Alabama heads to Auburn

Tide needs to play its best game

Smart guard play is big tonight

    I've had a lot of fun trips to Auburn in the winter. Alabama has had much success against Auburn over the years playing at Auburn. I have to admit to being somewhat surprised that a lot of Las Vegas betting houses have the Tide a 2.5 favorite over the Tigers tonight. Let's take a wild guess that tonight might be the most hostile place the Tide will play this season. Like it or not, the Tiger win over Kentucky was impressive. Kentucky is not anywhere near being a great team the season. Still, how do you just ignore the fact that the Tigers beat the Cats. Kentucky beat Alabama so hard it made ears ring. We beat them in football; they beat Kentucky, and now we get to play them. I'm not saying that Alabama can't beat Auburn. I am saying this is going to be tough. 
 

      To beat the Tigers, the Tide must control the backboards. The Tide needs to make their free throws. I bet Avery Johnson has stressed those two areas since the minute the game with Vanderbilt was over. I'm sure the Crimson has spent a lot of time practicing free throws. I don't know that. Two schools of thought exist about the terrible free throw shooting. One school says you practice your way out of the problem or the second school says to ignore it and don't make the problem become a psychological issue. If you play golf, and your putting goes south you understand what I mean. Which method that Avery Johnson chooses is up to him. It's not like he has to tell his team what the problem was in Nashville. It was a problem that had been sneaking up on the Tide already.

     I've always thought the main way you beat a team on the road is to have great players. When you lack a lot of great players, the fundamentals become even more imperative. That starts with rebounding and defense. Those are two areas that a team can be fairly consistent in executing. You might get beaten on the boards, but a strong effort makes a huge difference.  The second area is to take good shots. The Tide also needs smart play from the point guards. By smart, I mean take care of the ball, and keep your team from standing around. It's not an easy thing to do with 10,000 fans screaming. It's an odd thing; some players let the noise distract them, and other feed off the frenzy. The top tier players can do that. That's why the home court advantage in the NBA is much less a factor than in college. In the NBA, all players are top tier. 

     The talent between the two teams is even in my opinion. Alabama has been 

more consistent than the Tigers overall. Auburn has explosive play from the guards. Alabama's forwards are better in my opinion. Does Alabama go big? Tough question to answer in this game. I think the need to rebound the ball makes it more likely than not Coach Johnson that the Tide will go big. But I can see the value in having an extra ball handler on the floor. Rebound, protect the ball and take good shots will maximize Tides chances. Pearl has had more time to get his players in the Tiger program. Johnson hasn't had that luxury. Beyond the things I've already said, we need some outside shots to fall. We need to keep Jimmie Taylor in the game. Canty is going to get his points. Let him. Just keep everyone else under control. Johnson is soon going to understand just what this rivalry is all about isn't he?