Alabama Basketball Blog

Bama drills LA-Monroe 74-46

2009-12-06T08:56:00.003-05:00

Box score

I didn't watch much of it to be honest, but what I did see was one team clearly on another level than its opponent. I'm guessing the crowd of about 1000 were treated to a glorified scrimmage. Let me be honest... there is no reason to schedule this game on the same day as the SECCG. Even an avid hoops fans like me can't get into this the day of probably the biggest football game in SEC history.

Anyways, I'll do better going forward.

Coach Grant Should Make The Team Watch The FSS SEC Hoops Preview

2009-12-05T12:26:00.002-05:00

I watched it last night and it seemed like two-thirds of the other teams' offensive hi-lites clips were played against Alabama. We could not keep big men from forcing their way underneath the hoop and left way too many good shooters wide open behind the three point stripe. Bama is playing much better already this year, but he could hold that clip to show them later if they ever start to get over confident.

I guess there's no tv or radio coverage of today's game. If anyone has a link to an Internet audio I'd like to listen in.

Roll Tide. Let's win the basketball game and then take care of business this afternoon against the Gators.

LA-Monroe stats pack

2009-12-04T18:00:00.003-05:00

Here you go.

They lost by 20 at LSU and 11 at Oklahoma... two teams that aren't supposed to be any good. Take that for what it's worth.

Anyways, Tony Hooper is the guy to watch on their team. He's led them in scoring 4 of 7 games. Lawrence Gilbert is their only other scorer putting up double digits.

They have one seven footer, but he doesn't see the court much.

Stats:
- 44.7% FG
- 40% 3pt FG
- 72% FT
- rebound margin of -1.3
- 18.7 turnover per game

Prediction: We should force them into 20+ turnovers and coast along. Another scrimmage game of sorts with about 1000 or so at the game. Bama by 19.

Like last Saturday, there is another huge sporting event so it'll be hard to pay attention. Game is on tide TV... same link as other games. Noon tip off.

Bama beats awful Ospreys, 73-51

2009-12-02T23:33:00.003-05:00

First of all, Andrew Steele did not play as he was on crutches and wearing a boot. I did not even know he was injured, and I am still unaware of the nature of the injury or how long he will be out. If anybody has any information, please post it or let me know. I did not see the trainers looking at him during the Michigan game, so I assume it happened during practice.

Once again, we had a poor first half. Things started out good as our press forced a number of UNF turnovers and we were able to knock down some open outside shots to build a 16-8 lead. Unfortunately, we looked very lethargic and unmotivated the last 10 minutes of the first half. Eblen, Torrance, and Hillman all made some poor passes that resulted in turnovers. Justin Knox got into foul trouble once again. While we did a decent job of getting the ball into the post in the first half, Knox, Green, and Hines all missed a ridiculous number of close shots in the paint. With Andrew Steele out, we were forced to play Eblen a little more in the first half, and Greg Cage even got into the game. UNF was able to take advantage of our mistakes and a take a 1 point lead into the halftime. They had a 4 point lead until Tony Mitchell banked in a 3 at the buzzer.

Coach Grant was visibly upset with the lack of effort in the first half. He spent a lot of time speaking to the guys on the bench and seemed more vocal than usual. At one point I could hear him say, "Consistency every night...THAT is the difference." When the team came out of the tunnel to start the second half, Coach Grant did not look happy, and was shaking his head in disgust as he walked back to the bench.

The team responded in the second half. Tony Mitchell had a great all around performance. I had criticized him for shooting 3's earlier this season, but he went 3 for 3 tonight and scored 17 points. He also played good defense and pulled down several rebounds. Unfortunately, his night was cut short when he left the game at about the 9:30 mark with an injury. After going up for a shot near the basket he was under cut and landed hard. After remaining on the floor several minutes, he was helped to the locker room without putting any weight on his leg. He did come back out a few minutes later and appeared to be walking fine, but he did not re enter the game. Let's hope his injury is not serious, as we cannot afford to lose any more guys.

Frankly, I thought Mitchell's injury was the result of dirty play on the part of UNF. That was the 3rd or 4th time in a short span, in the midst of our run to put the game away, where they undercut us. I understand that will happen sometimes near the basket, especially when trying to get position for a rebound, but when it happens 3 or 4 times in a row, in particular when our players are already on their way back down, I have to question their intent.

Our game plan was to try to get the ball into the post, which makes sense considering the Osprey's are terribly undersized. However, they double and triple teamed Green, and got him frustrated by hacking away at him all night, and none of our other bigs could make a point blank shot. Thankfully our guards stepped up. I've already mentioned Mitchell's three point shots, but Charvez Davis and Anthony Brock also contributed from behind the arc. Torrance contributed with 15 points and was able to get to the line and knock down some free throws.

Overall, a good second half and a solid win against a team we were expected to beat. A number of factors could have contributed to the poor first half. It's dead week on campus and final exams are lurking in the near future. We had a short turnaround after a long road trip featuring 3 games in 4 days, which will take a toll on teams without a lot of depth. Finally, I think the initial 8 point lead came so easy, we relaxed thinking that merely going through the motions would be sufficient. Credit Coach Grant and the players for turning it back on and taking care of business.

The crowd was very small tonight, I would estimate around 2,000 or so and very quiet. It was a dead atmosphere, which was kind of disappointing considering the great showing we had in Orlando.

Up next, the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks will come to Tuscaloosa for a noon tipoff Saturday. They return all 5 starters and are coached by former Gottfried assistant Orlando Early. He's done a decent job with them, and they will be much tougher than UNF. Like many fans, I won't be able to make it to this game, as I will be on my way to Atlanta for the SEC Championship football game. Hopefully I will be able to listen to Chris Stewart on XM radio.

UNF (North Florida) stats pack

2009-12-02T09:12:00.003-05:00

The Ospreys come in at an intimidating 1-4 with that only victory coming over Savannah St. I had no idea what an Osprey was until I googled it. Funny, I never saw this bird of prey in the 4+ years I lived in Orlando.

Anyways, UNF stats

Here's a quick synopsis of them:
- They don't score a lot (58.2 PPG)
- When they do score they're efficient (48.6% FG and 48.4% 3pt FG)
- They turn the ball over a bunch (almost 20 per game)
- 10 of 15 on the roster are sophomores or younger
- no one taller than 6'7"

Prediction: Pain and lots of it. We should absolutely maul them. East Tenn State did and I expect us to do the same. Alabama by 31.

Bama upsets Michigan, 68-66.

2009-11-29T19:50:00.003-05:00

This will be relatively short as I think Alias has already posted a solid recap. I don't think a lot of people realize how big this win is for us. Michigan was ranked #15 coming into this week. Obviously they won't be ranked as high after going 1-2 in Orlando, but nevertheless they are a border line top 25 type of team from a major conference, and to beat them on a neutral floor to take 3rd in the tournament is a great "resume building" win for us, not to mention the confidence it will give our young players in what Coach Grant is trying to accomplish.

The first half was not pretty. Once again, we fell down by 12 in the early goings. On the one hand, I love the poise, effort, and never give up attitude of this team. On the other hand, I would rather we not make a habit of digging ourselves a 10+ point hole in the first half. In the first half, we committed too many turnovers, gave up open shots, and generally played sloppy. Still, we were able to take advantage of some Michigan mistakes and make it a 5 point game by halftime.

I thought it was interesting that we started both halves in a 2-3 zone. In the second half it was more of a match-up zone, which was much more successful. While our 2-2-1 full court press did not force a lot of turnovers, I thought it was effective in forcing Michigan to rush things offensively and take some bad shots. After making some adjustments, I thought we did a good job on offense against their 1-3-1 halfcourt trap. Charves Davis made enough shots from the perimeter to keep them honest, and we were able to work the ball down to Green who had a huge day in the post. Green's play was especially critical considering Justin Knox's foul trouble. Torrance had a good day running point with 8 assists to 3 turnovers.

Again, this was a huge win for us. I believe John Beilein is one of the better coaches in the game, and Coach Grant out coached him today. We fell down 12 in the first half to a top 20 team, playing against a defensive system that we don't see very often, and we made the proper adjustments to come back and win. The crowd was split roughly 50/50, with a fair contingent of FSU people there who were supporting us for the most part. Our contingent of 250 or so was very vocal once myself and a couple of other guys encouraged everyone to get into it, and the team seemed to appreciate and feed off of the support. The arena was very small but also very nice, and everything was ran in a first class manner. Major Kudos to the folks at Disney for hosting a wonderful tournament.

Up next, North Florida comes to Tuscaloosa Wednesday night for a 7pm tipoff. For now, I hear Church Street calling. Roll Tide!

Bama Beats Big Blue

2009-11-29T19:01:00.003-05:00

Alabama, coming from as many as twelve points down, scratched and clawed its way to the biggest win of the Anthony Grant era over the 15th ranked Michigan Wolverines. Michigan seemed to shoot threes almost at will for the first 25 minutes of this game while Alabama's guards could barely buy a trey. Most of Bama's early offense came underneath the basket as the guards tried to work the ball around Michigan's 1-3-1 zone. On the other end of the court, Michigan kept hitting threes and finding open looks underneath the basket.

The Tide got into early foul trouble, Hillman being the first player from either team to head to the bench with two fouls well within the first ten minutes of the first half. His presence was sorely missed on the defensive end where his quickness was helping to pressure the Big Blue ball handlers. Defensive intensity increased dramatically when he was inserted back into the lineup in the second half.

Torrance, who did not score many points in the first half, came on to hit a huge three and to make an important dish that finally gave the Tide a lead with about four minutes to go in the game. Knox had an important bucket and hit one of two free throws to maintain a one point Alabama advantage.

At the end of the game it was Green who made the last two big plays. Alabama rebounded a missed Michigan shot with about 32 seconds left on the game clock. Torrance dribbled around near mid-court killing all but about 12 seconds. Green, who eventually was voted the player of the game and scored 20 points, fielded a missed shot and slammed the rebound through the hoop. Then on the other end he swatted away Michigan's layup attempt before it could get to the hoop.

The win is the most important event of the night. The poise and patience necessary to work their way slowly back into a game they easily could have abandoned in the second half comes not far behind. Finally, the quality minutes earned by several of our new players against a quality opponent were extremely valuable.

I'm sure BobbyJack will post some more poignent comments and the game stats soon. DJC was at the game in Orlando. Hopefully MSmilie saw the game.

Roll Tide

Green's dunk and blocked shot helps Tide pull the upset 68-66

2009-11-29T18:53:00.002-05:00

JaMychal Green puts in a dunk followup with under 56 seconds remaining and caps it off with a monster rejection as time expired to hold off Michigan.

Box score or this one

I missed the 1st half as I was coming back fro yet another football game. I know in the 2nd half that Green dominated while Torrance hit some big 3s and set up his teammates nicely on some easy baskets. Charvez Davis carried us in the 1st half with his outside shooting (from the commentary).

The good:
- outhustled Michigan in the 2nd half
- Green and Torrance took over
- held Michigan to 38% FG and 24% 3PT FG

The bad:
- turned the ball over a bunch on steals
- 19 turnovers (addendum to above)

Nice win by the team. Coming out of this tournament 2-1 is pretty sweet.

Side note- Fran Fraschella might be the most annoying and inept(sp?) analysis on ESPN. As annoying as Duke Vitale might be, at least he does his homework on the teams he's covering... once you get past the Duke, UNC, Derek Jeter, and NY Yankees references.

Michigan stats pack

2009-11-29T08:37:00.002-05:00

The 3-1 Wolverines play the 3-2 Crimson Tide for 3rd place in the Old Spice Classic. Should be another good test for us.

Stats (requires adobe acrobat)

The funny thing is we've been tested more in this tournament than we were last year in Maui. Go figure. Anyways, unlike our 1st two games, we won't be seriously outsized today... they only play one big man (Zack Gibson) regularly.

I haven't gotten a chance to watch the tournament with me being in Auburn for the Alabama-Auburn game (note I did not call it the Iron Bowl) so I haven't seen Michigan play this year. They should make the NCAAs, but they're still a middle of the road Big 10.

Manny Harris is a preseason Big 10 1st teamer averaging 21 points 9.5 boards and 7.5 assists per game. It is obvious we have to somewhat contain him. Deshawn Sims is 2nd on the team in points (17) and boards (8.3). Starter for starter we match up well with them as so far they're playing a 4 guard lineup.

Stats:
- 80.5 PPG
- 45% FG
- 32% 3PT FG
- Rebound margin of only +.8
- 2.5 Blocks per game

Prediction: I'm going to be a homer again... I believe we out uptempo Michigan and squeak out a victory. Bama by 3.

Gametime is 5PM EST (4PM CST) and it's on ESPNU (channel 614 on DTV). I should be able to actually watch this... maybe missing part of the 1st half as I'll be seeing your Atlanta Falcons drill my former favorite team in the Tampa Bay Yuccaneers.

Playing for 3rd now. FSU 60 Bama 51

2009-11-28T00:39:00.003-05:00

Like everybody else, I missed most of this game because I was at the football game on the ugliest village on the plains. I did make it to a local sports bar in time to catch the last 9 minutes of the game. We were down 12 when I arrived, and we cut it to 7 at one point, but couldn't really make it a game. From what little bit I saw, it appeared that we were playing very aggressive on defense, but FSU had some ball handlers and was able to knock down some open shots at key moments. Every time it looked like we might make a run, they had an answer. FSU is a good team, and this was basically a home game for them. I was trying to keep an eye on the score while at the football game, it must have been a sloppy start as it was a 4-4 tie about 5 minutes into the game. It looked to be back and forth in the first half, but we fell down by 5 around halftime and they stretched the lead out in the second half. Sorry for the lack of quality analysis on this game, but 1) As I said, I only saw the last 9 minutes and 2) After that football game, then driving from auburn to Lake City, FL, I really don't feel like looking at the box score right now and trying to guess what happened. I'll be at the game Sunday, and depending on my internet connection I'll either get a recap posted that night, or Monday night after I return home to Birmingham.

Up next, another tough matchup against a top 25 Michigan team, at 4pm Central (5 EST) for 3rd place overall. The game will be televised by ESPNU.

Florida State stats pack

2009-11-27T09:11:00.002-05:00

Super abbreviated today as there's a another sporting event on the schedule today.
FSU stats

They got kilted at Florida. FSU is supposed to be a projected NCAA team so either it was an off night or the Gators are better than advertised.

Stats:
- 47% FG
- 35% 3PT FG
- 66% FT
- +10 rebound margin

Prediction: I think we're on a roll and we win this one. I don't think it's a road game as FSU basketball fans are pretty scarce... and we had a pretty good contingent there yesterday. Bama by 5.

If we win tonight I think we go ahead and win this tournament.

Bama Busts Butt, Beats Baylor Bible-thumping Baptist Baylor Bears by 3, 79-76

2009-11-26T21:26:00.003-05:00

Unfortunately, I don't think we had any members of this blog present to give a first hand account, so my perspective is having watched the game on TV like everyone else. Well, I should say watching the last 30 minutes on TV...I had to listen to the first 10 minutes on the radio thanks to ESPN's piss poor program planning.

We trailed early in the game, and it sounded like we were a bit out of sync and having difficulties with Baylor's big men. Maybe they just needed me to be able to watch, because by the time ESPN got around to broadcasting the game, the Tide was rolling. This was a big win for us. Scott Drew is one of the hot "up and coming" names in coaching (if you look back to my posts during our coaching search, you'll know that I think he is somewhat overrated, but that's neither here nor there), and after their run in the NIT last year many were picking them to be a legitimate player in the NCAA this year. There is no doubt they have more size than us, and most would agree they have more overall talent and depth than us. We simply outcoached and out hustled them tonight, and that is why we are advancing in the winner's bracket of this tournament.

Again, we did not press them as much as I thought we might, but we were very effective when we did. We were able to get them in foul trouble in the second half which hurt their offensive game plan. Our undersized post players did a great job of containing their big men. Justin Knox got into some foul trouble, although his 4th foul which was called a block, should have been a charge.

Speaking of bad calls, overall I thought the refs called a pretty good game, but the ones they missed were REALLY bad. I've already mentioned Knox's 4th foul, but Tony Mitchell nearly got his nose broke on an over the back that was not called. That was probably my biggest gripe with the officials was the lack of over the back calls tonight.

Offensively, I liked the way we attacked the zone. Our bigs were able to flash to the free throw line and get good open shots. Our drive and dish game was there most of the night, and Hillman and Brock shot well enough from the outside to keep them honest. Torrance had another great game with 20 points and 6 assists despite 4 turnovers. Green had a monster game with 22 points. Free throw shooting continues to be an issue, and we had some key misses down the stretch that allowed the Bears to keep things interesting.

We look to be a well coached team. We adjust to what our opponents are doing on both ends of the floor, and we give great effort, especially on defense. I think we have improved every game...this was our best game thus far, and you could say that for each of our previous games at the time. All of that being said, there is no excuse for what happened in the final minute. We ran an inbounds play underneath the Baylor basket which called for a pass down the baseline before inbounding the ball. Problem is...it was a spot throw in. You can only run the baseline following a made basket. To Coach Grant's credit, he took the blame for it, and luckily we got a charge call right after so it didn't hurt us, but if Baylor scores there and makes it a game, that is an inexcusably bad mistake. That doesn't negate of all the positives, and you've got to like the way this team is playing right now.

From what I saw on TV, it appeared that we had a surprisingly decent sized and vocal crowd there tonight. I hope that continues throughout the tournament, and I will do my part for the Sunday game.

Up next, the winner of the Florida State-Iona game at 4pm Central on ESPN2. Unfortunately, we have a football game against some no-name scrub school that likely won't be over till 4:30 or so. I'll be at the football game, but I hope to at least catch the 2nd half. RTR!

Brock reinstated and Baylor stats pack

2009-11-24T21:12:00.004-05:00

Brock has been reinstated by CAG.
“Anthony Brock has met the requirements that we set for him to end his suspension effective immediately,” Grant said. “Anthony is committed to this program and understands the expectations that we hold for our basketball team.”

Full link.

Baylor stats pack...

A relatively young team... 4-0 so far, but against pretty crappy competition. They escaped the mighty Hartford Hawks with a buzzer beater.

Led by LaceDarius Dunn (25.3 PPG) and Ekpe Udoh (8.8RPG), the Bears will test us by playing uptempo basketball. I think we match up well with them... as long as our big men stay out of foul trouble. They have 2 7 footers that see the court. Overall, they're simply bigger than us.

Stats:
- 51.9% FG
- 40% 3PT FG
- 57.4% FT
- 13 turnovers per game
- 81 PPG

Prediction: As long as Green and Knox stay out of foul trouble I think our guards are better than their guards (collectively). With Brock back we have another outside threat that should be the difference. Bama by 7.

Oh yeah, the game is on ESPN2 (thanks finebammer for reminding me of that). No grainy internet feed. YAY!

Pugnacious Pachyderms Prevail Over Providence

2009-11-21T01:36:00.002-05:00

BobbyJack already has given you the game essentials. What he did not take time to tell you was just how exciting this game was to watch.

I estimated the crowd to be between six and eight thousand. The announced crowd was closer to ten. Any of those numbers reflects a marked improvement over what we have seen for recent "preseason" games, even against named opponents.

The initial intent was to pound the ball inside. Green did score the games first five points before the Friars called time and established an effective defense. Bama then began trying to set up the three point shot. They earned several clean looks, the players set their feed and squared up to the basket. The shots did not fall. Enter plan C: the promised dribble-drive, half-court offense. This worked well enough to keep the Tide in the game.

Providence started out blazing from beyond the arc. They had two players with hot shooting hands and they used that to take the lead and hold it for the balance of the half.

As the second half started Bama fans saw something they've waited years to see, an effective perimeter defense. Providence hit only one of the ten threes it shot in the second half. Unfortunately guarding them so closely on the perimeter made it difficult for the Tide to defend against the Friar's dribble penetration. When that did not create open layups it freed their inside players for the unguarded dish. Providence seemed to score almost at will in the second half until Bama's guards began to harass the Friar forwards from behind.

Providence might not be the most talented team in the Big East, but Alabama is not among the SEC's premier programs this season either. This still was an important victory by a gritty, gutsy Alabama team. The game was exciting for forty full minutes. Both teams played with great energy and enthusiasm. The crowd responded too and encouraged the home team to dig deep as they approached crunch time.

Hillman's steal and dunk might have been the game's hi lite, but Torrence's offense and Knox' consistent shooting from the foul line (I believe he hit ten of his eleven free throws) while Green was on the bench, first with foul trouble and later with some sort of injury, are what kept Alabama in the game. Even with a shortage of post players this team could become a force to be reconned with if they could find one or two reliable three point shooters.

If you are a Bama Basketball fan I would encourage you to see this team play as often as you can. If they continue to perform like this, tickets might become a valuable commodity in a very short time. The new regime still is in its infancy and the players certainly could use your support. I don't regret any of the eleven hours I invested to see this game and post this meager entry. I hope to see you all in Coleman Coliseum soon.

Late steal by Torrance leads Tide to victory 84-75

2009-11-20T22:04:00.004-05:00

Box score

This is indeed a nice win for Coach Anthony Grant and the team. I love the defensive intensity... even though we were pretty miserable offensively, the defensive pressure kept us in the game. When we full court pressed we either got the turnover or took the Friars out of their offense. This full court press thing is still foreign to fans that watched last year's team. :)

The good:
- Torrance. Although he shot the ball more than I would like my PG to do, it didn't seem like anyone else wanted to.
- Knox with a double-double
- 77% from the FT line
- 8 turnovers, forced 14.

The bad:
- Green and foul trouble. Actually all of our big men were in foul trouble, but I pick on Green as we need him on the court the most.
- 40% FG. Like I said, the D kept us around, but the offense stunk it up. Give credit to Providence for some of that, but I also saw a lot of bad shots in the 1st half.

It's obvious CAG reads this blog as Mikhail Torrance is his favorite player. Why else would he log 39 minutes? :)

Interesting stat- the loss tonight for Providence was the first one this year in the Big East.

Providence stats pack

2009-11-19T22:08:00.004-05:00

Abbreviated for now... if I have time tomorrow I'll edit it with more info.

They're 3-0 with a huge win over the always tough Mercer Bears (we know them from last year... losing at home to them). Ok, really they're a middle of the road Big East team that'll challenge us. I haven't seen them play this year so I can't give any insight, but from the stats they have no problems using their bench with 11 players averaging at least 9 minutes per game.

(edit)Stats
- 42% FG
- 28% 3PT FG
- 60% FT
- +15 rebound margin
- 8.3 turnovers per game

Those offensive stats look AUful.

Prediction: With the loss of Brock (indefinetly) we really need to shoot well from outside to win. I just don't see it happening. Friars by 6.

Game time is 7PM CST and you can watch it at the usual place. I'm too lazy to link it, but scroll down and you'll find it from another post. I hope there's a good crowd there tonight.

Remember Stan Heath? Looks like he's in trouble at USF

2009-11-19T10:37:00.002-05:00

Most of the NCAA violations involve USF video and conditioning assistant Terrelle Woody, who was hired Aug. 26, 2008, in a non-coaching position by USF coach Stan Heath (right) as part of a package deal to guarantee the signing of highly touted Maryland transfer Gus Gilchrist.

The violations include Woody providing transportation to student-athletes, watching "open gyms," coaching players and illegally working out USF players.
Heath, who is 23-41 and in his third season at USF, denied the allegations or said he had no knowledge of them.

"You want to keep nickel and diming him," Heath said. "All this little [crap] ... I don't know what this is all about. It's stupid."

Besides the alleged violations, three current USF players -- Dominique Jones, Anthony Crater and Justin Leemow -- were the primary suspects in the April 2009 theft of nearly $8,000 worth of items stolen from former players Gaby Belardo and Jesus Verdejo, according to a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office report. The father of one of the victims said he believes that Heath never contacted the police about the burglary to protect the current players. The items have not been recovered and no charges were filed.

Read the rest here.

Looks like someone's coaching career is about to end. Badly. I hope he saved up all the money he got (stole) from Arkansas.

Tony and Tide tame Tigers; 86-69 over Jackson State

2009-11-17T23:49:00.002-05:00

Tony Mitchell had a coming out party tonight and showed why he was such a highly regarded prospect. He played very well within the offense and capitalized on his high percentage shots in the paint, to finish with 23 points. He also played good defense and pulled down a few rebounds. About the only flaw in his game tonight was taking a couple of ill advised 3's.

Speaking of perimeter shooting, I have stated that a lack of consistent shooting may be the biggest problem with our current team trying to run this system. We were a respectable 7 of 17 from the 3 point range tonight, but that includes 5 of 7 from Charvez Davis. Davis's ability to consistently shoot may end up being the key to the season...the rest of the team was only 2 for 10.

One of our key shooting threats, former starter Anthony Brock, is suspended indefinitely for violation of team rules. I have no idea what he did, but I trust Coach Grant is handling the situation in such a way that will be beneficial to the program in the long term. Andrew Steele started in his place, and Ben Eblen saw a lot of playing time. Both took good care of the basketball, but neither is the scoring threat that Brock can be from the outside. Eblen is somewhat undersized defensively, but he makes up for it with his basketball IQ. He handles the ball very well and makes good decisions, and he is quick enough to defend despite his lack of size. Nevertheless, he's not much of a threat to light up the scoreboard.

We were not getting good shots in the first half and allowed Jackson State to keep the game within 5 points. I think our pressure defense wore them down somewhat in the second half, but our press was not as successful in terms of forcing turnovers. In fact, Jackson State broke it fairly easily for much of that night. Conversely, our half court man to man defense was very solid tonight. Jackson State did not have a lot of size inside like Cornell did, and we were able to block a few shots in the post to create some transition opportunities. We contested most all of their shots from the perimeter when we were in a half court man to man. Jackson State's lack of size also allowed Green and Mitchell to dominate in the paint. Davis kept them spread out enough by knocking down the 3's to allow our point guards to get the ball in to them. It was nice to see Green stay out of foul trouble. It was also good to see a fairly well officiated game, thanks to a lack of Ted Valentine on the court.

Overall, a solid win against an inferior opponent after a sluggish first half. For the first time this year we did not shoot ourselves in the foot with turnovers. We only had 10 for the game, which is pretty good considering the pace at which we play. Green and Hillman both had to come out of the game due to bumps and bruises, but both returned and appear to be fine. With Brock's suspension and Jemison already out for the year, we can't afford to lose any more guys. With the exception of Torrance, free throw shooting continued to suck tonight.

The crowd tonight was very small, I would say about 2,000 at best. Jackson State brought a small group of 10-20, including one of the most loud obnoxious fans I have ever heard. This lady (and I use that term very loosely) literally screamed at a very high pitch throughout the entire game. At their players, at the refs, at our players, at our fans, anybody who would listen, or even if they wouldn't but had no choice due to the sheer volume. She is missing a great opportunity to be a Mississippi $tate fan, she would fit right in with that bunch of loudmouth jerks.

Also, kind of off topic, but we really need to do something about our halftime shows. Saturday we had a bunch of kids on unicycles trying to hit layups, and they shot an even lower percentage than we do from the free throw line. Also, they went over their time slot delaying the teams from coming back out to warm up. Tonight, our halftime show literally consisted of 4 people eating a Chic fil a sandwich. I love me some Chic Fil A, but watching other people eat is not exactly my idea of entertainment.

Up next, the Friars from Providence will come to Tuscaloosa Friday night for a 7 pm tip. They are undefeated and come from arguably the nation's best conference in the Big East. We have a history with Providence, as they eliminated one of Wimp Sanderson's better teams in the Sweet 16. Billy Donovan played on that team, against Mark Gottfried. This is a winnable game for us, as Mercer played them within 2, but it will not be a cake walk. There is no reason why we shouldn't have a big crowd Friday night. The football team has an early game on Saturday, so go ahead and get to Tuscaloosa the night before and support our young basketball team!

Jackson State stats pack

2009-11-17T09:34:00.004-05:00

Are they the Southern Miss of our basketball schedule? It seems like we play them every year. Anyways, here's their season stats.

They got drilled by Memphis (82-53), but a lot of team are going to be so I wouldn't pay too much attention to that. It looks like most of their scoring/shooting comes from Gertavin Blake and Garrison Johnson (30 of 57 shots), but it looks like they play their entire bench.

Stats:
- 37% FG
- 33% 3pt FG
- rebouund margin -10
- 54% FT
- .6 assist/TO ratio (horrible)

Prediction: This should be a game where we get some kinks out of the offense. I fully expect us to run them out of the gym. Alabama by 21.

Game time is 7:30PM and it's viewable on rolltide.com

Prosperous Preview Preempted

2009-11-15T17:58:00.002-05:00

Please forgive the belated update. An overnight stay without Internet access and a visit to a friend who lost his mother kept me from posting anything until after Bobby Jack had delivered his comments, all of which seemed to be directly on point.

Anthony Grant said a few weeks ago that he expected to run a dribble-drive half-court offense. That is exactly where they started Saturday, without success. We must have turned the ball over at least three of the first five trips down the court. One was a mishandled pass (I believe to Knox) and the other two were reach ins by the defense. I was shielded from the defensive moves so I cannot say whether the steals were legitimate or our players were being hacked. I do know that the officials did not call a single foul underneath the Alabama basket for the first 13 minutes of the game. The defensive plays could have been clean, but I really don't think Cornell was that much quicker that the Tide.

To say our offense sputtered when the dribble drive proved ineffective would be a gross understatement. Coach Grant did eventually try some adaptations of that approach. The readers will be pleased to know that none of them involved the UCLA High Post Offense and that some of them were effective.

We had no answer for Foote, Big Red's seven foot center. We did not even have a large body to lean against him to keep him from backing into the lane once he received the entry pass. When all else failed, the officials allowed Foote to clear out his path to the hoop with his off arm. There will be games where that play will be allowed. Unless something changes, Bama will not have an answer for it.

Number 20 for Cornell was a swing type player who appeared to be about 6'5" who turned out to be their three point expert. I don't think he missed a single open shot. They set screens to get him open and the big men kicked the ball back down to him when the guards collapsed to offer help.

I had heard that Bama had two plays to inbound the ball. I don't think I saw either of them Saturday. I recall at least three occasions where we had to lob the ball to or beyond the half court line to inbound it underneath our own basket. One other time they burned a time out because no one could get open.

Bama did alternate its approach to generate some offense. When Cornell came out in a tight man defense in the second half, Bama cleared out from underneath the basket and allowed Torrence to drive in for easy layups. A switch to a zone put a stop to that. They also tried to set some screens for threes. I am not a good enough student of the game to know what is wrong, but our screens do not work. I don't know whether the problem lies in where we set them, how long our player stays set, or how closely the moving player approaches, but they seldom seemed to create an open look.

Cornell's point guards were allowed to penetrate too closely to our basket without anyone offering help to the man guarding the point. That generated open looks and open passes underneath the basket. These last three points make me tend to believe that old habits really are hard to break.

On the positive side, Green did have some nice moves against the seven footer underneath the basket. Hillman showed spots of his upside when Bama turned on the pressure. The pressure generated at least two steals for turnover goals. Mitchell had a good game. I think he had one steal (I don't see on in the box score), he had a nice offensive rebound for a put back, and scored effectively from the field. Alabama wins this game but for the two missed dunks and three missed layups in the second half. The effort was good. Unfortunately the team does not yet appear to grasp what Coach Grant is trying to do offensively (gee, no surprises there!) and looks like it has not worked together for very long. The upside potential might be better than any of our regular contributors predicted. Then again, it might not. So long as they continue to demonstrate the type of effort I saw yesterday, I will be happy to make the round trip from Mobile to Coleman Coliseum as often as work and family obligations will allow.

Cornell spoils Grant's debut 71-67

2009-11-14T15:59:00.002-05:00

It's hard to give analysis on a grainy feed, but I'll try my best.

Cornell I believe has 6 3s to start the 2nd half. I like the way we kept on fighting, but it seemed like everytime we got under double digits, Cornell hit a big 3. Some things haven't changed though... white guy draining 3s.

When we got it within one score give Cornell credit as they'd either hit a shot to make it a 2 possession game or hit their FTs.

I saw a lackluster first half, but was impressed with our 2nd half performance. When we really made a run at Cornell the ball went through Torrance and for the most part he made good decisions.

Box score

I thought Green and Hillman rushed their shots... although in Green's case he had to contend with a 7 footer. Brock was a sharpshooter from 3. He's easily our most reliable option out there.

Anyways, most of us know this season is one that will see some growing pains. As long as I see the hustle I saw today I'll remain optimistic. Last year's team would've quit when Cornell took the lead to double digits.

We are what we are now... let's see how much this team gels going forward.

Cornell stats pack

2009-11-13T13:57:00.005-05:00

I'll give you stats from last season. How about that?
Also here's a blog about Cornell. A pretty good one at that. The poll on the main page comes up with 50% saying Cornell wins a close one.

They're the 2 time defending Ivy League champs and preseason favorite to win it again, returning most of the roster from last year.

Ryan Wittman led them in scoring (18.5) and 3pt FGs (97 made) while Jeff Foote (a 7 footer) cleaned the glass (7.2). Louis Dale averaged 13 PPG.

Prediction- A close game throughout with Green being just too much inside for Cornell. Alabama by 2 in a squeaker.

Gametime is 1PM CST (2PM EST for me). You can watch it online here.

Alabama Squirms Past Augusta State, 61-55

2009-11-11T01:05:00.001-05:00

An uninspired Alabama basketball team playing in front of an equally uninspired crowd needed six straight free throws late to hold off Division II, Augusta State. JaMychal Green, limited to nineteen minutes due to 1st half foul trouble, led Alabama with 12 points and 5 rebounds. He was the only player to score in double figures. Alabama trailed in the 1st half by eight points before rallying to take a one point lead into halftime.

I missed the first 5-6 minutes of this game so I can’t comment on that portion of it. However, what I did see was not very encouraging. Augusta State is a Division II power, they deserve respect, but Alabama did not play well at all. Turnovers were once again an issue (23), though the Tide did shoot extremely well from the free-throw line (90.9%), which was the difference in the game. JaMychal only played three minutes in the 1st half before picking up two fouls. With its best post player off the floor, and facing a zone defense, Bama relied on the three-point shot, which wasn’t there for most of the evening (29.4%).

There isn’t much good to report. However, the defensive pressure did force Augusta into eighteen turnovers and 38.9% shooting from the floor.

Bottom line: The team won the game. It’s better to play poorly and win than to lose games of this nature. With an extremely tough Cornell team coming in Saturday for the season opener, Alabama has a lot to work on if it wants to emerge a victor on Saturday. The best place to start is what has been most consistent the last two games - their defense. This team is going to have to bring it on the defensive end every single night in order to have a chance to win; they simply don’t have much offensive firepower based on the first two games to outscore anyone.

Oh well. It could be worse. We could be Arkansas fans.

Alonzo Gee is an Austin Toro

2009-11-07T12:53:00.002-05:00

In case you didn't know it, the NBA Development League had its draft this past week. Former Alabama player, Alonzo Gee, was selected by the Austin Toros with the sixth pick of the first round.

From Draft Express: Alonzo Gee goes 6th to the Austin Toros. Gee barely played for the Spurs Summer League team this year, but I guess they liked what they saw. He has some skills, but hasn’t really ever brought them together. His biggest weakness is three point shooting. And free throw shooting. Well, just shooting in general really. Usually a pre-requisite for a shooting guard/small forward, but in the D-League anything goes.

Congratulations to Alonzo. Hopefully he can parlay this into a possible NBA shot at some point. This gives me even more of a reason to enjoy Toros games this season. With salaries that range from $12,000-$24,000/season in most cases, these guys aren't living the high life by any means. They are hanging onto their basketball dreams by their fingernails. Most of them won't make it. The attendance at these games is sparse (despite the level of basketball being frequently quite high) and media attention is minimal. It also doesn't help in a town like Austin where you have a college basketball program that is a consistent top 25 team. Particularly this season, which could end with a national championship (Texas is my pick to cut down the nets in April). I think of the D-League players as underdogs, and I love a good underdog. As Captain Renault would suspect, I'm a rank sentimentalist.

In case you are interested in the other D-League draft choices, click here.

Anthony Answers Alias . . .

2009-11-05T22:10:00.002-05:00

or Alias' questions at least. Okay, so they were your questions, but I did ask them for you.

Coach Grant gave a detailed history of each of his assistant coaches, but he did not break down their duties along the lines that DJC asked. He did talk a good bit about the Strength and Conditioning Coach and about the Video Something-or-other Coach. He said that at this level someone has to record the practices to give the floor coaches the information they need to instruct the players. That might be old news to some of you, but I did not know they did that in basketball.

Coach Grant said that all the players were excited about the prospects of running an up tempo game but that they were really surprised by the September workouts that were necessary to prepare them for that style. They were surprised but they all evidently did accept the responsibility.

In response to the half-court defense question, he said they would be primarily a man-to-man team but that the one thing no team could afford to do at this level is to become predictable. As a result, he said they would change defenses and change fairly frequently to keep opponents off balance.

Coach Grant was very diplomatic when trying not to be too specific in addressing the talent level of our team. He did describe with particularity the individual strengths of each member of the roster. The comment the assembly enjoyed most was when he described Justin Knox as being "very laid back off the court." He said he'd told Justin "that needs to change when you go on the court."

This was my first visit to a Tip Off Club meeting. I was not the only rookie there tonight. The local leadership evidently had expended considerable effort to try to produce a good crowd for Coach Grant's first visit. Most of the other attendees spent their cocktail time talking about football. One Bama Basketball stalwart from my class back in the seventies asked a number of pointed questions. I promised Coach Grant I would put that friend in the car and drive him up to Coleman Coliseum before the season ended. I also promised to be in my seat next Saturday.

I was very encouraged by everything Coach Grant said. He knows the facilities must be improved and he explained that Coach Moore and President Witt are doing everything they can to help him. He also said that he had only one chance to do this right so he was more than happy to be patient to achieve that goal.