Alabama at Missouri: 5 storylines for top-tier 2020-21 SEC matchup
By Matt Melton
Can Tilmon Dominate?
Alabama will have to contend with one of the best big men in the SEC on Saturday without their starting center, as well as their two starting big men banged up. That is not ideal.
If Missouri has a difference-maker in this game, it’s Jeremiah Tilmon. At 6’10 260 lbs., Tilmon is one of the biggest and most dominant big men in the SEC. The experienced senior is averaging 13.5 PPG, 7.9 RPG, and is shooting 64.2% from the field, and could give the very good Alabama defense some problems.
One thing that could help Alabama is that they’ve been in this situation before already this season. The Crimson Tide have already faced some of the best and biggest big men in college basketball this season. The bad? Alabama has struggled at times to contain them offensively and on the boards.
There is no clearer example of this than Western Kentucky’s Charles Bassey. Bassey, arguably the best pure center in college basketball, was unstoppable against the Tide as he had 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in an earlier season matchup in which the Tide lost. Tilmon displays a similar stature to Bassey, and his size alone could give Alabama some issues defensively.
Look for #23 to get the ball often on Saturday, and to be a force in the paint. Yes, Alabama is very good defensively. However, the track record this season is not ideal, and it doesn’t get better with the Tide’s current injury woes.