Florida beats the Tide 66-63 in hard fought game...
That's all Alabama could ask for - a real chance to win. The Tide did not win, but Florida had to beat them. This wasn't a case of poor play, bad shot selection, or mental errors. JaMychal Green hit one free throw and missed the next with 20 seconds left in the game. That missed free would have tied the game. The miss gave Florida enough breathing room to get the ball, and force Bama to foul. Florida made two free throws. It would take a three to send the game into overtime. With 9.8 seconds left to play Bama brought the ball back up the court. Lacey was dead on line, but just a 1/4 ball short from tying the game. It was perfectly executed play. Lacey broke off a nice pick on the baseline. Lacey got a great look. I was surprised he got that good a look. It was contested, but not enough to alter his shot.
With the ball bouncing off the front of the rim the Tide's SEC play is over. Now the Tide has a two day wait to find out if they make the NCAA Tournament and where they play. I think the game showed the committee that Bama belongs in the tournament, but it isn't going to help get a better seed. After a half a decade or so of staying home that hardly matters right now. Just to go back has a nice ring to it. If the experts are correct the Tide will play in the 9/8 bracket whose winner will play a #1 seed. The best team in the Country seems to be Kentucky. 'Bama played them to the wire in Lexington. I hope we get another shot at them.
One other thing the Tide might have found in this game is the realization just how dangerous they can be when they play hard. The high scoring Gators were held to just 66 points. No one has to point out what end of the floor the Tide needs to improve, but they owned the interior. The Crimson and White shot a great 54% from the floor and 33% from the three point line. They made 12-16 free throws for 75%. Florida shot only 39% from the floor. 'Bama won the battle of the boards. Florida made 16-19 from the line, but the real difference was the 10 three point baskets the Gators knocked down. I thought that Alabama really outplayed Florida except for that one number. Florida had to shoot 30 three point shots to make those 10. That's only 33%, and well below the 40% the Gators were shooting going into the game.
At the end of the game Billy Donovan and Anthony Grant smiled and hugged each other warmly. They are best friends. I don't know what Donovan said but it should have been along the line of 'we were lucky to win'. It might have been that Alabama needs only one great shooter. This was a well played game by both teams. Florida opend up a 9 point lead in the second half after holding a 2 point lead at the half. The Tide did not quit. The fought back. The game was tied at 49, and then 51 with six minutes left to play. Florida got the lead back to 6 but Bama kept working and got the score 64-62 on Lacey's 3 point basket with 1:10 left. The Tide caused a turnover. Green then made one of two free throw to cut the lead to 64-63. Florida made those two late free throws to set up Lacey's last gasp attempt. A great game. Unfortunately, we came out on the short end. Perhaps we regained a measure of confidence in this loss. The better team was better only by the slimmest of margins. An average game from the usually steady Andrew Steele might have made the difference. When you lose a game by a 3 point margin a thousand things might have let the Tide win.
The Tide made four more field goals than Florida. Seven more three point baskets was the difference. For those of us who have always viewed the three point shot as a gimmick to increase attendance for college games this just re-enforces our belief. Getting beat from the three point line is like getting slapped by a sixth grader. I'm not taking away anything from the Gators who have recruited a great class of shooters who can actually make baskets. Alabama recruited some great shooter who just haven't matured enough to be effective.
I am really proud of the game the Green played today. He showed the NBA what a great player he can be. He leads the SEC in career double-doubles and added another one today. He never backed down. He never quit. He was a leader in the paint. It was heartwarming to see him end his SEC career on a high note.
I want to make this prediction today - Kentucky won't win the national title. They are soft inside. If they catch a paint dominated team and any of their starters get in foul trouble they'll lose. That could be Michigan State. It could be Syracuse, or North Carolina. It might be a team like Temple. I hope an SEC team wins but after watching us play Kentucky and then LSU today this team is not unbeatable. Hard to beat? Yes. Will they get beat? I think so. For the SEC I hope not. Let's get behind all the SEC teams. Basketball isn't like football. We can support our opponents in the post season because it only makes us look strong in the RPI at the start of next year.
Last nights post below...
Georgia Bulldogs knocks State from Tournament with some great effort...
Mississippi State dug deep to find yet another way to lose not just a game, but an NCAA berth as well. A lot would have to happen for the Dogs to get a bid. State has already agreed to host the opening round in the NIT if not selected by the NCAA according to a source close to the AD's office. I'm sure that is a big letdown for Bulldog fans. Without a doubt, State is the most disappointing team in the SEC.
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| 22 points, 10 boards, and 4 assists for Green |
With the ball bouncing off the front of the rim the Tide's SEC play is over. Now the Tide has a two day wait to find out if they make the NCAA Tournament and where they play. I think the game showed the committee that Bama belongs in the tournament, but it isn't going to help get a better seed. After a half a decade or so of staying home that hardly matters right now. Just to go back has a nice ring to it. If the experts are correct the Tide will play in the 9/8 bracket whose winner will play a #1 seed. The best team in the Country seems to be Kentucky. 'Bama played them to the wire in Lexington. I hope we get another shot at them.
One other thing the Tide might have found in this game is the realization just how dangerous they can be when they play hard. The high scoring Gators were held to just 66 points. No one has to point out what end of the floor the Tide needs to improve, but they owned the interior. The Crimson and White shot a great 54% from the floor and 33% from the three point line. They made 12-16 free throws for 75%. Florida shot only 39% from the floor. 'Bama won the battle of the boards. Florida made 16-19 from the line, but the real difference was the 10 three point baskets the Gators knocked down. I thought that Alabama really outplayed Florida except for that one number. Florida had to shoot 30 three point shots to make those 10. That's only 33%, and well below the 40% the Gators were shooting going into the game.
At the end of the game Billy Donovan and Anthony Grant smiled and hugged each other warmly. They are best friends. I don't know what Donovan said but it should have been along the line of 'we were lucky to win'. It might have been that Alabama needs only one great shooter. This was a well played game by both teams. Florida opend up a 9 point lead in the second half after holding a 2 point lead at the half. The Tide did not quit. The fought back. The game was tied at 49, and then 51 with six minutes left to play. Florida got the lead back to 6 but Bama kept working and got the score 64-62 on Lacey's 3 point basket with 1:10 left. The Tide caused a turnover. Green then made one of two free throw to cut the lead to 64-63. Florida made those two late free throws to set up Lacey's last gasp attempt. A great game. Unfortunately, we came out on the short end. Perhaps we regained a measure of confidence in this loss. The better team was better only by the slimmest of margins. An average game from the usually steady Andrew Steele might have made the difference. When you lose a game by a 3 point margin a thousand things might have let the Tide win.
The Tide made four more field goals than Florida. Seven more three point baskets was the difference. For those of us who have always viewed the three point shot as a gimmick to increase attendance for college games this just re-enforces our belief. Getting beat from the three point line is like getting slapped by a sixth grader. I'm not taking away anything from the Gators who have recruited a great class of shooters who can actually make baskets. Alabama recruited some great shooter who just haven't matured enough to be effective.
I am really proud of the game the Green played today. He showed the NBA what a great player he can be. He leads the SEC in career double-doubles and added another one today. He never backed down. He never quit. He was a leader in the paint. It was heartwarming to see him end his SEC career on a high note.
I want to make this prediction today - Kentucky won't win the national title. They are soft inside. If they catch a paint dominated team and any of their starters get in foul trouble they'll lose. That could be Michigan State. It could be Syracuse, or North Carolina. It might be a team like Temple. I hope an SEC team wins but after watching us play Kentucky and then LSU today this team is not unbeatable. Hard to beat? Yes. Will they get beat? I think so. For the SEC I hope not. Let's get behind all the SEC teams. Basketball isn't like football. We can support our opponents in the post season because it only makes us look strong in the RPI at the start of next year.
Last nights post below...
Georgia Bulldogs knocks State from Tournament with some great effort...
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| Not just an SEC story but a national headline |
Four Big SEC Stories ...
Four stories stuck out this season in the SEC. All were completely different in scope but each was certainly newsworthy in their own right. There may be more stories. Kentucky winning the National Championship for the SEC. Is Rick Stansbury is catching a lot of heat from State fans. Is it possible he could lose his job? I don't think so, but what great news for the Tide if it turns out to be true. It would eliminate a great coach and put to rest of questions$ about his recruiting methods. It might help us with D. Pollard. He likes Grant. Kentucky is his other choice. That's not good for Alabama.
- The breaking point shaving scandal at Auburn. This is going to give an NCAA already upset with the SEC's sport success even more room to pass legislation that might hurt the league. This is a bigger story than trouble at Auburn. This could end up being the biggest basketball story of the decade. Auburn's problem isn't just with one basketball player. This is going to be one of those stories where the net could get larger. A Federal Investigation is a serious issue, and no stone will be left unturned to see if this is an endemic problem with the entire program. Let me stress there is nothing to indicate that at this time.
- Kentucky's undefeated season in the Conference with young players. Whether you like John Calipari or not you cannot take anything way from the job he's done with the Wildcats this season.
- The collapse of Mississippi State. The Dogs fall from grace was stunning. I know it made a lot of Alabama fans happy. I don't think I've ever seen a team with more talent play so poorly when it mattered the most.
- The suspensions by Alabama's Anthony Grant of four players in the middle of a run for the NCAA. Grant stuck to his guns and the Tide managed to find a way to wade through troubled waters to an NCAA berth was outstanding.
There were a couple of other stories worthy noting. Coach Martin's job in the second half of the season led the Vols to a second place in the SEC Tournament and many think they may make the NCAA despite a laughable start.
Tony Barbee's coaching job at Auburn deserves some special mention. Talk about a thankless job. He still kept the Tigers competitive. What a blow to his players to find out that one of their numbers may have betrayed the program. How bad was that.
The same applies to a lesser degree to those players at Alabama who thought they'd put themselves ahead of their teammates, coaches, and fans. Releford has not recovered from his one game suspension, although I think there is something medical going on with him that has not been disclosed yet.
Espn Guru says five are in...
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| The smiling face of Frank Martin of KState |
Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi State are still going to the NCAA according to Joe Lunardi of ESPN Bracketology. I wonder if he left MSU in pending the outcome of tonight's final second round game. The Bulldogs play Georgia in the night cap in game # 8 of the SEC Tournament. I'll say this - is MSU gets in they have violated every guideline ever told to the public about what matters. Tennessee is listed as one of the last four teams out. That might change with a 'Vol win over Ole Miss tonight.
Per Lunardi the Tide will be the nine seed (trending downward) and will play KState. The winner will face North Carolina who he projects as the # 1 seed in the West which will be played in Phoenix. The Tide lost earlier to KState in a game played in Kansas City. The Tide has an RPI of 32 going into today's game and KState checks in at 43. KState's Strenght of Schedule is currently 49. Alabama is listed at 35. The Tide has fallen from 25 just last week. The loss to Ole Miss hurt. The win over South Carolina hurt as well.
Ironically, KState's record is 21-10. Their season ended with an 8 point loss to highly ranked Baylor in the Big 12 Tournament. Frank Martin, KState Coach is a good friend of Anthony Grant and the two frequently talk on the telephone about the season.
"The last time I tore up my knee, it happened because he passed me the ball, something he never dThid ever in my life," Martin said, recalling a rec league game when both coaches lived in Miami. Frank Martin talking about his good friend Grant.
Is it just me or is SEC basketball starting to resemble low scoring SEC Football?
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