fight against the Jayhawks. Neither start or contribute much to KState but has a good showing in the post-fight. KState. The Wildcats are 8-10. Their most impressive win was over West Virginia which was ranked #14 in the nation. Big 12 basketball is always tough from top to bottom. Bama will be a clear favorite in the game, but don't expect a cakewalk. The Big12/SEC challenge is a bragging rights. deal. Last season the SEC was 4-6 against that league.

      While no official word has been released get on Davis, it was reported he was walking without assistance and was listed as  "questionable" for the KState game. That means that Galin Smith will be the only true big man on the floor for the Tide. I suppose that Raymond Hawkins could play if necessary. He's played one game this season and Tide coaches look like they want to redshirt him. He can play four games and retain his redshirt status.  Alex Reese is really a stretch four but he could play the post if needed. I thought that Petty and Jones played an excellent game. Lewis had a bunch of assists but also had a lot of turnovers. Bolden has some problems that Oats needs to address. A road win was nice. Now it's time to clean up the sloppy play. Rebounding was a big plus for Alabama. 

next four out ...

    That doesn't mean Alabama is in the field of 64. It means that the metrics and the eyes of those who matter are noticing Alabama. I'm not sure many people thought that Nat Oats could have gotten Alabama this far in season one. I didn't. The more you watched the blue-collar effort of the player's things looked better. The bombs aways attitude of the offense is a joy to behold. The Tide now stands at 10-7, while not steller you have to remember the injury situation before the season and after the season started. I'm impressed with what I've seen. 

    Nat Oats takes this team to the worst place that 'Bama plays. Of course, Nat Oats doesn't believe that and his team no longer believes that. IF Bama beats Vanderbilt (Bama is an 8 point favorite) and then beats Kansas State the Tide would be 12-7 and before the big road game with cheatin' Will Wade and his professional LSU Tigers.

     I like the Tide to win tonight. Jerry Stackhouse has elevated Vandy out of the embarrassment zone, but I'm not sure the Vandy defense can stop Alabama. I think Bama is at least in the best five teams in the SEC today. If you look at all things considered I wouldn't argue with 6th. The SEC is not as good as it was last season. Auburn has stumbled.  Kentucky doesn't look as good as usual. Florida is not performing as expected. If These trends continue I see no reason for the Tide not to get a bye for the SEC Tournament and even more.

Bama by ten tonight. 

What is LSU thinking...


      Will Wade is the head coach at LSU. The question is how is that even possible? How does the NCAA, the SEC, and LSU allow to continue? When the three bodies that should and could put an end that do nothing it's a bad day for integrity. To most of us, basketball is a sport. To the NCAA, SEC, and LSU is a business. It'sO about the money. In the college sports world is always about money. In a telephone call which was recorded by an FBI wiretap, Wade admitted to making an offer to a recruit. “It was a [expletive] hell of a [expletive] offer,” Wade said. “Hell of an offer.” 

     The first thing that Wade did was lawyer up. Whatever transpired between Wade's attorney and the three amigos is unknown. My best guess is that Wade said he'd sue LSU if they fired him. The Wade phone call is not going away. My best guess is that the NCAA and the SEC will eventually rid themselves of the Wade. In talking with several LSU fans they defend the coach. They believe the phone call never says the Coach offered the recruit any money or anything inappropriate. One said he might be working with the FBI. It is odd how fans make excuses and can justify anything. Of course, we now live in a society where inappropriate behavior is acceptable. The real problem (other than Wade) is that LSU won't fire the coach. LSU is a school where English common law is not the legal basis to follow. The Napoleanic Code is used. LSU won't fire the coach because of money. Morality is not even a consideration. 

     If LSU wins the SEC Basketball Championship they did so with a cheating coach, a complicit AD, and school President who turns a blind eye.  There is no honor in that. I believe eventually that all the wins under Wade will be vacated, championships rescinded, and the Administration will try to publically distance themselves from the situation. 

TIDE BEATS MISSOURI 88-74...

    You have to be impressed with what Nat Oats is building in Alabama. The ex-Buffalo coach came to the Deep South to revive basketball. Oats believed he could bring his idea of what a basketball team could do using a unique offensive system. Oats thought he could come to the pre-eminent football program in the NCAA and could make basketball relevant again. It isn't like Alabama basketball hasn't been relevant in the past. At a school where football is king, it is easy to forget how good basketball had been at the University of Alabama. There are two schools of thought about being the basketball coach at Alabama. First, the Alabama brand can give a coach all the tools he needs to build a successful program. One of those tools is money. The other school of thought is that a basketball coach will languish in obscurity because of the football program. I think Tide hoop fans have seen both. To younger fans, Wimp Sanderson is the example of hoops excellence.  For those of us who are older, Johnny Dee, C.M. Newton, and Mark Gottfried were all successful. 

    When Oats was hired I wrote that Tide fans should exercise some caution and lots of patience to determine exactly how successful he could be. Obviously, the man can coach. Making it to the NCAAT seemed impossible. If Alabama continues to play like they have in the last 10 games or so there grows the probability of getting a bid. He's done so with his offense. Being old school I am pleasantly surprised with the defense. Alabama's offense will wear a team down, but their defense will kill you. I'm sure that part of Oats's success is due to the SEC having never seen an offensive attack the Tide uses. I am curious to see how teams play the Tide the next time they play.

    Alabama was just better than Missouri on Saturday. Missouri made 31 consecutive free throws which are an SEC record. It was stunning to watch the Tigers drain them. If you told me a team made 31 free throws I'd assume they won in a blowout. Alabama still beat them. Lost in the 31/31 was the fact that Alabama made 25 of 30. The game set a new standard for clown-like officiating. I'll say this - both teams found some benefit from the officials. Both teams have some legitimate complaints. Usually, the home team gets the calls. That wasn't the case for Alabama.

    The Tide's outside shooting was the difference. Missouri got back in the game in the second half when Alabama's three-point shots didn't fall. Alabama was handicapped by Kira Lewis's foul trouble. Next week, the Tide travels to Vandy and then homes back to Coleman for a game with Kansas State.