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.