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.