BAMA UPSET BID FALLS JUST SHORT

LAST SECOND SHOT SAVES BEARCATS...

     It is always more difficult to write about a loss. I'm not sure I have ever been prouder of the effort Alabama left on the hardwood than this one. We didn't win. But, boy did we prove somethings to ourselves today in one of the hardest places in America to play basketball. Cincinnati had to drop in a shot with almost no time on the clock to beat Alabama 58-56. Cashmere Wright shot a 16 foot fall away over the outstretched arm of Moussa Gueye. Give credit where its due. It was a great shot by a great player. Bama has chosen to double Sean Kilpatrick if the Bearcats set the elbow pick.Cincinnati did that, and Bama did just what I thought they would do. It wasn't bad defense. It was a great shot and Wright dropped in a heart breaker. Bama had the same opportunity on the other end prior to Wright's shot. Releford didn't get the basket angle he wanted. Credit to Cincinnati for making it tough on that Trevor. They are not a top twenty team by luck There are no moral losses. There are losses that show some growth and moving forward.  This was one of those game. Here are few things I observed. this is going to a short blog. To much Alabama today. How about our football team? The cream rises to the top.

• Bama got shaken rattled, and rolled early on. It was 11-2 and the Tide looked like a team on the verge of falling apart.  They didn't. Anthony Grant teams don't seem to do that.
• Trevor Releford dropped in a 3 at the end of the first half. That cut the Bearcat lead to 33-7. Bama left the floor thinking they could play with Cinnicanti, and they did.
• After Bama settled down they took a couple of second half leads. The last lead was 54-52. Just for the record Alabama shot 6 free throws to Cincinnati's 14. That was the difference. If you recorded the game please watch and draw your own conclusions.
• Even in that free throw difference Bama proved to me they were winners, and some of the toughest little teams I've ever seen. The refs let them play. Whistles were few and far between. That should have played into the Bearcats interior game. It didn't. The Tide sealed the perimeter. No easy entrance passes. Every ball that got inside was contested. If the ball was on the floor three Bama players scratched like cats in corner to steal it.
• The top rebounding team in America was held to only 28 rebound. Part of that happening was because of Levi.  I call Levi Randolph the "ghost" in honor of TR Dunn. That's what my old buddy, ex-Tenn coach, Ray Mears called TR. He called him the ghost. He was always appearing somewhere he wasn't expected. He was a ghost.  Randolph had 6 boards, Lacey had 6, and Gueye had 5. That tenacity in the paint gave Bama a chance.
• Jacobs also had 5 boards along with 6 points.
• Devonta Pollard had 7 points on 3-5 shootings, a blocked shot, and 2 boards. More than that he showed he looked like he belongs on the floor.  He took a big step forward in a tough arena against a good team. 
• Final word from this old fan: We are going to be a pretty good little team. We aren't going to the the SEC. But we are going to help determine who does, and on Selection Sunday we should hear our name called. If Bama can beat Dayton and VCU we are better than good team. And next season we have size coming on campus and only lose Steele.

     This was one of the best coaching jobs I've ever seen by a basketball coach. And I'm not joking...

          This was like David vs Goliath, except Goliath has some bench help. As an Alabama fan I hate to see us lose. But basketball, unlike football, is a journey. If you improve, and prove you belong you get to play in the NCAA Tournament. I think today Alabama proved we belonged.
    
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