Bama Game Thread: MBB Senior Night - Bama vs Gators - 6pm CST ESPN2

[Bama Shoals]

I know there is some disagreement among us right now, but I think this is a healthy discussion.

It doesn't mean CNO isn't great or that our team is not good, but I think it also is an acknowledgment we've got some growing/changing to make to get past what seems to be a problem of beating very physical and big/long teams.

Good post. And that is exactly where I'm at. Proud of where the program has come but I'm afraid we're stuck. How do we get past it and can we in this system?

 

[BamaMoon]

Good post. And that is exactly where I'm at. Proud of where the program has come but I'm afraid we're stuck. How do we get past it and can we in this system?

I think CNO has to prioritize some bulky bigs who fit his system. Granted, those guys don't grow on trees.

Sherrell fits the mold and he can shoot. His "weakness" this year is a lack of PT and learning to use his big, wide body and be aggressive.

But he's the kind of 5 CNO wants. What if we had two or 3 like him who can shoot the 3???

 

[Krymsonman]

This has not been the team that Alabama thought it would put on the floor this year. Missing Wrightsell: best 3pt shooter and according to many the best on-ball defender; Reid: the most athletic and talented front court player; Mallette: IMO, a top-notch shooter and energetic presence. 3 big losses.

If the officiating is as bad as many of y’all indicate, it could be genuinely demoralizing to the players and Oats. But it seems like he would get a tech or two rather than shrinking away unless he believes there is no hope.

Florida is a great team, but last night they were getting the benefit of a lot of "no calls". When the announcers are calling out no calls, and when the entire arena responds to a no call then officiating is an issue. They finally starting calling more stuff at the end but by then it was too late. Some of Florida's fast break stuff was because we got hacked at one end with no call. It seems that the SEC has determined that thug ball, not basketball is the way to go, so I guess we have to live with it. Hope we can bounce back Saturday against Auburn.

 

[teamplayer]

Good post. And that is exactly where I'm at. Proud of where the program has come but I'm afraid we're stuck. How do we get past it and can we in this system?

I think our program is in fantastic shape. This year, however, we have had some injuries that have hurt, and we have a couple of guys who were expected to contribute a lot more than they have, and those guys go absolutely MIA in some games. We have still had a very good year, and we could finish strong and make it a great year. Roll Tide!

 

[smith5753]

We definitely struggle with bigger teams. Even last year we kept pace with Uconn in the first half mainly because we were hitting shots at an insane percentage and couldn’t keep that up in the second half. We live and die by our shooters. Mark Sears 3pt percentage has dropped by over 8% from last season, 43.6>35.3, we lost wrightsell who was keeping pace from last season 44.7>42.2 and Cliff hasn’t been productive offensively like we all thought he would be. I think some rest would do this team good heading into the tourney.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

I still believe this team is at the very least a Sweet 16 team.

 

[teamplayer]

We definitely struggle with bigger teams. Even last year we kept pace with Uconn in the first half mainly because we were hitting shots at an insane percentage and couldn’t keep that up in the second half. We live and die by our shooters. Mark Sears 3pt percentage has dropped by over 8% from last season, 43.6>35.3, we lost wrightsell who was keeping pace from last season 44.7>42.2 and Cliff hasn’t been productive offensively like we all thought he would be. I think some rest would do this team good heading into the tourney.

I also think we are a bit worn down, but so is everyone else. After the AU game on Saturday, I would imagine that they will get Sunday and Monday to rest and hit the training room and maybe watch film. For guys their age, they should be pretty refreshed after that. They will probably practice Tuesday and Wednesday and Travel on Thursday with a probable walk through and shoot around. They should be good to go and ready to roll by Friday. It's the time of year where excuses don't mean squat. It's about to be win or go home time.

 

[BamaMoon]

We definitely struggle with bigger teams. Even last year we kept pace with Uconn in the first half mainly because we were hitting shots at an insane percentage and couldn’t keep that up in the second half. We live and die by our shooters. Mark Sears 3pt percentage has dropped by over 8% from last season, 43.6>35.3, we lost wrightsell who was keeping pace from last season 44.7>42.2 and Cliff hasn’t been productive offensively like we all thought he would be. I think some rest would do this team good heading into the tourney.

I was thinking about our entire roster.

Philon is the only player that has turned out to be better than what we thought he might be in the preseason.

I don't think any other player has actually been better than we thought they might. Maybe Holloway? H had all the talent in the world but it didn't translate with AU.

I'm not trying to be negative toward the players but I'm not sure many of them met the expectations we thought they'd reach.

 

[BamaMoon]

Just a thought/question about our offensive tendencies down the stretch.

It seems the deeper we've got into this season the more we are depending on Sears to be our halfcourt offense.

Is it just me or are we depending on him way to much to go "one on one" and try to get to the rim and make very, very tough shots??? He is unbelievable in how many of them he's making but a 5' 10" guard getting to the rim isn't going to carry your offense through this league and through the dance.

 

[day-day]

I think CNO has to prioritize some bulky bigs who fit his system. Granted, those guys don't grow on trees.

Sherrell fits the mold and he can shoot. His "weakness" this year is a lack of PT and learning to use his big, wide body and be aggressive.

But he's the kind of 5 CNO wants. What if we had two or 3 like him who can shoot the 3???

I'm hoping Sherrell will gain some explosiveness through an offseason strength and conditioning program along with just getting a little older. There is a lot of conditioning that takes place in Oats's basketball practices but I think Sherrell could use a proper type and amount of weight training. I have to remind myself at times that most players have not come close to reaching their peak in their freshman year.

 

[Bama Shoals]

We are currently 39th in D on KenPom. Last year we finished at 110.

Last night was frustrating to watch. It seemed like they just got to every lose ball quicker than us. Seeing them outhustling us full court was frustrating. I may have to go back and watch this one on TV to see if some of the non-called fouls/flagrants were as bad as they seemed in person when viewed from a long way away.

Finishing the season like this does stink, but the stat at the beginning of the post seems to show that the sky isn't falling like people are making it seem.

Bama is 79th in defensive efficiency since the Auburn loss. I know better opponents down the stretch but still.

 

[jjv0004]

Florida is very good. Great guards and great bigs. I would say they have as much as a chance as anyone to win it all this year. It's only one game. Bama needs to get hot in March Madness, get some good breaks and have favorable matchups and they can get to the Elite 8 or maybe even the Final Four.

These losses don't mean anything now. Other than seeding. Bama will be a 2 or 3 seed depending on how they play at Auburn.

 

[BAMARICH]

We may not deserve him as a coach if this is a common feeling. This is the kind of stuff that will make him leave.

Oats has done exactly to basketball what Saban did to football - upped the game. For years, the Duke's, North Carolina's, Kentucky's, Kansas', etc. of college basketball defined "success" not by just making the big dance, but doing well in it. During those years, "success" for us was simply "make the big dance". Oats has brought us to the point that our expectations are no longer "make the dance", but "compete for the crown". That's a credit to what he's done in his time here and he deserves all the praise for it. He's transformed this program into a national contender and done things critics said were impossible.

However, having said that, he's a victim of his own success in a way. When you set the bar that high in your own comments and the national pundits agree, seasonal expectations change. Ten years ago, I'd have been ecstatic with the way our regular season has played out... today, I'm not and that comes from the adjusted expectations of the program. I don't think anything we say here has any effect on Oats - as much as he dissects the games, there's nothing being said in this thread that he doesn't know and doesn't want to fix. That's part of his job and part of being an upper echelon coach in college sports. At times during Saban's tenure, many posters and even Jess identified problems in the FB program - doing so wasn't saying "we don't appreciate you" or "we want you to go". Rather, it's passion expressed about wanting the same thing the coach ultimately wants. Had he gone to Texas, Saban would have faced the same thing... and Oats would be facing the same thing if he had left for Kentucky last year. The only way a coach like Oats/Saban doesn't face this is by accepting a job at a school that has no history being "an upper tier team" in any of their collegiate teams.

The very fact that posters come on here and criticize things are a testament to what Oats has done. 10 years ago, a game thread wouldn't get four pages of posts. Now, it's not uncommon for them to get at least a dozen pages in length. In the end, what will matter most about this team is how they finish. If we make a run to the Elite Eight or Final Four, no one will remember how we couldn't beat the four best teams in our league this season. However, it there's an early exit, the regular season will be pointed at as an indicator of things to come. Lots of reasons for optimism... but room for pessimism too.

 

[CajunCrimson]

When you play the hardest schedule in the country, it does wear you down. I think that’s what Mississippi state is dealing with as well. And to a lesser extent, Ole Miss and Missouri.

Even watching Auburn the other night, they looked really tired …. Georgia, even though they’ve won lately seem to be walking in molasses most of the time

When the NCAA tournament is going to be a “break” compared to our regular season and conference tournament, that means something

I think Nate should get a couple of savvy walk on linebacker types that played basketball in high school to come in and give him 10 fouls when he needs them

And use them. All 10 if you have to in the first half. And make each one of them count

I’m tired of rugby basketball. But if that’s the way we’re going to play, then put two bowling balls in there and wreak havoc for 5 to 10 minutes in the first half and wear out the other team and the referees.

 

[BAMARICH]

When you play the hardest schedule in the country, it does wear you down. I think that’s what Mississippi state is dealing with as well. And to a lesser extent, Ole Miss and Missouri.

Even watching Auburn the other night, they looked really tired …. Georgia, even though they’ve won lately seem to be walking in molasses most of the time

When the NCAA tournament is going to be a “break” compared to our regular season and conference tournament, that means something

I think Nate should get a couple of savvy walk on linebacker types that played basketball in high school to come in and give him 10 fouls when he needs them

And use them. All 10 if you have to in the first half. And make each one of them count

I’m tired of rugby basketball. But if that’s the way we’re going to play, then put two bowling balls in there and wreak havoc for 5 to 10 minutes in the first half and wear out the other team and the referees.

Given the way SEC refs seem to be calling the game, not a bad strategy indeed. I think one thing that is a major change from the regular season to the tourney is the game sequencing. We're used to playing games with 2-3 days of rest in between. In the NCAA, you have one day of rest. Being "fresh" going into the tourney is going to be difficult this year unless we have an early exit in the SEC tourney - which I'd certainly not be opposed to.

I think one reason we made a run last year was because we were bumped in our first game. Auburn, who won the SEC, lost in the 1st round... Florida (their opponent in the final) did the same thing... MSU (semi-finalist) followed suit... TAMU (semi-finalist) lost in the round of 32. Ironically, UT made it to the Elite Eight after getting bumped just like us. If I could predict a good scenario, maybe win Saturday against Auburn and lose our opening game in the SEC tourney.

 

[Bazza]

When you play the hardest schedule in the country, it does wear you down. I think that’s what Mississippi state is dealing with as well. And to a lesser extent, Ole Miss and Missouri.

Even watching Auburn the other night, they looked really tired …. Georgia, even though they’ve won lately seem to be walking in molasses most of the time

When the NCAA tournament is going to be a “break” compared to our regular season and conference tournament, that means something

I think Nate should get a couple of savvy walk on linebacker types that played basketball in high school to come in and give him 10 fouls when he needs them

And use them. All 10 if you have to in the first half. And make each one of them count

I’m tired of rugby basketball. But if that’s the way we’re going to play, then put two bowling balls in there and wreak havoc for 5 to 10 minutes in the first half and wear out the other team and the referees.

FWIW.....article posted yesterday about our player who broke his leg in last year's SEC Tournament Final against Auburn:

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – At 7-foot-1 and a lean 230 pounds, Micah Handlogten at times got pushed around as a sophomore at Florida last year, his first season with the Gators after transferring into the Southeastern Conference via Marshall of the Sun Belt Conference. That's not to say Handlogten was not an effective low-post player. On the contrary, he was one of the best rebounders in the nation, especially on the offensive end.

But against the most physical teams in the league (the Texas A&M's, Tennessee's, South Carolina's), Handlogten sometimes struggled holding his ground. Or "guarding his yard," as they say.

That was 25 or 30 pounds ago.

The Micah Handlogten, circa 2025, is a thicker, stronger version at 255 pounds.

============

Much more here:

https://floridagators.com/news/2025/3/5/mens-basketball-a-helping-handlogten-march-5-2015.aspx

 

[smith5753]

I still believe this team is at the very least a Sweet 16 team.

A good to great team just needs to get hot in March to make an epic run!

 

[smith5753]

I think CNO has to prioritize some bulky bigs who fit his system. Granted, those guys don't grow on trees.

Sherrell fits the mold and he can shoot. His "weakness" this year is a lack of PT and learning to use his big, wide body and be aggressive.

But he's the kind of 5 CNO wants. What if we had two or 3 like him who can shoot the 3???

I’ve wondered if Cliff just isn’t exactly who we thought he was, if he isn’t completely comfortable in our system, or if coach Oats system doesn’t favor guys like him? I’ve always wanted to see Bama with a Blake Griffin type bullying people and imposing his will in the paint.

 

[CrimsonTitles]

I’ve wondered if Cliff just isn’t exactly who we thought he was, if he isn’t completely comfortable in our system, or if coach Oats system doesn’t favor guys like him? I’ve always wanted to see Bama with a Blake Griffin type bullying people and imposing his will in the paint.

Cliff is exactly who we thought he was. There have been numerous times this season where he was 1st or 2nd on the team in +/-. He's our rim protector, so most of what he does won't show up on the stat sheet, but when you take him away, that's when you realize how valuable he is. He's not a completely perfect fit because he's a bit of an offensive liability, but I still believe he was well worth the addition. Even last night he had some nice plays, and I also think Florida in particular is a bad matchup for him with all their athletic big men. If you were expecting some sort of offensive post monster, that's not Cliff, and that's probably not something you will ever see in a CNO offense. He doesn't want his big men posting up too much. He wants to either hit 3s, drive to the basket, or lob it up.

 

[BamaMoon]

Cliff is exactly who we thought he was. There have been numerous times this season where he was 1st or 2nd on the team in +/-. He's our rim protector, so most of what he does won't show up on the stat sheet, but when you take him away, that's when you realize how valuable he is. Even last night he had some nice playz, and I also think Florida in particular is a bad matchup for him with all their athletic big men. If you were expecting some sort of offensive post monster, that's not Cliff, and that's probably not something you will ever see in a CNO offense. He doesn't want his big men posting up toohch. He wants to either hit 3s, drive to the basket, or go for an alley oop.

That's very accurate.

I think the rub is he is not the #5 we need to be dominant. CNO's system really needs the #4s and #5s to be a genuine threat to score from behind the arch. Sherrell is that player already. Cliff is the rim protector. But if we had a #5 who could do both, that's a big part of what we are missing IMO.

That guy could change the entire function of our half court offense. Talk about spreading the floor and opening up driving lanes when the other team's #5 has to come out to guard ours at the 3 point line!