Tide season is over...

   The Alabama basketball is over. Mercifully, it is over this year, but without another excruciating injury. Jahvon Quinerly went down in the first minutes of the NCCA Tournament. He appears to be the victim of his own quickness and speed. The point guard appears to be the victim of his own speed and quickness. Quinerly was driving toward the basket and his knee appeared to bend in the wrong direction.  Later in the game, Tru Tv viewed him in a tunnel with this knee in a brace and on crutches.  What a disaster to end an emotionally draining year. For a quick review, the Tide had injuries to Rojas, Burnette, Quinerly, and 

BAMA PLAYS THE IRISH...   

Brey's Irish beat Rutgers

      Notre Dame hung on the beat Rutgers last night 89-87. It was one of the best NCAA basketball games I've seen in a long time. It was a two-overtime thriller. Alabama will have its hands full on Friday afternoon. The Irish won the play-in game and then had to fly to San Diego, and their late tip-off and flight for an early game should help the Tide. Alabama is a 4 point favorite, according to the oddsmakers.    

     Sportswriters have written the Tide has to prepare for two teams since they were unaware of who might win the play-in game. It was the same for Notre Dame, however. The Irish had to prepare for Rutgers. Now they prepare for 'Bama. I doubt they did anything for Bama before their game with Rutgers. It seems to me that evens out. 

Bad and good news for the Tide  

   Here's the bad news for the Tide. Notre Dame had only five turnovers against Rutgers. I thought the Irish looked good on offense. Here's some good news for Bama. The Irish won the game, but they got out boarded by 22. If Alabama wins the battle of boards by 22, they should win. Hopefully, the Tide can keep the turnovers around 10. Nate Oats said he has simplified his offense to keep the errors down. I'm not sure what that means, but the Tide will probably just shoot quicker than they have in the last half of the season. Oats likely has some analytical numbers to support the change. Whatever he does will be better than what the Tide has down in the last half of the season.

The Tide has one chance to turn their season around.

     Alabama has the chance to end a disappointing year. If the Tide wins today, they can win 20 games and turn their season around. One win in the NCAA might make things different. It might spark something even better. Perhaps the Tide might make one win turn into two victories. I'm not counting on that, but St. Peters beat Kentucky in a monumental upset. So who knows what a win today might mean for Alabama. 

     If the Tide can play defense like it matters and shoots the lights out from downtown, it could even lead to something monument. I'm not counting on that, but the NCAA is the birthplace of the strange and inspirational. Alabama has beaten two one-seeds already. This team can have already proven they can do the impossible. Who knows? 

     Will this afternoon reignite the dreams of a team that can beat great teams? Or will it be the team that has broken the hearts of Tide fans?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

      

LSU should decline an NCAAT bid...

     LSU has ignored the Will Wade scandal for multiple years. Now is the time for the LSU administration to decline a bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers will condone everything Will Wade and assistant coach Bill Armstrong did to enhance recruiting illegally in accepting an offer. They won't do it. 

    I know Bill Armstrong and his father, Jimmy. Bill was an assistant coach at Birmingham-Southern College, my alma mater. Jimmy was the head basketball coach at Oneonta High School, where my daughter played basketball for the Lady Redskins. I would have never believed Bill Armstrong would have been involved in such fraudulent behavior. It is what it is now, and his association with Will Wade may well lead to the end of his coaching career. People can find redemption and second chances, though. Perhaps he will. 

    It would be easy to say that Will Wade will never coach in the NCAA again. History tells us otherwise. Auburn hired Bruce Pearl, and Kentucky hired John Calipari. That should tell basketball fans a lot about both the coaches. It also tells us more about the Universities which employed them. Wade will coach again. There is no doubt that someone will offer him a job in this writer's mind. 

    College sports is no longer a gentleman's game. Sports are no longer about the players. It is about money. Schools want the money and will look the other way regardless of what is done. Wade refused to cooperate with the school's investigation in the matter and hired a big-time lawyer. Wade and LSU reached a devil's compromise. They allowed Wade to stay but told him he would be fired if any allegation was a major violation. LSU knew the truth at the time.  They turned a blind eye, kicked the can down the road, and could later fire Wade to dodge paying his severance package. (which is what happened) The cost of that? The reputation of LSU, never great to begin with, took another blow. I don't think they care. LSU wants some respect for firing Wade. They won't get that from me. The NCAA can now punish LSU and enhance its fading reputation by pulling the Tiger's bid if it is not refused.

    This is an excellent opportunity for NCAA to regain some lost respect.

Next up from the NCAA: Kansas, Louisville, and Arizona. Note that two are number one seeds as of today.  

 

Texas A&M stuns Arkansas 

Will Wade gets the long-overdue axe...

 

Buzz Williams had his Aggies ready...

    Alabama goes down in their opening game against Vanderbilt. Jerry Palm's bracketology still keeps the Crimson and White a six-seed. That surprises me. What would have happened if Bama had beaten Vandy? Would the Tide have stayed a six? Vanderbilt's close game with Kentucky might account for the Tide remaining a six. 

    Texas A&M might not win the SEC Tournament, but they are the event's surprise. The stunning win over top-seed Tigers was unexpected. As you probably know, Auburn played the weakest SEC schedule in the conference games. The Tiger's guard play has also been pretty suspect lately. No tears from this writer. 

    I don't know if our players think they can win. Here's something to consider - Vanderbilt shot 45 free throws against Alabama. Bama missed 14 free throws. How does that happen to a team of decent shooters? Oats has some problems. Some of which he bears some responsibility. I think his portal pick of Noah Gurley wasn't the best move. Indeed, there was a real big man available. My buddy in Dodge City said that Pringle is an excellent defensive player but is short on offensive clout. 

    Right now, Jerry Palm has us playing Rutgers in his bracket picks. It doesn't mean they will play, but that would be an exciting matchup. The Scarlet Knights are knocked out of the Big10 Tournament by Iowa and are sixth in their league. They had big wins over Wisconsin, Ohio State, Penn State, and Indiana. 

    It is hard to predict the Tide. No senior wants to lose their last game. I watched the Vandy game again and fouls killed the Tide. One thing Bama needs to do is shoot quicker. The longer they delay in shooting, the more turnovers add up. Perhaps Oats needs to consider letting his players shoot a few mid-range jumpers. We don't seem to have anyone on the inside which makes layups. Prove to me I'm wrong about that. 

    Texas A&M just knocked off Arkansas, and it wasn't close. The final score on that one - The Aggies 82 and Arkansas 64. Maybe Buzz will loosen his tie after the game. Does this put TAMU in the NCAAT? Or do they have to beat the winner of the Kentucky-Tennessee game? Could today's win cost Alabama a seed or even a spot in the Tourney? I have given up on how to project the Tide. What are your thoughts? 

     Can Bama make a limited late-season run? I doubt it, but anything is possible with the Crimson Tide. They are in the NCAA for the second straight season; love them or hate them. And who is the idiot on the Alabama staff who chirped Pippen? He needs to be suspended for the rest of the season. That is so juvenile—just my opinion. 

ONE LAST I TOLD YOU SO  -

   

Wade, cheater supreme

     Everyone kept saying Wade would never get fired. I kept assuring people he would. His extension contract doomed him from the get-go. LSU knew he cheated. Shame on LSU for their lack of backbone. LSU should forfeit every game he's coached and be suspended from post-season tournament play for a year or two. Scholarship limitations. Every game they won should be forfeited.

   

 

     

 Tide falls apart in the second half ...

     It always amazes me to see how bad we play and how close we still come to winning. Last night, the Tide continued Turnover City and missed 40% of their free throws. The Tide had 18 turnovers. Alabama was 20-34 from the free-throw line. You do the math. Clean up either of those two areas, and the Tide wins. Bama built a ten-point halftime lead with good defense and limiting offensive rebounds. The refs decided to call so many fouls the game ran 30 minutes over the allotted television time. 

      According to many on the posting boards, Nat Oats went from being Jesus to Judas in one year. Of course, most know zero about college basketball. Still, watching this year's Alabama basketball team was pretty hard. The best predictor of future play is always past play. As the season progressed, the Tide became a mediocre team. Someone asked me last night what was my opinion of this team. Here you go:

1. The talent was lacking in too many areas.

2. The team had no defined leadership. 

3. The Tide's defensive rebounding was pretty good, but no offense inside hurt.

4. JD Davison wasn't ready to play Division One basketball despite being a five-star recruit. He improved. I have no idea if he stays or goes this year, but he can't play point guard in the NBA. His ball-handling is just not there yet. He lacks confidence on offense. He is a good rebounder.

5. Noah Gurley is a nice guy. He never found his game this season is about the kindest way to describe him. He will be better next season, but he will never be a great player.

6. I think Oats got about as much out of this team as he could in many ways. He was forced to play to first-year students in major roles who weren't ready to contribute in ways the team needed. It isn't anyone's fault. They were freshmen, and neither was Jarbari Smith.

7. Jahvon Quinerly has a total meltdown this year. It was painful to watch. It was difficult to watch. Keep in mind the lack of offensive firepower inside hurt Quinerly and Shackleford. The wide-open three-point shots dried up. Keon Ellis was forced to play a different role from last season. 

8. Too many problems kept this team from finding any real chemistry. The lack of chemistry will hurt a talented team. It will eviscerate a less talented team. 

9.  Injuries hurt the Tide again. Rojas played with a brace on his knee.  Burnett never suited up. I have no idea what is going on with our resident Frenchman. 

10. Our offense was out of control. Five out may be great when you have five players who can play their defined roles. Bama couldn't do that. Tip of the hat J. Holt. He's going to be a player next year. 

11. Oats said he had three players trying to provide leadership. I guess now is better than never.

     Can the Tide win another game in the NCAA? I have no idea. But history says no. 

 Alabama and Vandy tonight in SECT...

 

Will Ellis guard Pippen?

    Vanderbilt slapped the Georgia Bulldogs last night in round one of the SECT. The final score was Vanderbilt 81-59, and it wasn't that close. The Commodores held the hapless Bulldogs to 14 points in the first half. Vandy beat the Bulldogs for the third time this season. More importantly, that allowed Vandy to rest their starters for almost the entire second half. Alabama will have their hands full tonight. Alabama beat Vanderbilt 74-72 in their earlier meeting. 

     Vegas has Alabama a 5.5 to 6.0 pt. favorite. Vandy has won 2 of their last five games, but each loss was close. My gut feeling is tonight's game will be a dog fight. The Tide needs to do the following to win:

1. Slow down Scottie Pippen, Jr., and hope the officials do not give him extra chances at the free-throw line.  He shot 13 free throws in the last game in Tuscaloosa. He might win an Oscar for the best acting job in college basketball.

Tide needs a big game from Shackleford

2.  Turnovers, turnovers, and more turnovers have killed the Tide all season. Bama needs to quit throwing the ball away. Is there any reason to think tonight will be different? Let's hope so, but I have my doubts. If the number is less than 12, Bama wins. 

3.  Bama needs some tough guy defense tonight. The offense will be better if they play well on the defensive end. Bediako needs to avoid unnecessary fouls. Gurley and Gary need to contribute on offense and pound the defensive boards. 

4.  The Tide needs to play like there is no tomorrow. Victories against Vandy and Tennessee are likely to lead to a better seed or location. No excuse for lack of effort. All reports to me are they are ready and excited about the SECT. 

5. Bama needs to win the battle of the boards. There will be a lot of offensive rebounds in this game due to three-point shooting. Look for Alabama to commit an additional man to the boards.

6. JD Davison needs to cut down on those lackadaisical passes. Bama's point guards commit too many turnovers. That needs to change. I'm betting it will be better tonight. Better will not be perfect. 

     The SEC Network commentators are trying to write off the Tide it seems. I have more faith in Tide than they seem to have. I like the Tide by 10. 

Tough loss for the Tide in Baton Rouge... 

     Bama got a three-point lead in overtime but literally threw the game away with turnovers. Despite having 21 turnovers and cold shooting, the Tide almost won. A couple of made shots and fewer turnovers would have won the game. One thing Alabama fans got to see was effort and leadership. A lot of TiderInsider posters are going to roast Oats and the players. I will not do that. One thing is clear to this writer. Alabama players are under a lot of stress. Hopefully, the SEC Tournament will give the Tide a fresh start. 

     Here are a few observations. Sometimes a five-star player is not as good as advertised. I think Davison has a lot of upsides. It might take another season to get there. JD would help himself a lot by another season with Alabama. Whether he stays or goes is up to him and the Tide will be okay either way. I think the offense that Alabama runs is always going to lead to turnovers. It is the nature of the beast. As bad as the Tide played, they never quit. I salute them for that. 19-12 is not where we wanted to be, but it is probably where they were going to end up despite a few great wins. Perhaps the Crimson and White have a couple of more before the season is over. You never know with this team.

      The SEC has learned how to play defense against the wide-open offense that Coach Oats has brought. It probably needs some tweaking to regain an edge, but the talent level is what it is. I think we need to remember that the Tide has beaten a lot of great teams. The three big wins were against teams that had not played against Oats before. The inside game is almost non-existent. When the Tide gets some inside players, that will improve. Bediako will improve. Gurley might improve.  Kudos to Rojas for working hard in the off-season to recover from a second major knee injury. Some fans will criticize him, but I admire his work ethic. Last year Quinerly was a great player. In part, it was because he had great players as teammates. This year has been different and I believe part of that is because of reduced talent. I am not saying no talent, but perhaps at a different level. Do you want an example?  How good was Bama football after injuries to their best wide receivers? 

     Alabama looked tired in overtime. They got the lead, but it seemed they ran out of steam. Four Bama players logged in over 30 minutes. Some major credit to Alabama guards for shutting down Xavier Pinson. He had a good start and after that; the Tide shut him down. I saw more good than bad in today's game.  The short roster, the absence of Holt hurt the Tide

     The worst call of the season had to be watching James Rojas getting knocked down and being called for a block. One bad call rarely loses or wins a game. In this game it was a turning point. I have to say the SEC Tournament could be great. It could be redemption for a team that needs some good things to happen. 

      Let us do what we can to support Ukraine. Each of us can do so in their own way. 

 Tide Roller Coaster ride begins at 11 this morning  

      LSU is a talented basketball team and should beat Alabama. Oats addressed the media and once again lamented the lack of leadership. He carved out exceptions for James Rojas and Jaden Shackleford. There is no coaching for leadership. I commend Rojas and Shackleford for giving their best shot. Oats also gave a negative report on Jahvon Quinerly and his lack of leadership. Oats said that he was "Better Today", whatever that means. That statement surprised me. Presumably, a public reprimand was a way to get his attention. 

      I thought the Tide would win 20 games in the regular season. I never dreamed fans would get a ticket for a roller coaster ride or a side-show, as well.  Oats over-scheduled this season, but the Tide won three big games. Right now, Baylor and Gonzaga are currently number one seeds in Bracketology. Houston is a great team as well. Alabama lost to Georgia. For the casual fan, the Dawgs have one SEC win this season. That's akin to losing to Vanderbilt in football. 

     Today, the Tide can nail down a decent NCAAT seed, and the fifth seed in the SECT. Alabama beat LSU earlier this season without Xavier Pinson and Darius Days (who was injured in the opening minutes of the first game). Both are back to full health today. Vegas has the Tigers as a 4.5 favorite today, and that seems low. But with Bama, who knows? If Alabama can shoot well and keep turnovers somewhere short of the stratosphere, they can win. 

       The Tide will have trouble with Pinson. They will have trouble with Days, but Tari Eason could kill the Tide inside. He is one of the most underrated players in the SEC. Eason popped Alabama for 26 points and 10 rebounds in the first game. He might now score that much today because Days and Pinson are playing, but Wade will make sure he tests the Tides inside game. Bama will need some solid defense from Bediako today. 

       Lost in the media shuffle is the inconsistency of the Tigers. LSU started with a 15-1 record but has been only 5-9 since then. This could be a very sloppy game. If LSU gets some home cooking, it will hurt the Tide. I think the Tide can win today, but LSU needs a win for seeding and they are at home. I hope Oats have them ready. 

Tide lays an egg against the Aggies 

Alabama turnovers hurt

      Last night's loss to Texas A&M was disappointing. When you get beat 87-71 on your home court, it hurts. I think there are two things Tide fans need to consider. First, the talent this season is just above average. The Tide will always have trouble matching up with a team that has a guard who can penetrate, and a frontcourt that rebounds. The Aggies have both. Second, last season's team was unique. Senior leadership carried the Tide to the SEC Championship, SEC Tournament Championship, and two wins in the NCAA Tournament. This is not Tide 2.0. It is just a team that is playing close to their potential.  The Tide lost a prized freshman to the NBA draft as well.    

     The Tide has enough offensive potential to upset some good teams. It might be time to acknowledge that a lot of fans and the media over-estimated the future of this team. I always try to avoid talking about individual players. Here are a few observations, however. Jaden Shackleford is a great offensive two-guard who lacks defensive quickness. No suggestion from this writer he is not trying. I do not know what is wrong with Quinerly. I would suggest a loss of confidence but could be wrong about that. 

     Juwan Gary is playing hard, but he is not an All-SEC player. Bediako is young and needs both weight and muscle. Noah Gurley is either disappointing or perhaps Oats misjudged his potential. A year of eating next to an offensive lineman will help his game, and he needs to hit the weight room for some muscle. He will be much better next season if he does both. James Rojas is a warrior but can ́t match up with bigger players. JD Davison is improving, but isn ́t a good ball handler. His shooting has improved. I can't imagine him in the NBA next season. Quinerly, as the sixth man is not helping the Tide. Keon Ellis needs to be more involved in the offense. He wears himself out on defense, though. 

     The problem is that Nat Oats has a team with some real limitations and opposing coaches have exploited them. I thought TAMU had a great shooting night, but the Tide allowing the Aggie guards to whip us all night around the elbow made that possible. Bad second-half shooting by the Tide merely made the margin greater. Can the Tide beat LSU? They can, but it is not likely, is it? Alabama isn ́t a great team and that will not change this season. Whether the Tide plays good or bad is up in the air. Last night did not end the Tide season. Had the Tide won last night, it would not have made this a great season. It is what it is, and hope is a killer. 

 Tide plays hard defense to beat South Carolina and the question of what happens next comes to mind ...

       

 Alabama beats South Carolina with prodigious offensive performances. Yes, there was a hiccup in starting the second half, but the Tide found its stride and scored 91 points. It was a game where all four 'Bama guards had outstanding games, and the Gamecocks seemed baffled by the Tide offense. Frank Martin and Carolina pride themselves on playing defense. It's an odd thing to see Carolina completely confused on defense. That's what the Tide did. On the day when it seems favored teams lost, the Tide soared. Bama's net jumped to 21. That is a solid five-seed number. The now stands at 19-10 and looks to jump to 20-10 with a win over Texas A&M Saturday afternoon. 

    So what happens next for the Tide? First, a road win over LSU would set the stage for an SEC Tournament surge. Winning the last two games in the regular season and a win in the SEC Tournament might set the stage for three-seed territory. Will the Tide continue their red hot shooting and improved defense? With this Tide, it is impossible to know what will happen. To win your next three games you start with game one against TAMU.

     The Tide has beaten four of the top ten teams in the NET rankings - Gonzaga, Houston, Baylor, and Tennessee, and six of the top twenty. That is impressive. BallandOats have beaten two teams currently #1 seeds in Baylor and the Zags. That is equally impressive. The Crimson and White have made great strides on defense. That bodes well for the post-season. I think the Tide may have a couple of more big wins this season.

     

TIDE FAVORED BY 10.5 OVER THE IMPROVED GAMECOCKS...

      Alabama should beat South Carolina today. Carolina is not a bad basketball team and is 17-10 overall and 8-7 in the SEC.  That ties them for 5th in the conference with the Crimson Tide. Both teams are three full games behind 4th place Tennessee and Arkansas. Barring a total collapse, it appears the Tide will finish no better than 5th in the regular SEC season. Those two losses to Georgia and Missouri come back to haunt the Tide's hope for a double-bye in the SEC Tournament. Alabama is 18-20 and is fighting for a twenty-win season before the postseason. 

       Frank Martin, the headman of the Gamecocks, is a good coach. His 26-11 team in '17 made it to the Final Four. That's something that no Alabama coach has ever done. Carolina has won four consecutive league games including a stunner over LSU. Don't think that can't happen today if the Tide doesn't bring their best game today. For some comparison, the Gamecocks' last game was a 14 point win over Mississippi State. Carolina can get itself back in the NCAAT conversation with a strong finish. The Tide is probably a lock, but a solid finish might see the Tide awarded with a three or four seed.

    Better shooting in the last four games has helped the Gamecocks win for straight. Martin's teams play a hard physical brand of basketball, which should send Bama to the free-throw line more often. Carolina is going to fight on the boards. Heck, the Gamecocks are going to fight everywhere. These are not the same 'Cocks from earlier this season. Alabama played a good second half against Vandy and welcomed a solid second half from Jahvon Quinerly. If Bama can get that type of play from the point and speed up the game, they should win. One additional thing favoring the Tide is the poor free-throw shooting of Carolina. They are last in the SEC in percentage made. 

     Alabama's Juwan Gary continues to struggle with a fractured sinus bone. The mask helps him get on the floor, but you have to wonder how it affects his overall play. The kid's a warrior. We have to give him that. Noah Gurley has stepped up his game and is becoming the player the Tide hoped he might be. The great news is that he's coming back to play next season in T-Town. I've been told by two reliable Alabama sources that Jahvon Quinerely might return next season. Given the status of his plan this year, it seems one more season can only help his draft status. His slump has put him in projected NBA drafts as a late-second-round pick. He's better than that. JD Davison is now listed as an early second-round pick in projected drafts. He has improved, but is he NBA-ready? We'll see. 

     Charles Bediako needs to keep Carolina off the boards today. The Gamecocks aren't timid in the paint. James Rojas is likely to get some big minutes today. Rojas isn't afraid to bang heads with anyone on the floor.  Bama will be favored against Texas AM next week. That sets up a final-season road game with LSU. The Tigers will be tough at home and favored to win. I gotta' feeling that might not happen. Is Bama peaking at the right time? They just might be. Nate Oats has seen his Tide have difficulties this season. The Tide has also had some splendid nights. None of those matters now. It's almost tournament time.

 Gonzaga number one? My numbers say no. 

The Dean's list

  When my friend Picknroll asked me to write a weekly article about the nation's top-twenty teams, I agreed. Certain rules applied. First, I picked the topic, and second, he could only edit what I wrote. That seemed fair enough. Our weekly conversation about the AP Poll is something we both love to discuss or argue, depending on our respective opinions. Week one and we differed on which team was number one. Picknroll liked Gonzaga, and I think Arizona is better. We both agreed that at least 7 teams could win the crown.

     Those teams are the Zags, Arizona, Kentucky, Kansas, Auburn, Duke, with Purdue lingering around the edges. We talked about stats. We talked about defense, and we talked about shooting. I'd say our conservation went on for two hours. At the end of the conversation, I had convinced Picknroll that Gonzaga simply could not be the best team in the NCAA. Here's the reason why I think the Zags are not the best. Who have they beaten? Who have they won? Alabama walloped Gonzaga in a game billed as the biggest game played in the State of Washington. Duke beat the Zags in a close one. Neither of the losses was an away game. So who have they won?

Texas is a pretty good team. UCLA is a tournament team, and the Zags handled them. I supposed Texas Tech is going dancing but could hardly be called a good team. St. Mary's is a good team but hardly a world-beater. That's it. The rest of the teams that lost to Gonzaga are not worthy of mention, except Wisconsin is a good loss. Pick says that doesn't mean Gonzaga could still be the best team in America. I just don't see it. Right now, I think it's Arizona. According to the NCAA, it is interesting to note that Auburn, Kansas, and Arizona have all been engaged in cheating. When you play in a fairy-tale league, it causes some questions about how good your team might be. 

 Vandy is never friendly to the Tide... 

     Vanderbilt. A name that has always been ghastly for the Alabama basketball program. Tonight, the Tide goes to Nashville, to the SEC's trash heap of arenas. It's not an easy place to play. Players talk about the lighting, the depth perception while shooting, and one telling me he was afraid of all off the edge of the Court. 

       And now, the Commodores are a decent team. Scottie Pippen, Jr. could be the best player in the SEC. Pippen leads the SEC in getting to the free-throw line. Eleven trips to the line won't cut it for the Tide if they hope to win. Oat's comments are probably directed at a couple of players. With every win a necessity to improve your NCAA Tournament berth,  I have no idea what our starting line might be. Oats says we may not a point guard or a center but he'll figure it out. I'm anxious to see how that works out. I suspect he means the practices leading up for the game tonight but who knows. 

       Oats is trying to build a program, and it starts with defense. It always starts with defense. The problem that Bama has is the lack of horses inside and one guard whose defense is lacking. He recruited these guys, or a least kept them. He knew that coming in. So the Coach bears some of the responsibility. I'm not being anti-Oats. I'm just being honest. If Oats says such things publicly needs to live with the results. Can Bama beat Vandy? They might, perhaps they should. I guess we will see if the defense rules the night. 

    A win tonight gives Bama some momentum going into a two-game homestand. South Carolina and Texas A & M. That will give some throttle the LSU road game and SEC Tourney

  

    

    

'Bama can beat Kentucky if the officiating is fair... Yep, I said it and believe it...

       

 I've been watching the pro-Kentucky officiating for eight decades. Every year. Every game. Until the end of time and then some. Yeah, I know some are saying you are just all Alabama. You can't be objective, but being objective is what I'm doing. In the first 42 minutes of today's contest, the Wildcats had 4 fouls. They had three in the first half. Kentucky shot 19 free throws. The Tide shot 9. Not 9 in the first half, 9 for the entire game. 

     Here's the burr under my saddle. Oscar Tsheiwe had only one foul called. One. Close to none. Tsheiwe came over the back of Bama rebounders at least 15 times. He's like an Abrahm Tank that gets 50 miles a gallon. If you won't call a foul against Kentucky you need to quit your job. An official's job is to be fair.

      Next point, John Calipari got upset and banged his rather prominent honker into an official and was not called for a technical. That only happens in Lexington. It's time for the cowardly SEC Director of Men's Officials to end this never-ending problem of the edge Kentucky gets in the SEC. Perhaps it's time for an independent board of observers to review and suspend a few refs. Nat Oats gets a technical foul and goes to the corner of the bench, sits down, and then gets kicked out of the game. Do you think that would happen to a Kentucky coach?

    It's been 10 years since the Wildcat's last national championship. That's a long time for a prominent program not to win. Why? Because the UK doesn't get preferential officiating outside the SEC. The sad thing about pro-UK-officiating is it takes away from the prominence of their program. I readily admit they have the best program in the SEC. When the Wildcats go outside the protectorate of the SEC, the Cats lose. I'm not stupid and indeed not blind. I tip my hat to the Tide for their hard played game. Would Kentucky beat Alabama on a neutral floor outside of the SEC? Yep, not every game but a fair share. You can win with poor shooting sometimes. Poor rebounding might beat you as well. One-sided officiating will always beat you. Saturday's game was exhibit number 1.

    Okay, sometimes I'm stupid. Saturday's game is not one of those times. Alabama played well enough to win if they got a few calls or Kentucky was fairly officiated. Just call a fair game. Alabama didn't need all the calls, just a few. When you allow people to push off from behind, it creates cheap baskets. And that's what beat Alabama. 

IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, WE'LL HAVE A NEW WRITER WHO WILL PIN THE DEAN'S LIST," WHICH IS A PERSONAL TOP 25. IF  YOU'D LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE AN OPINION ARTICLE, SEND ME AN EMAIL AT BAMABASKETBALL@PROTONMAIL.COM

Kudos. to Keon Ellis, who was my Player of the Game. He had 28 points and played bandit defense.  Bama is close to being good. We need Q to find his mojo again. Roll Tide.

I can also help Auburn fans with counseling referrals after getting beat by middlin' Florida. 

WHERE ARE THE NAYSAYERS TODAY?

      

      Where have you gone? You know, the ones who said Oats couldn't coach and Alabama's basketball program was a joke? One game later, the shots start to fall, the Tide almost scores a hundred, and everyone's happy. Shooters gotta shoot, and sometimes they miss. Sometimes they all miss. Despite the poor shooting, Kentucky beat the Tide by only 11, which meant the team did many things well. 

     Last night the Ole Miss Rebels had a stellar game and got their doors blown off. Sure, the Rebels are a great basketball team, but they showed they can shoot lights out from time to time. Had Ole Miss played a lot of other SEC teams last night, they would have won. Shackleford led the Tide with 30 points. He had 19 in the first half. Check these numbers out. Quinerly and Davison had 8 assists each. Holt played great defense and had 6 rebounds and one monster dunk sending the Tide bench into hysteria. Even Coach Oats broke into a smile. 

     Alabama has some challenges remaining this season. Kentucky and LSU on the road are back-breaking games. Those games will test the mettle of any team. The suddenly red-hot Razorbacks come to Tuscaloosa this weekend. Alabama might be underdogs in all three of these games. If the Tide shoots well, I'm betting they win two of the threes. The Tide doesn't have to shoot as well as they did against the Rebels. Just shoot well enough to run their offense. Could Bama lose all three? Perhaps. If Alabama plays as well as they did against Ole Miss they won't. 

    Bama will be favorites to win the remainder of there games. None will be easy, but the Tide is playing better defense. If Alabama's downtown game comes back they will be a force in the SEC Tournament and beyond.

 Bama needs a road win over Ole Miss...

    After the most brutal three-game stretch imaginable, the Tide goes to Oxford to take on the Rebels. It doesn't mean that things get easier for the Crimson and White. It is never easy to secure a road win this the SEC. It isn't like Alabama is starting to peak as the season winds down. To lose to the Kentucky Wildcats, Alabama put up a real stinker on offense. Lost in the horror of that performance was a silver lining, however. The offense collapsed, but the defense was outstanding. You must have done something correctly when you fall to a top-5 team by only 11. I thought the D played some hard-nosed, in-your-face defense. 

     You can fix the poor defense. I'd suspect the Tide guards may have shot a hundred three-point shots in practice. Coach Oats can tell the team to keep shooting and pray they make a few. Some nights to basket looks as tiny as a thimble. Sometimes it seems as big as a bathtub. I'll say this, Alabama is due for some good shooting games. The Tide now plays eight games and has a chance to win six of them. They have Kentucky and LSU on the road. Road games against Vanderbilt and Ole Miss could be wins, if, and this is a big if, Alabama can start shooting better. I think 20 wins before the SEC Tournament is attainable. I'm not predicting that, however. The Tide has some chemistry problems that cannot be cured with the snap of your fingers. 

     Charles Bediako played a great game against Kentucky. He held his own against the best center in the SEC. He has been improving, and now the Tide needs him to finish the year on a high note. If Bediako can become a force inside, the outside shooting will find better opportunities. I'd like to see Keon Ellis get a few more outside attempts. That isn't likely if JD Davison continues to get more minutes at the point. Defenses don't respect his shooting from the perimeter. He is looking better from downtown, however. Davison's attack the paint moves are precisely what Alabama needs now. Oats cannot fix his roster problems. I think he's done an excellent job with what he has on the bench. Next season should be better. 

     I believe Oats is going to be successful. He overscheduled for a team that had to replace five key players, and the Tide has paid for it. He'll learn from that. Five more wins will keep the Tide in the Dance, but six will find a better seeding. When 'Bama shoots the rock, well, they can beat anyone. Considering all the key players who graduated, the Tide's record is not surprising. Every team has a horrible shooting night. Let's move on. 

    Try to remember that Alabama has the nation's strength of schedule ranking.

Alabama's in a hole today...

      When you watch a bad game, you want to pour another drink, and then another, and for good measure, make sure there's one shot left in the bottle. It's pretty obvious that the Tide has blown up or blown down, whichever is correct.   Alabama prides itself on outside shooting. The shooting is ok, the making shots not so much. Alabama could have laid a lovely brick home with what they did last night. (exception Mr. Keon,  2 of 7, thank you, Ellis). It was a night of airballs, ill-advised shots, forced shots, what the heck was that, and missed shots of unknown origin lay-ups. In short, Alabama couldn't walk to the edge of the Warrior River drop the ball in the water.

     In all fairness, Alabama was having difficulty getting an uncontested shot because the Wildcats were playing some good lockdown defense. Despite all the confusion and sloppy play, the Crimson Tide only allowed 66 points. The Tide held the 'Cats to 40% shooting overall, turned them over 15 times, the larger Kentucky outboard the Tide by only three, and a lot of those came in the last five minutes. Alabama had four blocks to two for the Blue. Jahvon Quinerly kept Sahvir Wheeler from scoring. Kentucky had 12 assists, and the Tide had 4.

      All of those numbers above are excellent. Heck, Bama even went to the free-throw line 26 times to the Cat's 19. Alabama didn't lose the game on the defensive end. They played winning ball with their defense. Alabama. It's hard to believe the Tide only shot 28% from the floor at home. They made 3-30 from downtown for 10%. And they made the boo-birds start posting again. Here's some truth serum, Nat Oats is not the worst coach in history, as some maintain, but he's not the greatest coach either. There is a lot of middle ground between the two, and the SEC is a tough league.

     I wondered if any Alabama player could have made the Kentucky starting line. I finally decided that Quinerly would, and perhaps Keon Ellis. Here's a difference to consider. Kentucky had nine players who probably could have started. There was little, if any drop-off, in KU substitutes. Alabama struggles to decide who starts at times. Let's take the time to give Charles Bediako some praise. He only allowed the KU center to score 10. The lanky Canadian scored 10 himself, captured eight boards, was given credit for 1 rebound but had 4. had an assist, and only 1 turnover. He also altered a few shots. Charles made some significant steps toward helping the team last night.

     Jusuan Holt, the freshman, got eight minutes. J. Holt pulled down 3 boards and kept his defense was very solid. I thought Holt played well and is deserving of more playing time. He rarely makes mistakes. Given a chance, he'll score some as well. That brings us to JD. He's getting better. Sure, there were some passes from the depths of a confused mind. But, here's what he did. His defense is perfect but is better. Due to  JD's athletic ability, he has to guard someone bigger. That happened to him last night. Still, he had 6  boards and 7 points. He nailed a three, and it seems he's catching on.

     Before the game, Shackleford was announced as sick but led the team in minutes, but his offense was sorely missed. Gurley pulled down four rebounds and played well. He only played only 17 minutes. I thought Oats did an excellent job rotating James Rojas (5 rebounds) and Bediako. Sad me lost when we played such good defense, and yes, we will start making baskets again. This one's over now we go to Oxford. 

      

 Kentucky is a must-win for the Tide...

     

Shackleford needs a big game.

    I hate cliches. They have a way of inflating the value of something. While I hesitate in using the term must-win, it appears to be true in this case. Let's go back a couple of games. The Tide blistered the 4th ranked Baylor Bears and got a measure of respect from sportswriters and fans. Then Alabama gets slammed by Auburn. No rehash here about how the game was officiated. The Crimson loses by 19. While that loss didn't hurt the Tide's projected seeding,  I have to wonder what the mental effect will be.

BRASS KUNCKLE COMBACK...     

      Hopefully, it means the Tide will come roaring back with brass knuckles after the AU game. I think that Kentucky is better than Auburn. Auburn may be number one in the AP Poll, but Kentucky is still the preemptive program in the SEC. Alabama won the SEC with an electrifying 16-2 record. But Kentucky always is waiting to claim the top spot in basketball. Kentucky is to basketball what Alabama is to football. A team might be Kentucky, but the Wildcats will be back to exact revenge on your win. Kentucky fans are used to winning. It is an arrogance bred through victories. Sound familiar? It should. It's us in college football. Never underestimate the University of Kentucky. Never John Calipari. He is the foremost SEC coach who looks at the long run. 

     

ALABAMA NEEDS TO BEAT THE WILDCATS FOR SEEDING

     Alabama wants to be like Kentucky. The Tide wants to become the gold standard in SEC hoops. It's never too early to hope,  but far too soon to believe that is true. The Tide is getting there, however. For Tide fans, it has been an idiosyncratic season so far. A win tonight might right the ship and the rest of the season. Right now the Wildcats are ranked #4 in the AP poll. Beat the Wildcats and the Tide will see their ranking move up and solidify a good seed. Bama would have then beaten 6 teams in the top 25. That's solid. It's remarkable. The Tide must avoid bad losses in the future. 

THE SEC ROAD IS A CHAOTIC PLACE

           Auburn lucked out today to beat the Georgia Bulldogs 74-72. Don't think AU can't be beaten. The SEC road is a tough place. Tuscaloosa can be a tough place to play for the Wildcats. How can Tide beat the Wildcats? They do it by checking all the traditional boxes. Make for free throws than KU. Shoot a higher percentage from the three-point line. Win the battle of the elbow to make Wildcat defender sneak inside stop lay-ups. Try to get Oscar Tshiebwe in foul trouble. Hope the official calls Tshiebwe and Kieron Brooks for a few over-the-back fouls, which is a specialty of KU's defense. Perhaps the Tide commits four players under the defensive board to help out. 

     Shackleford and Quinerly need to do three things. Each needs to score twenty points from combination Paintsville and downtown. They also need to stop Washington and Wheeler getting free inside with the ball.  I think Bama might put Keon Ellis on Washington at times. The real problem is what can the Tide do when Toppin and Tshiebwe are in the lineup at the same time. Can Gary, Bediako, and Gurley beat them? No, but they can slow them down. I don't think the Tide wins the battle of the boards, but they need to be close and the guards have got to help. Davison needs to rebound. He needs to use his muscle and hopes to get rebounds. 

       My head tells me that Kentucky should win. My heart tells me that Bama, behind an insane crowd, will pull off an upset 83-81.

     

   

Officials give a hose job to 'Bama and it' time stop this non-sense    

 

   Let me be clear about a couple of things. First, Auburn has a great basketball team. There is no denying that. It is equally clear that part of that team was built by cheating and a lackadaisical attitude by the NCAA enforcement committee. Auburn is not on probation. They were given free rein to do whatever they wanted to build a team. All that being said, the Tigers indeed beat the Tide. Equally important is my second point. The officiating gave Alabama no chance to win the game. It is what we call a hose job. I have always believed that the SEC protects teams to enhance their opportunities to get better seeds in the NCAAT. Last night was a perfect example. 

      Had the game been played and officiated fairly, Auburn probably would have won the game. Let me also say something that Nat Oats needs to learn. Call a time out when you are being run out of the gym, and scream out loud until you get a technical foul to protect your team. Apparently, Oats took a vow of silence instead. The free throw differential was ridiculous. Auburn shot so many free throws they probably had to soak the arms in an ice bath.

      I think coaches should be allowed to black-ball referees for horrible jobs. Let the officials understand that they can't come back if they do not call a fair game. I rarely criticize officials or coaches about what goes on. Last night was just so egregious. It made me call them the zebras out. Coach Oats should talk to Wimp Sanderson about the benefit of time-outs and technicals. Neither might have helped Bama win last night, but it would have at least been a fair contest. This Saturday, you'll see Kentucky get similar treatment. That should come as a surprise to no fan. Thank you, I'll now step off the soapbox.

 GRAVY TRAIN NIGHT FOR 'BAMA...

 

  Alabama takes on the Auburn Tigers tonight in the unfriendly confines of the "Zoo."  Oddsmakers have set the line at +7.5 for the Tide. Out of the frying pan into the fire after beating the Baylor Bears, so to speak. Auburn should be a prohibitive favorite. According to Bracketology of ESPN, they are the number 1 team in the AP poll and have nailed down the top 1 seed. The good guys are currently a number 5 seed per the same source. I'm thinking the first team to 80 wins tonight, which will probably be AU. Arch Rival games are funny things, though. Don't count the Tide out. Alabama has shown it plays its best games against highly-ranked opponents. The Tide has beaten Gonzaga, Baylor, and Houston so far. Please note the "so far" because I believe the Tide will win a few more highly ranked teams before the NCAA Tournament. 

GRAVY TRAIN?

     Why did I say "gravy train"? Bama has nothing to lose tonight. They are underdogs playing on the road. A loss to AU isn't going to hurt the Tide's NCAA status. Bama's SOS is number 1 according to every analytical website. A close loss could make the Tide's seed go up one spot. No one expects the Tide to win. After all, the Tide is playing the best team money could buy tonight. This is a game where players can go out and just have fun. Having fun is one of Nat Oats' favorite goals for his team. I suspect Tide players know they can win this game if they play hardnosed defense and makes a few shots.

PRESSURE IS ON AUBURN

   The pressure is always on the home team. For Auburn, there is more pressure. The fact that AU is on probation is a consideration for some people. Let's be honest, AU isn't on probation. The NCAA just swept the entire mess under the carpet, and never really cared. The same with the Will Wade mess. If you want to understand what is wrong with college sports, it's the NCAA. A new governing body needs to be formed. Losing to Alabama in football is an old hat for Auburn. It's a given that Alabama will beat Auburn in football. If AU loses to Bama it will be a monumental gaff.  The Tigers have a great team. They seem to have a knack for getting the right players now. I'll leave it up to the reader to guess what that knack is. The head coach got caught cheating, and an assistant coach was convicted for essentially buying players. 

    Bama can beat Auburn if they can slow down Jabari Smith. He is a great player. Bama needs to win the war inside, shoot great from the perimeter, and keep turnovers below 15. The Tide also needs to shoot a bunch of free throws. Let's acknowledge that AU will get most of the calls. It will take a great game for the Tide to beat the Tigers, and the Crimson needs for Auburn to contribute with some bad play. It could happen. It might not, but it won't kill the Tide's post-season hopes if they lose. 

     

THE TIDE MAKES A STATEMENT...  

Battle of the boards goes to Bama.

     There is no doubt the Alabama Crimson Tide hoopsters are impossible to define. The Tide pulls an improbable win over the number four ranked Baylor Bears 87-78. The crowd in Coleman Coliseum was phenomenal. You could say the fans delivered a triple-double in basketball terms. The Tide played hard and looked involved. Will this be the turning point for Alabama? It could be. Bama now has Auburn and Kentucky coming up. If the Tide wins one of those games, it would be enormous. 

BAMA HAS BALANCED SCORING

 

Oat celebrates with the students

   Five Alabama players scored double figures, followed by Quinerly with 20 and Shackleford with 19. Kudos to Juwan Gary for delivering some big inside baskets. Keon Ellis had a big second half on offense, coupled with his outstanding defense. Davison looked like an All-SEC player with his outside shooting at critical moments. He ferociously took it to the hoop. The Tide out boarded the Bears 29-25. That's not a lot of rebounds by either team. Both teams had outstanding shooting. 'Bama shot 59.2% for the game. 

SHACKELFORD GETS THE BOARDS, AND TIDE HITS FREEBIES

     Shackelford had 9 boards. 'Bama knocked down 22 out of 26 from the free-line. The Tide made 33% of their three-point attempts but hit some key ones down when needed. Alabama has 15 turnovers but caused more than that. All in all, it was a good night. Bama now takes on Auburn on Tuesday and Kentucky on Saturday. 

 'BAMA - BAYLOR TIP IT OFF AT 3:OO PM

Tide nation holds its breath...

   

     Alabama welcomes the 4th ranked Baylor Beart to Coleman Coliseum today. There is a self-proclaimed white-out where fans are asked to wear white attire. I have no idea why that's needed, but maybe it will help a slumping Tide. Baylor is a great basketball team coached by Scott Drew, and they bring an 18-2 record to town Bama is a disappointing 13-7. All of the Tide losses have been close affairs, and all but one has been a won basket travesty. Luck hasn't been on the floor for the Tide this year. So, today is a massive day for the Crimson Tide. A win boosts their NCAA ranks, improves their net score, and gives some confidence for the remainder of the season. Bama is a three-point underdog, as this post was written. Baylor may be the best team Alabama has played to date. The Bears pride themselves on defense. 

     After the Georgia loss, Tide Oats left his team in the dressing room and said, "you, figure it out." Word is the team did discuss some things. Players voiced their opinions. Let's hope that locker room soul searching will pay some positive results. So here we are. Feast or famine day has arrived for the Tide. The season won't be over with a loss, but it's not going to be a happy time for Alabama with Auburn and Kentucky coming up. Logically, there is no reason to think Alabama should win this game. Games are always dictated by odds or logic. Alabama has shown the ability to play up the competition or down. Today the Tide needs to bring its A+ game to have a chance.

     Alabama is undoubtedly at a crossroads now. The Tide wins, and things look brighter for the remainder of the season. Another loss sets the Tide up for a scary road to the NCAA. I hope Bama wins today. I think they can. Regardless, Alabama fans are holding their breath. Quinerly, Ellis, and Shackelford need to score. Bama's inside game needs to break even on the boards. Turnovers must be reduced. Roll Tide and see you at three.

'Bama is falling apart...but

    You don't have to be a basketball guru to see what's wrong with Alabama. Whether Nat Oats can find a solution to what's going on with his team is the question

. The answer to that is both yes and no. Oats can't do anything about his current roster. This season, the lack of power, poor perimeter defense, and lack of quality depth can't be fixed. The Tide isn't a physically strong team. That's the no part. The yes part is up to the players. Can Jahvon Quinerly regain his shooting touch? Of course, he can. The old saying that 'shooters gotta' shoot' is actual. My personal belief is that Quinerly is suffering from a lack of confidence. That's different from just going through a cold shooting spell. JQ is also passing up open three-point opportunities, and it's not a good sign.

 

    Alabama might be able to be more competitive when the shots start falling from downtown. Shackleford made five in the first half against Georgia. He made zero in the second half. In fairness to Shack, the Dawgs made even finding shots difficult in the second half. The defense can improve if better effort, but Alabama has only one stopper. Keon Ellis is the only tough defender the Tide has. I'll give a Kudo to Juwan Gary when he plays. Gary is a banger. 

     The Tide needs to quit turning the ball over. Most Tide turnovers are just careless mistakes, and most are unforced. You'll lose games when you are soaring around 15-20 mistakes a game. If Alabama quits gift wrapping additional shot opportunities, they can win close games. Here's the problem with the offense the Tide uses - to run and gun, you will make some turnovers. That can't be helped, but I think the team can cut down on unforced errors. Those errors are killing the Tide.

     If Alabama wants to understand the problem, they need to look in a mirror. Team chemistry is missing. If the players decide to give 100% every time they are on the floor, things will improve. It isn't going to be like last season. I'd advise the players to dedicate themselves to being a leader. Instead of who is the team leader, each could say, "I'll be the team leader." There is only so much a coach can do. The remainder falls on the players. 

     This is not last season's team. The Tide lost five key players last season. I've written about that before, and I won't rehash the details. What Alabama can do is be the best team they can be. They were good enough to beat Gonzaga and Houston. That means there is an untapped potential waiting to be found again. Is it good enough to be a four seed or better? I don't think so, but this team can beat anyone when they shoot well and reduce the turnovers on any given night. Rebounding will always be a problem with this team, but they have improved in that area. C.M. Newton once told me that it isn't about just getting the most boards. It's about getting the ones that count. 

    One thing for sure - keep shooting. Keep throwing them up from downtown, and they'll start finding the nylon. Things will look a lot better then. And for Heaven's Sake, please build this program a new arena.