Alabama Plays Basketball?

After being snubbed from the 2011 Big Dance, Alabama

heads into this season with a chip on its shoulder,

and more dangerous than ever.

On Selection Sunday 2011, the reality set in for JaMychal Green, Tony Mitchell, and 21-11 Alabama. Despite finishing first in the SEC's west division in 2010-11, the Tide were denied an opportunity at glory by failing to qualify for the 2011 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. However, Alabama bounced back and finished second in the Postseason NIT, losing to a talented Wichita State team in the Finals. This year, Alabama has enough talent & experience to not only make the tournament, but win a game or two along the way.

While I could sit here and criticize the NCAA selection committee for controversially denying Anthony Grant's team a chance to go dancing this past season, the potential of an exciting team from Tuscaloosa makes me bite my tongue. If you had the pleasant opportunity to observe this team last year, you know exactly what I am talking about.    They have scary athletes on their team, most notably Tony Mitchell and JaMychal Green.  And, considering the experience that Green gained over the summer from playing for Team USA in the World University Games, expect him to improve drastically in 2011-12.  I know, that's a scary thought.  Green was a force last season for the Tide.  Anyone that watched him play noticed how he single-handedly Now, with even more experience under his belt, consider him to make a legitimate push for SEC Player of the Year, or at least make one of the all-conference teams if nothing else.  Another reason to be excited for Crimson Tide Basketball this year is Tony Mitchell.  The 6'6" forward from Swainsboro, Georgia was 'Bama's second leading scorer last year, and often wowed fans with his athleticism and rim-rattling dunks.  Don't forget about Trevor Releford, who played the role of leader as a freshman and displayed talent & poise at the point guard position last year.

Then, you have the recruiting class.  Levi Randolph & Trevor Lacey are just two of the six players that signed with the Crimson Tide this past summer.  While both Randolph and Lacey are shooting guards, their skill sets compliment each other quite well.  Randolph is more of an all-around threat, a leader.  Trevor Lacey on the other hand can be quite the scorer when the Tide need a big time basket late in a close game.  It should be interesting to see the types of minutes both players will receive. 

Alabama's non-conference schedule is one that should not be taken lightly however, as they play in a very tough field in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off tournament to begin the year.  They start off the tournament with a quarterfinal match up against Maryland, a team that many college basketball fans will be paying attention to because of Gary Williams' recent retirement.  If they get past that test, there is a possibility that we will see a rematch of last year's NIT Championship Game, as the Crimson Tide would take on Wichita State in the Semi-Finals.  Although they are picked to win the Tip-Off  tournament, the tests don't stop there.  As a matter of fact, they get much harder.  They face off against last year's Cinderella team VCU and their exuberant young head coach Shaka Smart on November 27th, followed by a match up at Coleman Coliseum against John Thompson's Georgetown Hoyas.  Freshman phenom Lebryan Nash comes to town, and the Yellow Jackets host the Crimson Tide on 1/3 to tip off 2012.  In conference play, the Tide must also go on the road to Kentucky, a team that they defeated at Coleman last year. 


Despite their tough schedule, Alabama has the talent, and now the experience to win against the nation's top college teams.  Anthony Grant is an underrated coach, the 1-2 punch of Mitchell/Green should be exciting to watch, and the "new guys on campus" should make an immediate impact.  This is a team that, not only will make the tournament, but should win quite a few games.  Expect a 4 or 5 seed from Alabama.