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When was the last time you had hope for basketball or believed we were at...
Posted on 3/18/19 at 2:08 pm
Posted on 3/18/19 at 2:08 pm
....the start of something special.
For me it was all the way back in 2012 and it wasn't the NCAA Tournament.
It was a home game vs Georgetown.
Alabama had wrapped up the previous year by going undefeated at home and returning to the post-season and making it all the way to the title game of the NIT. Year three of Anthony Grant saw his best class yet sign with Randolph, Cooper, Jacobs, Gueye, Retin and the best player in the state, Trevor Lacey. They would join Trevor Releford, JaMychal Green, Tony Mitchell and Ben Eblen.
Alabama was ranked pre-season and held on to it, going undefeated for 8 games, winning the 2011 Puerto Rico Tipoff and got up to as high as #12 in the nation. Possibly of the last times the NCAA Tournament was all but ours to lose before SEC play even started.
Being in attendance for that game, way more than the official 15,383 showed up. Students were all over the place as their actual section had overflown. I can remember thinking, win this game on national TV and who knows what awaits us. I dreamed of a guy like Anthony Grant becoming a legend here, cutting down nets and putting kids in the NBA.
Alabama lost 55-57.
Some say it didn't even matter as it was a very young, freshman heavy team and the next games would be on the road in ferocious atmospheres at Kansas State and Dayton. But we lost something that day, what was supposed to be our signature declaration of arrival to college basketball on our home court, turned into just another disappointment.
(To make matters more typical... Georgetown would go on to be ranked as high as top 10, before being upset in the NCAA Tournament.... by Mark Gottfried and NC State),
For me it was all the way back in 2012 and it wasn't the NCAA Tournament.
It was a home game vs Georgetown.
Alabama had wrapped up the previous year by going undefeated at home and returning to the post-season and making it all the way to the title game of the NIT. Year three of Anthony Grant saw his best class yet sign with Randolph, Cooper, Jacobs, Gueye, Retin and the best player in the state, Trevor Lacey. They would join Trevor Releford, JaMychal Green, Tony Mitchell and Ben Eblen.
Alabama was ranked pre-season and held on to it, going undefeated for 8 games, winning the 2011 Puerto Rico Tipoff and got up to as high as #12 in the nation. Possibly of the last times the NCAA Tournament was all but ours to lose before SEC play even started.
Being in attendance for that game, way more than the official 15,383 showed up. Students were all over the place as their actual section had overflown. I can remember thinking, win this game on national TV and who knows what awaits us. I dreamed of a guy like Anthony Grant becoming a legend here, cutting down nets and putting kids in the NBA.
Alabama lost 55-57.
Some say it didn't even matter as it was a very young, freshman heavy team and the next games would be on the road in ferocious atmospheres at Kansas State and Dayton. But we lost something that day, what was supposed to be our signature declaration of arrival to college basketball on our home court, turned into just another disappointment.
(To make matters more typical... Georgetown would go on to be ranked as high as top 10, before being upset in the NCAA Tournament.... by Mark Gottfried and NC State),
14
Posted on 3/18/19 at 2:10 pm to Lordofwrath88
Every time we get a new coach then they frick it up.
Posted on 3/18/19 at 2:11 pm to Tide or Die87
Posted on 3/18/19 at 2:12 pm to Tide or Die87
quote:
Every time we get a new coach then they frick it up.
Pretty much this. I think some of our issue has been football guys trying to find the right basketball guy to hire.
Posted on 3/18/19 at 2:18 pm to Lordofwrath88
Pretty much the exact same moment as you LOW, after making it to the NIT Title game that year, having won the SEC West regular season title (before they did away with divisions in basketball), things looked like they were setting up for Anthony Grant to build a strong basketball program. We know the rest.
With Avery there has always been enough derpage mixed in with the good moments to know it ain't happening under him.
With Avery there has always been enough derpage mixed in with the good moments to know it ain't happening under him.
Posted on 3/18/19 at 2:22 pm to Lordofwrath88
Hmmm good topic
I'm just going to name some from the last decade or so
2011-2012 Georgetown (as you alluded to)
2012-2013 @ Cincinnati - I remember checking my phone from my seat in the lower level at the Georgia Dome during the insane Alabama/Georgia SEC Championship game and thinking that if we won that game we had a chance to take a big step from even the prior year. We lost by 2 and followed it up with a home loss to Dayton, blow out at VCU, home loss to Mercer, home loss to Tulane.
2015-2016 @ Florida/@ LSU back to back - we were 16-9 (7-6) with an excellent OOC schedule/record and a good RPI. We'd won 2 huge road games when we used to never win them. Then of course we lost 4 of 5 down the stretch and in the 2nd round of the SECT to UK by 30.
2017-2018 vs Tennessee/LSU - felt pretty damn good after kicking the shite out of Tennessee and LSU in back to back games in addition to winning at Florida a few games before. We were 17-9 (8-5). And of course we wilted.
2018-2019 @ Vanderbilt -felt pretty good about this team after they won in Nashville. We'd looked like a good basketball team for going on 2 months at point (since the Arizona game). We'd beaten Arizona, Liberty, Penn State, Kentucky, Ole Miss, MSU and looked competent in our losses @ LSU, @ Tennessee and @ Baylor. The only hiccups were @ Auburn and the awful 2nd half vs A&M. We were 15-8 (6-4) with good numbers. And then, like Groundhog Day, we wilted again.
I'm just going to name some from the last decade or so
2011-2012 Georgetown (as you alluded to)
2012-2013 @ Cincinnati - I remember checking my phone from my seat in the lower level at the Georgia Dome during the insane Alabama/Georgia SEC Championship game and thinking that if we won that game we had a chance to take a big step from even the prior year. We lost by 2 and followed it up with a home loss to Dayton, blow out at VCU, home loss to Mercer, home loss to Tulane.
2015-2016 @ Florida/@ LSU back to back - we were 16-9 (7-6) with an excellent OOC schedule/record and a good RPI. We'd won 2 huge road games when we used to never win them. Then of course we lost 4 of 5 down the stretch and in the 2nd round of the SECT to UK by 30.
2017-2018 vs Tennessee/LSU - felt pretty damn good after kicking the shite out of Tennessee and LSU in back to back games in addition to winning at Florida a few games before. We were 17-9 (8-5). And of course we wilted.
2018-2019 @ Vanderbilt -felt pretty good about this team after they won in Nashville. We'd looked like a good basketball team for going on 2 months at point (since the Arizona game). We'd beaten Arizona, Liberty, Penn State, Kentucky, Ole Miss, MSU and looked competent in our losses @ LSU, @ Tennessee and @ Baylor. The only hiccups were @ Auburn and the awful 2nd half vs A&M. We were 15-8 (6-4) with good numbers. And then, like Groundhog Day, we wilted again.
This post was edited on 3/18/19 at 2:23 pm
Posted on 3/18/19 at 2:35 pm to SummerOfGeorge
I would say 4 years ago, Avery's 1st year, on a Sunday afternoon, we beat Clemson in a tough, physical game. I was thinking when he gets a couple good recruiting classes, look out. Was only false hope.
Posted on 3/18/19 at 2:48 pm to Lordofwrath88
When we won @LSU Averys 1st year. I remember thinking we might not make it that year but he would have us right going forward. And I still believed it until our 5 game collapse last season.
Posted on 3/18/19 at 3:00 pm to mistaken4193
Has there ever been a basketball highly rated player from this state that wasnt a nice calm guy other than Boogie Cousins. Like who was the last guy who had attitude? When i watch i just dont think they give a shite.
Posted on 3/18/19 at 3:02 pm to Lordofwrath88
The beginning of the 2017-18 season. Really thought we were due for a special year. As soon as we had our mid-season skid, it was clear the DNA of our program hadn’t changed.
I still like to think that things would’ve been different for Anthony Grant if we had made the tournament in 2011. Probably off base on that.
I still like to think that things would’ve been different for Anthony Grant if we had made the tournament in 2011. Probably off base on that.
This post was edited on 3/18/19 at 3:08 pm
Posted on 3/18/19 at 3:25 pm to FairhopeTider
quote:We got legitimately robbed that year. I remember being pissed UGA got in and we didnt when we had just beat their arse 2 times in a week.
I still like to think that things would’ve been different for Anthony Grant if we had made the tournament in 2011. Probably off base on that.
This post was edited on 3/18/19 at 3:31 pm
Posted on 3/18/19 at 3:25 pm to Lordofwrath88
neverPosted on 3/18/19 at 3:36 pm to mistaken4193
quote:
We got legitimately robbed that year. I remember being pissed UGA got in and we didnt when we had just beat their arse 2 times in a week.
We were destroyed by the SEC West that season. These were the SEC West RPIs (and keep in mind, we played all these guys twice)
#85 - Ole Miss
#121 - Mississippi State
#131 - Arkansas
#224 - LSU
#253 - Auburn
The only 3 teams we played this year with 200+ RPI were Southern, Appalachian State and SFA.
We had 4 CONFERENCE games against teams with #224+ RPI in 2011. Just a total disaster, especially with us having the bad OOC run.
This post was edited on 3/18/19 at 3:38 pm
Posted on 3/18/19 at 3:47 pm to Lordofwrath88
Yea I agree with 2012. Didn't we also acquire Devonta Pollard that season? So much hype for that season and the combination of transfers and suspensions ruined it(and poor coaching).
Also I was really excited for last season with Sexton and Petty coming in. After the Texas loss in Birmingham I knew we had a bum for a coach.
Also I was really excited for last season with Sexton and Petty coming in. After the Texas loss in Birmingham I knew we had a bum for a coach.
Posted on 3/18/19 at 3:50 pm to CrimsonDynasty
I mean we also lost T-Mitchell during 2012. That team should have been a legitimate Sweet 16/Elite 8 team.
JaMychal Green (SR)
Tony Mitchell (JR)
Trevor Releford (SO)
Andrew Steele (JR)
Trevor Lacey (FR)
Nick Jacobs (FR)
Levi Randolph (FR)
Rodney Cooper (FR)
Plus we had all the other suspensions, mainly JaMychal but also half the roster in Baton Rouge.
JaMychal Green (SR)
Tony Mitchell (JR)
Trevor Releford (SO)
Andrew Steele (JR)
Trevor Lacey (FR)
Nick Jacobs (FR)
Levi Randolph (FR)
Rodney Cooper (FR)
Plus we had all the other suspensions, mainly JaMychal but also half the roster in Baton Rouge.
This post was edited on 3/18/19 at 3:57 pm
Posted on 3/18/19 at 4:20 pm to Lordofwrath88
The season after our Elite Eight run in 2004-05.
Went 24-8 that year and we lost in the 1st round in the NCAA Tourney to Milwaukee and Bruce Pearl.
Went 24-8 that year and we lost in the 1st round in the NCAA Tourney to Milwaukee and Bruce Pearl.
This post was edited on 3/18/19 at 4:27 pm
Posted on 3/18/19 at 4:27 pm to SummerOfGeorge
2 different times for me...
1.) after bringing in the 2017 class, John Petty hit ten 3-Pointers in the 2nd game of the season, and we ended up starting the season 5-0.
The whole state was buzzing around here...
2.) that same year, we were on a 2-game winning streak, and our record was 17-9. Not only was that incredible with 5 games to go, but that same week, Collin Sexton, Herb Jones, John Petty, and Donta Hall all appeared on ESPNs mock drafts.
I knew then we were about to be a basketball school...but, it fell apart slowly.
1.) after bringing in the 2017 class, John Petty hit ten 3-Pointers in the 2nd game of the season, and we ended up starting the season 5-0.
The whole state was buzzing around here...
2.) that same year, we were on a 2-game winning streak, and our record was 17-9. Not only was that incredible with 5 games to go, but that same week, Collin Sexton, Herb Jones, John Petty, and Donta Hall all appeared on ESPNs mock drafts.
I knew then we were about to be a basketball school...but, it fell apart slowly.
Posted on 3/18/19 at 5:13 pm to Lordofwrath88
Never.
I'm just pleasantly surprised on the rare occasions they are good.
I'm just pleasantly surprised on the rare occasions they are good.
Posted on 3/18/19 at 5:42 pm to remaster916
I have hope every morning until I remember it’s march.
Posted on 3/18/19 at 5:58 pm to Lordofwrath88
I really haven't expected a top finish since Alabama was ranked#1 under Gottfried.
Even then, something didn't seem right.
I guess it's really been since the mid 80's when we were consistently at the top of the conference
Even then, something didn't seem right.
I guess it's really been since the mid 80's when we were consistently at the top of the conference
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