re: Tide Hoops | 31-6 (16-2)

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Remember when we used to pray for a 20 win season?

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I was actually thinking about that this morning, regarding how crazy it is that we could not only reach 20 wins, but theoretically do it during the month of January.

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how crazy it is that we could not only reach 20 wins, but theoretically do it during the month of January.

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Good. Because frick February (except Mardi Gras and my birthday).

Can No. 2 Alabama Run the Table in the SEC? (SI)

The Crimson Tide is 8-0 in the SEC, and it has a relatively manageable schedule moving forward.

Aggie has a chance. They looked pretty good the other night from what I saw.

Auburn will be ready for Alabama at their place so will Tennessee that's a fact but the problem is this...

Neither team has faced a team like Alabama.

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Aggie has a chance

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I agree. I’ve been thinking that they were going to drop off, but it looks like they are one of the top 4 teams in the conference. Winning at their place may take one of our better games.

We got a taste of what its like to have the target on your back vs State. They were fired up and we were eating the rat poison. If we stay at the top of our conference, we will get everyone's best effort. It wont be easy, especially with us playing a bunch of freshmen.

This team seems to enjoy playing on the road. Not saying we can't lose @AU, @UT, @TAMU because those are all good teams and will be tough environments, but these boys have a different edge to them.

No. 2/2 Alabama Faces Oklahoma in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge

No. 2/2 Alabama men's basketball will take a break from Southeastern Conference games to face Oklahoma in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, on the road Saturday (1 p.m. CT) in the Lloyd Noble Center. This year's Alabama-Oklahoma matchup marks the third time the two teams have squared off in the annual challenge, splitting the previous two contests (Oklahoma won 66-61 in 2021 and Alabama won 80-73 in 2018).

Saturday's contest features two of the top defenses in the country as the Tide rank No. 3 in three-point field goal percentage defense (.259) and Oklahoma ranks No. 25 (.295). Two of the best rebounders in the country will be on display as Alabama's Noah Clowney ranks No. 46 in defensive rebounds per game (6.37) in the country and Oklahoma's Tanner Groves is No. 49 in the nation (6.35). 

The Broadcast
Saturday's game is set for a 1 p.m. CT tipoff and will be aired on ESPN with Karl Ravech (play-by-play) and Jimmy Dykes (analyst) on the call.

The radio broadcast can be heard on the Crimson Tide Sports Network with Chris Stewart (play-by-play) and Bryan Passink (analyst) on the call, while Tom Stipe (engineer) is turning the dials. The pregame show will begin one hour prior to tipoff.

Bama snippets from this ESPN.com write up.

How the SEC/Big 12 Challenge impacts top teams’ NCAA tournament chances

Which other Saturday game intrigues you, and why?

Lunardi: Alabama at Oklahoma (2 p.m. ET, ESPN). I am fascinated by the prospect of a freshman leading the Crimson Tide to a national championship in a sport other than football. Alabama has pretty much met every challenge to date, especially on the road, and this could be a trap against a desperate bubble team like Oklahoma. If the Sooners are going to make the NCAA tournament, they need a game like this to go their way.

Alabama and Tennessee are both No. 1 seeds in Joe Lunardi's Bracketology, among the AP top five and top three in the BPI and NET rankings. Which one is your pick for a Final Four appearance this season?

Gasaway: We have to pick one? Ouch. Fine, I'll take the Vols. Zakai Zeigler has recorded 21 assists and nine steals to go along with nine 3s in three games since reentering the starting lineup. Plus Tennessee's a smidge older (weighted by minutes) than the Tide. If we've learned one thing from the past two national champions, it's that it can pay to be ancient.

Medcalf: On Jan. 14, 11 ranked teams lost for the first time since 2011, the same year Kemba Walker guided UConn to the national championship. I don't think college basketball has a great team this year, so I expect the NCAA tournament to be decided by star power more than balance. And if that's the case, I'll go with Alabama, because I think Brandon Miller (19.5 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 45% from 3) could carry the Crimson Tide to a Final Four. Alabama ain't a Cinderella, but I don't think the Tide will enter many games without the best player on the floor.

Lunardi: Give me Alabama, as the Crimson Tide have the kind of balance on both sides of the ball that tends to play well in March (and April!). Tennessee's defense might wear the Tide down in a best-of-seven series, but that's not what we're talking about. Alabama is going to have the best player on the floor in almost every postseason game, and you'd be surprised (not!) how often that makes the difference.

Borzello: Despite looking less than impressive against Mississippi State on Wednesday, I'll take Alabama. I love the makeup of this team. First of all, the win over the Bulldogs was the Tide's first victory by single digits since Dec. 13. They've been dominating teams. Brandon Miller is the best freshman in the country, and classmate Noah Clowney has been a surprise up front (although he's 0-for-16 from 3 in his past four games). Mark Sears, Jahvon Quinerly and Jaden Bradley are all dynamic guards, and Charles Bediako is a shot-blocker up front. On top of all the offensive firepower, they're a top-five defense nationally. I'm all-in.