Alabama Basketball: Four pressing questions for the Tide vs. Virginia Tech

The Crimson Tide are a popular pick due to their star player and their SEC Tournament run. However, the Tide’s ability to advance depends on the answers to four questions.

If you’re reading this, you probably already know how incredible Alabama guard Collin Sexton is. This is a fair point, although I’ll argue that none of us know the heights of his greatness yet. The star point guard amazes nearly every time he takes the court. Which leads me to my first question…

Will Sexton take over the game?

First, I’ll approach this question from the Virginia Tech perspective. It is imperative for the Hokies to contain Sexton early in this one. If Sexton gets off to a hot start and develops a rhythm, the Tide will roll to victory. If Sexton starts slow and the Hokies’ defense frustrates him, Virginia Tech will position themselves to jump to an early lead.

Virginia Tech has a balanced and experienced roster and is especially strong in the backcourt. But Sexton will still be the best player on the court. The Hokies have big guards and will likely get physical when defending Sexton. Although to accomplish this they’ll have to stay in front of the electrifying guard which is easier said than done.

Now, let’s examine this question from the Alabama perspective. The Tide will need a superstar effort from Sexton in order to advance during this tournament. I applaud Coach Avery Johnson’s mentality in encouraging his star guard to play “hero ball.” UConn has successfully won championships by isolating star guards in halfcourt sets (see: Walker, Kemba and Napier, Shabazz).

If Sexton primarily attacks the basket and uses his jump shot as a secondary option, it will consistently pressure the Hokies defense. He will also be able to effectively create open shots for his teammates by doing this. If this game is close late, the advantage goes to Alabama. Star players outshine X’s and O’s in crunch time.

While Sexton is the key player for the Tide, he has some capable teammates. Let’s see who else will be crucial to the Tide’s victory hopes.