15. Alabama (17-7)
With an explosive offense that’s played great in recent weeks, Alabama has jumped back into the national spotlight. They were scoring points at will early in the season before a bit of a skid during a tough stretch of nonconference play. There have been a few road bumps, but the Crimson Tide have looked much more like a contender in the last month of SEC play.
The week did start poorly, as the Crimson Tide were upended at Auburn, losing 99-81 just two weeks after beating the Tigers in Tuscaloosa. Mark Sears had 25 points and 9 rebounds but the Tigers played better offense. Three days later, Alabama was back in action in a major way, winning 109-92 at LSU. Sears again led the team with 23 points while Grant Nelson added 21 points and 10 rebounds.
Alabama’s two losses in conference play have come on the road against top-tier competition. They’ve looked strong all season, boasting an offense that has now dropped 100 points on seven occasions, including twice against LSU. It’s all about if their defense has enough to keep up with these elite squads. We’ll next see the Crimson Tide in action next Saturday at home against Texas A&M.