Another desparate December for the Tide?

Next few games will tell the story

Cooper has disappeared

  Well, here we are in December. Or as we know it - the trail of tears. At least we are losing with a better schedule. What does the remainder of December indicate for our team? Let's take a look:
   

• Surely we can beat Charleston Southern

Wichita State will probably beat us.playing in    Tuscaloosa gives us hope

• Xavier is down this season and we play them at home

UCLA will beat us in Pauley Pavillion like a drum.


     I see one sure win (Charleston-Southern)  and one possible win (Xavier). If Bama splits the four I'd be surprised. If we lost three it wouldn't be surprising. It really doesn't matter unless we win all four. Anything less and we've probably played ourself out of the NCAA. It would take an exceptional SEC season to get a bid. Bama should beat Robert Morris in January. If my predictions turn out to be correct that would give us a record of 6-7 or 7-6 at best. Then the SEC season begins. It's no secret that the schedule makers in the SEC office did the Tide no favors this season.  To make the NCAA we probably will have to win at least 13 or 14 games in the Conference. That will be tough, but luckily there are a lot of really bad teams in the SEC. My personal opinion is that we are one of the five worst teams in the conference at this point. Things can change. Good shooting covers up a multitude of basketball sins.

What has happened to Cooper?

    Cooper is an enigma wrapped in puzzle. Highly regarded in high school he chose the Tide. He had a super 28 point game his freshman season against LSU. He hasn't played that well since. His shot selection has always been a problem. This season he is taking bad shots and missing  good ones. He's lost his starting position and hasn't responded well to being the sixth man. On the positive side he has been rebouning well. Alabama needs him to break out of his slump. The truth is our talent level just doesn't allow any player to have a slump. We live on the edge of disaster every game we play against a better than average team. Next season, we will probably have more talent available since the departure of JayMicheal Greene. Everyone returns but Releford and perhaps Engstrom. It will be Grant's last chance to make the NCAA. I doubt he'd get another season if next year is another sub-standard year. Perhaps we should say the new standard instead of sub-standard. Fans love Grant but are getting restless.


    

At some point the Tide is going to face one of those do or die moments. I was talking with a local sportswriter and we speculated that if Alabama's effort wanes we could be looking at a collapse. I don't think that will happen because of the character and work ethic of our players. It's time for Cooper to get over whatever is effecting his play. We need 10-12 points and 6 or 7 rebounds from the lefty. He has the ability. To see a slump like his in his junior year is strange. I can't help but wonder why?  Is something going on that we don't know about? I haven't heard of anything or suggesting something is wrong with him. We need his potential on the floor. He and Jacobs can make a pretty good inside game.  The Tide has some  huge games in December.  We need this team to hit on all cylinders. Maybe they'll surprise us.

     Alabama's style of play almost insures they will be competitive.  They have good ball handlers and play tough defense. We hold the ball so long on offense opposing teams don't get their average offensive trips down the floor. I think that is pretty good coaching out of necessity. Grant hasn't signed enough good player to fill the roster. Next season we will have those players and numbers. If next year doesn't pan out the question of who's buried in Grant's tomb will be moot.