Monthly Archives: February 2011

Saban or Grant? Who coached better this year?

Posted on February 28, 2011 by | Comments Off

Anthony Grant’s body of work isn’t yet complete, but do you think he’s done a better job than Nick Saban this year while turning the fortunes of the Crimson Tide basketball program? Vote away. Comments welcome.

 

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'Other' Tide sports climb rankings

Posted on February 28, 2011 by | Comments Off

They don’t get the attention that football and basketball pull in, but it’s worth noting the other Crimson Tide sports that have risen to the nation’s elite. Here’s how these programs stack up in the rankings:

  • Women’s golf: No. 1 (unanimous)
  • Softball: No. 2
  • Gymnastics: No. 3
  • Men’s golf: No. 5

While you’re here, check out updated panoramic album.

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Alabama receives votes in AP poll

Posted on February 28, 2011 by | Comments Off

Check out the complete Associated Press poll. Click here to see the ballots of each voter.

1. Ohio St. (45) 27-2 1,602 2
2. Kansas (14) 27-2 1,554 3
3. BYU (5) 27-2 1,460 7
4. Duke (1) 26-3 1,380 1
4. Pittsburgh 25-4 1,380 4
6. Purdue 24-5 1,305 8
7. Texas 24-5 1,216 5
8. Notre Dame 23-5 1,173 9
9. San Diego St. 27-2 1,151 6
10. Wisconsin 22-6 1,040 12
11. Louisville 22-7 937 16
12. Syracuse 24-6 898 17
13. North Carolina 22-6 797 19
14. Florida 22-6 688 13
15. St. John’s 19-9 651 23
16. Connecticut 21-7 643 14
17. Georgetown 21-8 559 11
18. Arizona 23-6 404 10
19. Villanova 21-8 382 15
20. Kentucky 20-8 335 22
21. Vanderbilt 21-7 330 18
22. Missouri 22-7 261 20
23. Xavier 22-6 246 25
24. Texas A&M 22-6 178 21
25. Utah St. 26-3 129 —

Others receiving votes: George Mason 120, Temple 120, UCLA 75, Kansas St. 31, West Virginia 28, Virginia Tech 22, Cincinnati 12, Alabama 5, UNLV 4, Butler 3, Missouri St. 3, Belmont 1, Long Island U. 1, Old Dominion 1.

And now, the USA Today poll …

Continue reading →

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Examining Alabama's NCAA tourney hopes

Posted on February 28, 2011 by | Comments Off

There is still a week to play before the SEC tournament so I’m not going to  getting into this bracketology nonsense. That stuff is garbage, but it’s not unfair to take a look at Alabama’s profile heading into two huge games with Florida and Georgia.

The number that everyone points to is the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI). Statsheet.com says the Tide is No. 86 while RealtimeRPI put Bama at No. 82.

One of the RPI issues the Crimson Tide (19-9, 11-3 SEC) has faced involves its strength of schedule. That will get a bump since the Gators are No. 12 in the RPI and Georgia is 36th.

Against the top 50, Alabama is 2-2 and 1-3 against teams ranked 51-100. The only really bad loss (against a team No. 150 or higher) came against 171st-ranked Iowa in Virgin Islands.

The two biggest wins came over Kentucky (12th) and Tennessee (28th).

Click here for an example of the sheet the NCAA selection committee looks at when deciding the field of 64 68 courtesy of the outstanding website BBstate.com.

Bottom line, it looks like Alabama will need to win these two regular season games to be in play for an at-large bid. Win the SEC tournament in Atlanta and the point is moot.

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Check out Julio Jones' Under Armour commercial

Posted on February 27, 2011 by | Comments Off

This ad with Julio Jones an a little bit ago on the NFL Network’s coverage of the scouting combine. Watch it here now.

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Video of gorgeous day in Oxford, Alabama loss

Posted on February 27, 2011 by | Comments Off

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Anthony Grant talks about technical foul

Posted on February 26, 2011 by | Comments Off

AP photo by Rogelio V. Solis

Alabama coach Anthony Grant was called for a technical foul with 2:42 left trailing 59-58 after he felt Trevor Releford was fouled driving to the rim.

After the 68-63 loss to Ole Miss, Grant addressed the issue.

“I disagreed with the call and I let them know my opinion. They didn’t agree with my opinion. That’s their right. … I thought my guy got fouled. I’ll go back and look at it and maybe I’ll see from their perspective. At the moment, it looked like there was contact going to the rim.”

But did he deserve the technical?

“I can’t say. They have to answer that. Hey, they do what they do.”

Read more tomorrow.

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Alabama falls 68-63 at Ole Miss

Posted on February 26, 2011 by | Comments Off

The Crimson Tide saw an 11-point lead crumble as Chris Warren and Zach Graham took over to lead Ole Miss over the SEC West champs 68-63.

Trevor Releford was stripped driving the lane with 13 seconds left trailing by three. Graham hit two free-throws to seal it.

Alabama went on a 21-5 run to open the second half that produced at 51-40 lead with 13:34 left.  Warren scored 17 of his 25 after halftime to lead the charge in a sparsely filled Tad Smith Coliseum.

What does this mean for a possible at-large bid? Good question.

Read more tomorrow. Buy a newspaper!

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Tide trails Ole Miss 35-30 at halftime

Posted on February 26, 2011 by | Comments Off

Here are a few important figures from the first half in an un-full Tad Smith Coliseum. Click here to follow on Twitter.

  • Ole Miss has four dunks. Tide had allowed just 0.46 in the previous 54 halves this season.
  • Rebels are 10-of-13 from free-throw line.
  • Tide is 0-for-2.
  • Points in the paint: Ole Miss 20, Alabama 18. Tide still hasn’t been outscored in that category all year.
  • Ole Miss out-rebounding Alabama 35-30 and holds a 11-6 advantage in second-chance points.
  • Alabama bench scoreless with four players seeing 25 of 100 possible minutes.

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We're coming to you live from Oxford today

Posted on February 26, 2011 by | Comments Off

The square in Oxford as seen this afternoon. (Click to enlarge)

It is a gorgeous afternoon in Oxford, Miss. Naturally, we’re inside about to watch some basketball. We’re about 30 minutes from Alabama at Ole Miss in Tad Smith Coliseum.

Alabama players appeared loose during its first shoot around that ended 20 minutes ago. Charvez Davis rapped along with the song on the loud speaker.

There were a few Alabama fans wandering through campus early this afternoon. It’ll be interesting to see how many people travel to this one.

For those who didn’t make the trip, I’ll provide all the insight, atmosphere and analysis on Twitter. Click here to follow along.

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Can Alabama crack top 25 with win at Ole Miss?

Posted on February 25, 2011 by | Comments Off

Alabama has hovered just outside the top 25 of the Associated Press poll for the past few weeks. Traveling to Ole Miss on Saturday, does the Crimson Tide have a shot at the big time with a win?

It’ll need some help. Here’s the deal:

  • No. 22 Kentucky already lost this week at Arkansas and it plays host to 13th-ranked Florida tomorrow.
  • No other team ranked 20-25 lost midweek but a few face tough tests Saturday.
  • No. 23 St. John’s travels to 15th-ranked Villanova.
  • No. 21 Texas A&M plays at streaky Baylor.
  • Missouri, the No. 20 team, plays at Kansas State where former No.1 Kansas was blown away a few weeks back.

Of course, Alabama will have to take care of its business in Oxford. Considering how it looked Wednesday against Auburn, it could be interesting.

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Some extra numbers from Bama hoops win over Auburn

Posted on February 24, 2011 by | 1 Comment

If your heart has stopped beating out of your chest, now is a good time to digest a few extra interesting numbers from Alabama’s 51-49 win over Auburn last night.

  • The 26.2 shooting percentage was the lowest Alabama’s had in a win since 1997 when it beat Ole Miss while making 25.8 percent of its shots.
  • The 11-2 SEC record is the best through 13 games since the 1986-87 season.
  • Alabama forced a shot-clock violation late in the game. It was the 10th for a Tide opponent this season.
  • The Tide hasn’t lost a Wednesday game all season.
  • The 40 free-throw attempts and 27 makes were both season highs for Alabama.
  • The 40 attempts were the most in any SEC game this season.
  • The free throws accounted for more points than field goals (24).

UA media relations gets the credit for doing great statistical analysis after this game.

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Video: Alabama beats Auburn

Posted on February 23, 2011 by | 4 Comments

Here it is — the view of Alabama’s 51-49 win over Auburn from the view of my point-and-shot camera. You can fast forward to the end if you only want to see JaMychal Green’s tip-in at the buzzer and the Rammer Jammer that followed.

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Alabama survives Auburn somehow

Posted on February 23, 2011 by | Comments Off

A tip in just before the buzzer game Alabama the 51-49 win over Auburn. Tony Mitchell broke free for a layup. It missed but JaMychal Green was there to tip it in.

Coleman went nuts.

It’s time to write now. Video of ending coming soon.

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Alabama trails Auburn 31-25 after strange first half

Posted on February 23, 2011 by | Comments Off

Alabama actually closed the half with momentum by scoring the final 9 points, but it was all-Auburn most of the way.

The Tigers led by as many as 15 in front of a stunned crowd that isn’t exactly at capacity. Here are the key numbers:

  • The Tide was 2-for-17 from the field late in the half.
  • Auburn is outscoring Alabama 16-6 in the paint. The Tide hasn’t been outscored in that category all season.
  • Alabama committed 12 turnovers and Auburn had 11. The difference: Auburn scored 14 points off the giveaways while Alabama has 8.
  • Auburn has 12 fouls to Alabama’s 9.
  • Alabama is still alive thanks to shooting 13-for-14 from the free-throw line.
  • JaMychal Green is 3-for-9 from the field but leads with 9 points.
  • Kenny Gabriel has six points to lead the Tigers.
  • Charles Hankerson made a cameo late in the half to hit a 3 with 23 seconds left.

Strange game so far. Crowd not sure how to take it.

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