TIDE IS NOW 5-2 ...

   The Crimson Tide is now 5-2 in SEC play. Now, granted the SEC is not the Charles Atlas of the basketball. Bama is not ready to compete with those type teams. You have to acknowledge that 5-2 with 3 road wins is pretty impressive. Road team with around 17% of their SEC road games.The Tide knocked off a pretty good, and getting better, Mississippi State team at The Hump. That is always sweet to Tide fans. Alabama also beat LSU and Georgia on the road. Thatś a big deal. When you have three road wins a lot of good things can happen. Will they happen to Bama? I think the first thing you do is to see Tide has left on the road which they could win.

    The easy part of the road games is gone. Bama might beat Missouri in Columbia. The Tide likely won´t beat South Carolina, Texas A&M, or Arkansas on their home floors. That leaves the Tennessee.The Vols are up or down. Catch them on a down night and Bama could have four road wins. Iḿ impressed we have three. So can Bama hold serve at home? Not likely with the Kentucky Wildcats calling. Alabama can beat Auburn. The two big man game may hurt Wiley. Make no
mistake, the Tigers have better players that Alabama. Wiley inside and four impressive outside shooters will win you some games. 

   On paper, the Tide looks good against the three teams and Ole Miss at. That would be a remarkable season for the Tide and Avery Johnson should be SEC Coach of the Year. If any told me this team could finish 9-9  or 0-8 I wouldn´t have believed it. Alabamaś lackluster pre-season will keep them out of the NIT. Their great conference performances will get them a home court NIT if, and this is a big if, attendance stays good.

    There are a couple of lesser tournaments but the Tide will give those folks a cold shoulder. I am a proponent of playing as many games as you can. Ingram, AJjr, Hall and Key could use the extra floor time. If Nick King ever gets well he could get a few minutes.

Surprise of the Season - Braxton Key was great at Oak Hill Academy. Itś also a big time program. Moving Key to the two guard is genius coaching by Grant. Key can make the long range bomb and can penetrate. He can also post up a smaller guard. 

Iḿ also in impressed with AJjr. He is a baller. He runs the floor, doesn´t turn it over much, and can also penetrate and run the floor. His off the glass shots may be a little unorthodox, but aren´t they sweet? 

And finally Shannon Hale.  Itś a money season and that has gone away one way or the other. He has been a major problem for Grant this season. Bama needs some senior leadership. Hall didn´t answer the bell. I wouldn´t be stunned if he is gone. Official word is a lower leg injury. Word on the street is he is no longer on the team. I'm going with the official story until I learn anything more definitive