17. Alabama (13-5)
A single week can sink a season way more easily than it can save it and the Crimson Tide experienced that very recently. Last week saw a pair of tough losses for Alabama, falling at Vanderbilt before blowing a very winnable game against Texas. We kept our eyes on Nate Oats’ squad, knowing they’d bounce back, though the task wouldn’t be easy with a pair of games on the road in this tough league.
The Crimson Tide persevered with relative ease on Tuesday by winning 97-82 at Mississippi State. Labaron Philon Jr. starred with 32 points, Aiden Sherrell had 22 points, and Amari Allen added a double-double. The weekend was much tighter, with Alabama clawing back from an 11-point halftime deficit to win 83-81 at Oklahoma. Philon led with 23 points while Sherrell added 21 points and 9 rebounds.
Although they didn’t exactly face the SEC’s two best teams, Alabama showed their resolve with two important wins on the road and got back to 3-2 in the conference. The SEC is a very difficult league and there will be more bumps in the road in the weeks ahead, but the Crimson Tide showed that they won’t buckle to the pressure. We’ll next see them on their home court next weekend as they host a desperate Tennessee team looking to make its mark in Tuscaloosa.