re: Alabama Basketball Megathread | 26-7 (16-2)

I'm a fan of college basketball and Alabama's team too. I'm not just some football guy who came over to basketball for just this season. All I was saying is to me personally making a specific round in the tournament means nothing if you don't win the whole thing. You can say after, we had a good season and I think we'll win next year. But you can't go and say "oh we're so good cause we made the Elite 8, let's hang the banner." It doesn't work like that in my mind and never has.

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So are we a really good defensive team that scratches and claws to win most of their games (except for the odd hot shooting night)?

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I think so. We got found out a bit after January.

In January, teams were constantly collapsing on our drivers. Coaches learned to instead force us to make shots at the rim. The weaknesses of this team was that JQ was the only guy that consistently create points himself.

Worst part of the whole night was Reese's 3-point bomb being wasted. That would have gone down as the greatest shot in the history of our program had we won. That dude made me look dumb as shite for my previous comments since about the halfway mark of SEC play. Dude isn't gifted athletically but plays so damn hard.

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Everything Nate Oats said after the UCLA Loss

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I think Oats did a great job and assessed everything almost exactly like most fans did. Great season, great kids, sucks to lose, but proud of the guys and the year they’ve had. Get after it and get better next year. Coaches and players can improve and the results can improve too.

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Like, it’s great that we can hang around with anyone while shooting horribly, but is it the norm or the exception? Because if we hit 5 or 6 of those 21 missed 3s the game is never in doubt.

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I really think the addition of a solid post player makes the offense run more efficiently. We should have one or two of those next season with Tchikou and possibly Bediako. It would be a nice boost to a deflating week if he decided to commit soon, but either way, I expect the offense to look a bit different next year with multiple guys that can finish at the rim.

We should be a much more talented team next season, but we’ll see what they’re made of on the defensive end. I don’t see us having the same problems scoring, so my biggest question is can they come close to matching this teams defensive effort and intensity? Some experienced guys like Ellis and Gary should help there. It’s going to be a fun season.

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Final Fours matter in basketball. A lot. Basketball and football aren't the same sport and the tournament makes everything about it completely different.

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Amen. That's why despite the phenomenal season we had I was melting on the Sec Rant page. My parents had season tickets starting right when Wimp starting began as head coach when I was 6 years old and I remember all those very good teams many of which were capable of making a Final 4 run that ALWAYS ended up hitting a brick wall in the Sweet 16. I also had an uncle and great uncle play on great Alabama basketball teams so it's a bit personal.

Eventually we're going to break the Sweet 16 and the not having ever been to a Final 4 curse and Nate Oates is the coach to do it. I just hate tonight's game went the way it did because I thought we had a great chance of getting to the Final 4 if we got past tonight.

Having said that, I'm beyond thrilled with both a regular season and tournament title. Such a rare and impressive accomplishment especially in just the 2nd year under Oates.

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Worst part of the whole night was Reese's 3-point bomb being wasted

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The moment didn't even last 60 seconds of the overtime. Before we knew it, we were down 5 and UCLA had the ball

I’m ready to see Ellis and Primo be the Go to Guys on offense next year

This team lacked consistency, but not effort. Oats had them playing HARD and I like that.

All they need is a go to guy and a post defender. But we have to be more consistent from three and I think they will next year if everyone comes back, not to mention MAKE FREE THROWS.

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All they need is a go to guy and a post defender.

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Well we have a top 10 overall PG recruit who is a Ja Morant comp coming in, and our best post defender has 3 more years of eligibility. I feel good about where we are as a program despite last night.