Crimson Red Sports

The Tide won the SEC West regular-season crown by three games last season, but a pitiful non-conference schedule and some bad losses kept them out of the NCAA tournament. Coach Anthony Grant has toughened up the schedule, and if the Tide win 12 SEC games again, they'll be in the running for a No. 4 seed. It's hard to overstate how tough this team is on the defensive end. Alabama also is effective on the boards. The Green-Mitchell duo can be devastating up front. Neither is overly big, but they know how to score, rebound and defend. A huge key to the season is getting some perimeter scoring. Grant brought in a top-20 recruiting class, and he needs one of the freshman guards to produce right away.

http://alabama.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1280313

I really think with the recruiting class they had, they'll end up better than 19th.

I think we will win the West and compete for the overall SEC title. I think an NCAA run to the Sweet 16 is a real possibility. I like this team. CAG has our program on the rise.

It'll be nice to make it past Christmas still having something to look forward to. With a home court win streak to defend and heightened optimism in T-Town, maybe they'll get off to a quick start. Older, more mature team could make that a real possibility.Some of the pre-SEC schedule play could have made a difference in getting in the tourney last year, if we had just kept the losses close. RTR

I have this gut feeling that CAG wants to be the one to build his destiny at the University of Alabama, by being the first coach to take them to the NCAA Final. I think he can take them as far as injuries will allow him. Those hurt and you can never predict them. RTR!

I think a lot is going to hinge on the freshmen and perimeter shooting.

Hey Catch also their defense is going to a big thing. RTR!

^ This. That's what killed us last year was the early non-conference schedule. Bama needs to win their fair share of those this year. I too believe they will win at least the West. Should be a fun year in B'ball.

I agree the freshmen must be able to hit the perimeter shots. I think Trevor Lacey and Levi Randolph can do it. They may struggle early in the year but by SEC play they should be settled in. I also think Releford has worked hard this summer on his outside shooting.

We still have a depth issue on the front line. Greene and Mitchell are studs but we do not have any experienced big guys behind them. M. Gueye's knee injury hurt our depth. Someone is going to have to step up and it needs to be Nick Jacobs. He is a freshman but he has the big body to bang around under the basket.

I think this team suits CAG's style of play. We will play fast and cause defensive problems for the length of the court. I have not felt this good about our basketball program since Wimp Sanderson was the coach.

Can't wait to see Lacey rain threes on the SEC this year.  ROLL TIDE

55, you still holding out for UF to beat the Boogs?

 :lol:

Don't know what you are talking about??? :D

Nice recovery 55.  :D

:lol:

I haven't seen this much excitement in a basketball conversation in a long, long time and I'm loving it. Roll Tide all you basketball fans, we're gonna have something to cheer about this year, could it be the "Big Dance".  #+

:dance: :dance: :dance: :dance:

Defense is a given with Coach AG; he won't let them on the court if they don't play D.  So yes, I agree, D will carry this Bama team.

Bama's one glaring weakness last year was hitting the 3-point shot, so CAG recruited a few guards who are pure shooters.  Hopefully, they will be as productive in college as they were in HS; if so, this team could go very far.  But that is the BIG Q(?) right now.