Tide needs a homecourt win over LSU...

Alabama goes for win #16...

 

Nerves of steel in Columbia

  The Crimson Tide laces them up for victory # 16. Game time is 2:30 CST. This is a must win game. The Tide has six games left in the remaining regular season. I think the Tide can win all six of these games. None of these games looks unwinnable. Can the Crimson Tide buckle up and pull off a double hat trick? Letś play the ¨what if¨game for a moment. What if the Tide actually won all six of these games? Bamaś record would be a respectable 20-10. That is not NCAA worthy in all likelihood, but, and this is a big but, what happens if the Tide wins a couple of games in the SEC Tournament? That moves the Tide to 22-11. Hmm...

 

His last trip to Tuscaloosa

It is not outside the realm of possibility that the Tide might squeeze in the field of 64 if one of those wins is over Florida or Kentucky. If Bama ran the table in the regular season they would be a three seed if they do that, and someone beats Arkansas. Then someone in the Selection Committee is going to say how do we not take the Razorbacks over the Tide? Maybe the real question for us to answer is whether there is a chance in the world the Selection Committee would take four SEC teams. The powers to be in basketball can overlook the SEC when their football counterparts can´t disregard the conference.  I don´t think that Alabama will make it to the dance, but at least the fans would be pumped up about it. I think it is highly more likely the phone will ring and it will be the NIT on the line. A great finish will guarantee the Tide a home court advantage until they would have to play in New York.

Jr. can hoop it up can´t he?

    None of that is going to happen unless the coaches can figure out a way to score. The good new is that none of the remaining teams are defensive wonders. I think the Tide has proven that they can hold a score down with their defense. Can they hold the score down enough to score a bunch of points?  I know it will help if Dazon Ingram can knock down some threes. That would take some pressure of Riley Norris who is still our best outside shooter. His shots don´t come easy.  Bravo for Riley for developing a good inside the paint game. Itś hard not to argue that Norris hasn´t been our best overall player.  Key and Ingram are coming on at the right time. Arḿon Davis is getting more time and he is a threat to score.  Nick King is going to apply for a sixth year, and I think he has a great chance to qualify for one if he wants to stick around.  More than any singular thing that has hurt the offense is the total failure of Shanon Hale to play up to his potential. Maybe the senior will look at the schedule and see it is now or never.  If Hale plays to his potential he can give us 15 a game and a few boards. Johnson has been playing Bola more to keep the Tide winning the rebound wars. He can shoot very well, and honestly, he doesn´t have the hops, but he has the knack of knowing where missed shots are going. He is tough. He is a junkyard dog and every team needs a guy just like him. 

Bama by 12

   The \\\