After a rough start to the season, Alabama basketball is at risk of seeing their NCAA Tournament hopes dashed as they enter SEC play.
The season started off well enough for the Alabama Crimson Tide. They knocked off Memphis to commence the campaign and reeled off another four straight victories after that. Things began to turn, though, in their next game.
Despite playing just three players for the last 10 minutes of the game, the Crimson Tide nearly came back to stun Minnesota before ultimately taking the loss. Since then, they’ve consistently alternated wins with losses. With just one non-conference game left for later in the season (against Oklahoma), Alabama stands with a respectable, but not great, 8-4 record.
Respectable may not get the job done this season. They have faced three major conference foes this season, losing to all three; they also lost against UCF.
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Most of their wins are against mid-major foes who could wind up at the top of their conference, like Lipscomb and UT-Arlington. A victory over winless Alabama A&M is not impressing the selection committee anytime soon either.
If the NCAA Tournament started now, the Crimson Tide would be right along the cut line. Without any resume-building wins, there’s a good chance they would be NIT-bound.
The SEC is a mixed bag for Alabama. On the one hand, the league is deeper than it’s been in years, so going above .500 in their conference schedule could push them back into the NCAA Tournament field.
On the other hand, the league is deeper than it’s been in years. Alabama could struggle to keep their heads afloat in conference play, with surprising contenders from Tennessee to Georgia ready to make life difficult for the Crimson Tide.
The potential is still there for Alabama to turn it around. Collin Sexton is one of the most exciting freshmen in all of college basketball, averaging 20.5 points per game. He can single-handedly turn a game around for the Crimson Tide.
Most of their counting stats are middle in the pack in the nation, though. Their 37.5 rebounds per game and 13.4 assists per game aren’t impressing anyone.
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As it stands right now, Alabama is in trouble. A run through the SEC gauntlet could change that but that will not be easy this season. The Crimson Tide has plenty of talent but the SEC is one of the more difficult conferences in the nation to secure wins in.