Tide blows out Arkansas...

Total team effort gets the job done  83-58

Tide bench celebrates late

        It wasn't perfect. Oh heck, it was too. If you needed a script for senior night Hollywood couldn't done it any better. The final line read Alabama 83 - Arkansas 50, and we thought we came to Coleman to give Trevor Releford a special send off. Instead, Releford and his teammates gave Alabama fans about the best present they could receive after a long and miserable season. It wasn't enough to erase all the pain , but man it sure felt good didn't it? Good enough to give some restless fans some belief that next season might be a whole lot better. I think that my worries about recruiting have been alleviated by the duo of Hale and Taylor. Releford and Grant orchestrated a masterpiece in the senior's final home game of his illustrious career at the Capstone. The little big man will not be forgotten. He seems to embody everything you'd want in an Alabama athlete. He may not be named the MVP of the SEC but does anyone doubt his credentials? If he played on a national powerhouse team he'd be an All-American.  The way it is, he is the best player in America that no one knows about.

     Arkansas came to Tuscaloosa riding high on the hog on their way to the NCAA. They may still make it but they are probably pretty relieved that Alabama won't be there. Once again Anthony Grant got the better of Mike Anderson. This game was a good old Saturday afternoon BBQ and Arkansas came as the pig. A stunning win in terms of the lopsided nature of the outcome. How often is the score 83-58 that you can honestly write it just wasn't that close. Arkansas scored a whopping 52 points less than their last game. It seemed that all the frustrations of the year were erased in one tremendous 40 minute effort. What a coaching move?  Instead of slowing it down the Tide ran the Razorback's into the ground. Alabama short bench proved to be better than believed, and the Hog's depth had no answers for what they walked into. Instead of slow it was go and then go harder. The fast breaking Arkansas team on an eight game win streak did not score a single basket on their fearsome fast break. That seemed impossible. When Arkansas ran down the floor the Tide ran faster. When Arkansas wanted to fill passing lanes on the break they found a couple of Alabama players waiting for them.  

    

     Alabama has gotten better. What's caused that to happen? The consistent play of Releford causes other teams a lot of problems. He can slow it down or speed it up. As we know, he is a wizard inside. We score a lot of points in the paint due to Releford. Now that he can dish the ball to Hale and Taylor, the Tide is getting some easy looks. Randolph continues to play well. I'm not talking just his outside game. He has also found it much easier  to penetrate. Cooper continues to play good defense. His rebounding is outstanding for his slender frame. Even Obasahan has started to play better. He had a couple of Releford like layups against Arkansas.

      Mike Anderson said he didn't see this coming. Who did? I thought we would win but who thought it would be a hog slaughter? I haven't had this much fun at an Alabama game in two years. How well did we play? Even Grant broke into a big smile in the media room. So now it's on to Atlanta. LSU is next. This is a tough game for Bama because of Johnny O'Bryant.  He is the best big in the conference in my opinion. If Alabama can beat LSU, I feel good about our chances with Kentucky. Maybe the officiating will be a little more fair. I stress the little.   Could the Arkansas run be the start of a nice run in the SEC? After LSU and Kentucky see the Arkansas score each will think their bracket got a little harder. 

    

Arkansas Razorbacks

PLAYERS	POS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	TO	STL	BLK	PF	PTS
Fred Gulley III	G	0	0-3	0-0	0-0	0	1	1	2	0	2	0	1	0
Rashad Madden	G	0	5-10	5-9	4-4	1	1	2	1	7	1	0	3	19
Michael Qualls	G	0	1-7	0-4	1-4	3	3	6	2	1	0	0	3	3
Bobby Portis	F	0	4-9	1-2	8-10	1	4	5	2	1	0	2	3	17
Coty Clarke	F	0	3-6	2-3	0-0	0	4	4	1	1	1	1	3	8
Alandise Harris	F	0	1-5	0-1	5-5	0	2	2	0	1	0	1	3	7
Anthlon Bell	G	0	0-5	0-3	0-0	1	0	1	0	1	0	1	0	0
Moses Kingsley	C	0	0-0	0-0	1-2	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1
Kikko Haydar	G	0	0-2	0-2	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	3	0
Mardracus Wade	G	0	1-1	1-1	0-0	0	1	1	1	0	0	0	1	3
Jacorey Williams	F	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	1	1	0	2	0	0	0	0
Totals			15-48	9-25	19-25	6	17	23	9	15	5	5	20	58
31%				36%	76%

Alabama Crimson Tide

PLAYERS	POS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	TO	STL	BLK	PF	PTS
Trevor Releford	G	0	7-12	3-7	7-10	1	1	2	4	2	4	0	2	24
Rodney Cooper	G	0	2-6	0-0	0-0	2	5	7	1	0	0	0	3	4
Levi Randolph	G	0	4-11	1-4	2-2	0	3	3	2	2	2	0	1	11
Isiah Wilson	G	0	2-4	0-1	1-1	1	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	5
Jimmie Taylor	F	0	5-5	0-0	0-2	1	5	6	0	1	0	1	5	10
Dakota Slaughter	F	0	1-1	1-1	0-0	0	1	1	0	0	1	1	0	3
Algie Key	G	0	1-3	0-0	0-2	2	1	3	0	0	0	0	1	2
Retin Obasohan	G	0	2-3	0-0	1-1	1	5	6	1	3	0	0	2	5
Shannon Hale	F	0	5-8	1-3	7-7	1	2	3	1	2	1	0	3	18
Carl Engstrom	C	0	0-0	0-0	1-2	2	5	7	0	2	0	0	1	1
Totals			29-53	6-16	19-27	11	29	40	9	12	8	2	18	83
55%				38%	70%