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Alabama Basketball: 5 crucial games on 2019-20 schedule to look out for

By Griffin McVeigh

TULSA, OKLAHOMA - MARCH 24: Head coach Nate Oats of the Buffalo Bulls yells to his team during the first half of the second round game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at BOK Center on March 24, 2019 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
TULSA, OKLAHOMA - MARCH 24: Head coach Nate Oats of the Buffalo Bulls yells to his team during the first half of the second round game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at BOK Center on March 24, 2019 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 03: Lamar Stevens #11 of the Penn State Nittany Lions reacts in the second half while playing the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Arena on January 03, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 68-55. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 03: Lamar Stevens #11 of the Penn State Nittany Lions reacts in the second half while playing the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Arena on January 03, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 68-55. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Penn State (A) – Dec. 14

Playing in Tuscaloosa last year, the Crimson Tide beat Penn State 73-64 at Coleman Coliseum. While the Nittany Lions finished the season 14-18, towards the end of the year, they showed a lot of promise. Starting the Big 10 season out 0-10, Penn State ended the year 7-3 with big wins against No. 6 Michigan and No. 16 Maryland. Falling short in overtime to eventual tournament team Minnesota in the Big 10 tournament, Penn State ended the season by building a lot of momentum for this season.

Penn State went 9-6 at home last season and ended the year winning four in a row at home. As mentioned above, the Nittany Lions beat ranked Michigan and Maryland at home, but they also beat No. 13 Virginia Tech in Happy Valley, 63-62. They have shown that it is not easy to come into the Bryce Jordan Center and go home with a win. Only three of Penn State’s 14 wins came on the road and Alabama may have used that to their advantage last season.

Losing players like Rasir Bolton and Josh Reaves will hurt this team, but leading scorer and rebounder Lamar Stevens returns for his senior season. The Crimson Tide did a good job containing him last season, holding him to 6-19 shooting and 12 points. The rest of the roster looks eerily similar to last season’s for the Nittany Lions and will be a legit NCAA tournament team.

While this game is not a must-win for Alabama, a win in Happy Valley would be a huge one for Nate Oats. Beating Penn State anywhere this season would be a good resume builder. Having that be one of your signature road wins and you’re starting the season with a resume to build on, not a resume to build.

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