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.