Bama Game Thread: MBB #4 Bama @ #15 Missouri - SECN - Wed 2.19 8p CST

[AUDub]

Texas has the worst defense in the SEC; but they scored TWICE as many points against us?

Matchups, matchups, matchups. They matter.

Bama leaned right into exactly the game Mizzou preferred tonight. They went up-tempo and Mizzou was geared up for it. THAT was the problem.

 

[BAMARICH]

Matchups, matchups, matchups. They matter.

Bama leaned right into exactly the game Mizzou preferred tonight. They went up-tempo and Mizzou was geared up for it. THAT was the problem.

See… that’s a dilemma because I don’t know that we can win consistently slowing the game down. If we had a Mitchell or Broome, we’d be capable… but we don’t have that low post player on our roster to help make a half court game go.

 

[B1GTide]

How the heck does a team shoot 47 FTs in a game?

 

[bamamc1]

We have the worst defense in the SEC.

Hopefully we can hold serve at home against the teams we’ve already beaten on the road this year.

You’re 100% right and we hired a guy that was a defensive guru for that reason. Disgusting.

 

[Coach D]

I knew it would be a tough game coming after the barn but letting a team score that much is lazy and might be a bad mental sign. Who knows but hopefully it’s a wake up call. Hard to pick up some momentum going into tourney at this point with this schedule.

 

[CajunCrimson]

What I don’t get is why other teams are allowed to literally assault our guards. The bump, push, shove, defense and never gets called. I saw at least three times where Aden on his way thru the lane was pulled from behind by a Mizzou player that was just as aggressive as Mark’s flagrant or worse and no call.

a trip or hip shove isn’t a play on the ball either!

we need to change HOW we play defense. And go in and thug it up a bit apparently.

the NBA style of offense is beautiful to watch, but the defense thuggery game after game is draining. These teams of 23-24-25 year old tight ends and linebackers playing basketball is grueling.

 

[CajunCrimson]

I knew it would be a tough game coming after the barn but letting a team score that much is lazy and might be a bad mental sign. Who knows but hopefully it’s a wake up call. Hard to pick up some momentum going into tourney at this point with this schedule.

Did you see lazy last night? I did see frustrated. But didn’t see much lazy.

did you see our guys having to get by NFL tight ends on picks? Philon get smacked in the mouth and gets called for a foul when he tried.

 

[Coach D]

Did you see lazy last night? I did see frustrated. But didn’t see much lazy.

did you see our guys having to get by NFL tight ends on picks? Philon get smacked in the mouth and gets called for a foul when he tried.

I just can’t always complain about refs. Refs are terrible every game in different ways. I.e the barn game they reviewed a play they couldn’t then said they couldn’t after reviewing and threw shade at bama and the player in the announcement. Other teams figure out how to play solid defense. I mean Bama started out in a hole last two games and I believe several others this year. As far as defense at a point it’s on coaches to teach them (obviously coaches and players doing pretty well as this is a very good team), but this bama team is a little lazy more so certain games than others as far as moving feet, reaching and not being straight up. Giving up 100 is not a sign of great effort, frustration yes. Mizzou is also a very good team so add that in.

Again hopefully this fires them up more so they can get hot and win the NC. I don’t really care about winning the SEC tourney almost seems like rest helps teams more so than winning it going into the tourney.

 

[irvingtontide]

What I don’t get is why other teams are allowed to literally assault our guards. The bump, push, shove, defense and never gets called. I saw at least three times where Aden on his way thru the lane was pulled from behind by a Mizzou player that was just as aggressive as Mark’s flagrant or worse and no call.

a trip or hip shove isn’t a play on the ball either!

we need to change HOW we play defense. And go in and thug it up a bit apparently.

the NBA style of offense is beautiful to watch, but the defense thuggery game after game is draining. These teams of 23-24-25 year old tight ends and linebackers playing basketball is grueling.

Yea maybe my glasses are shaded to much crimson but it’s hard watching the game be called diffrent on opposite sides of the court. Mizzo had double the FT attempts all night. The refs let them brawl it out while we had to be more technical on our defense. I mean If your didn’t just let Mitchell score under the rim he was getting a and1 attempt. Compare that to the other side we was getting mauled under the rim.

 

[Bama Lee]

I saw a lot of bad communication. Players were frustrated with each other when they had to switch on screens. We also did not block out well at all. The turnovers were bad (very much a loss of focus from all of our point guards

 

[Bama Shoals]

We've got to get better on defense period to win at the highest levels. We can't defend a single, high pick and roll. There was one play last night where the ball handler turned the corner off a high ball screen, went all the way to the basket unimpeded, and dunked the ball. He started at the top of the key! At this level, that is ridiculous. In crunch time Saturday, Auburn picked us apart with just a single, high, center pick and roll.

Somebody posted there has been no national champion in the last 25 years or so who was outside the top 25 in defensive efficiency. We are currently 46 on KenPom. We never make anyone uncomfortable on offense, never take away primary options. There's never a game where you say Bama took away the other team's primary option and made them go to plan B. We either are not coached that way or we're not capable. This is a common theme. Remember, Bama gave up 117 last year to Kentucky on the road in a very similar game.

The real troubling thing right now is looking at the standings, Bama is 9-0 against the bottom nine in the SEC and 1-3 against the top six. In our last five conference games, we have four against the top six. It may be we are just not that good relative to the top teams because of our defense. We were fortunate that the first half of the conference schedule was loaded with the bottom of the conference teams. Now, this huge deficiency is getting exposed. It was always there because even the lesser teams are more efficient on offense than their average against us, but it ends up in L's against the better teams.

 

[teamplayer]

This is a tough way to start a tough stretch of games. We need to get it going at home this weekend. Roll Tide!

 

[BamaHoopsBoi]

We are too late in the season to be making the same mistakes on defense. Overall a tough game to watch. Doesn't matter how well we execute on offense if we can't get a stop to save our lives. Oats has put an elite defense on the court in seasons past. This defense has improved efficiency wise since last season, but that isn't saying much.

I think our injuries are playing a huge role in this. Not having Wrightsell and Mallete is killing us. And whatever is going on with Reed is really killing us on D.

 

[BamaHoopsBoi]

Hate to be that guy but I'm going to for this game. 47 FTs to 21 FTs? Come on now..

 

[Coach D]

The D seems to be a combo of several things. The game plan against barn and at least started last night is giving lower percentage guys space. I know we base it on analytics but if you give a guy wide open shots then he is more likely to make it. I mean look at the first five minutes of last night just terrible giving space and hands down. Couldn’t trail guys well enough and get around screens and or help was not there. Might have to change philosophy a little and play tighter.

 

[Bazza]

How the heck does a team shoot 47 FTs in a game?

And they made 31 of them, while Bama went 15/21....there's your 16 points right there.

Toss in the 14 turnovers and a slow start and that makes it hard to overcome.

 

[bullocs1]

The late game would not be so bad if they were winning. Alabama is not playing team basketball and our two fifth year seniors are playing like freshman. Sears dribbles entirely too much and Grant is making bad high school passes. If our analytics coach want to get far in the playoff, he needs to get control of his team. I love Alabama sports but right now I am very discouraged with watching the basketball team. I really wasted my time last night. Those Missouri seniors dominated last night. That is how good players play. We need to stop comparing Sears with Bronson, Bronson is not a ball hog.

 

[Coach D]

crimson glasses take here. We were worried like this at the same time last year with a worse team so maybe that means an NC run is coming. Lol

 

[dayhiker]

crimson glasses take here. We were worried like this at the same time last year with a worse team so maybe that means an NC run is coming. Lol

This morning I was thinking, well, this feels familiar.

I think we were in the high 90's on KenPom D then. We're mid 40's now though. Hopefully getting our teeth kicked in will be good for us long term.

 

[TideEngineer08]

The real troubling thing right now is looking at the standings, Bama is 9-0 against the bottom nine in the SEC and 1-3 against the top six. In our last five conference games, we have four against the top six. It may be we are just not that good relative to the top teams because of our defense. We were fortunate that the first half of the conference schedule was loaded with the bottom of the conference teams. Now, this huge deficiency is getting exposed. It was always there because even the lesser teams are more efficient on offense than their average against us, but it ends up in L's against the better teams.

I know I don't comment a lot on this board, and I just don't get to watch the games like I used to either. And so I hate to spew any negativity, but here goes: This is what we probably need to come to terms with. Our schedule was ridiculously back loaded. We are probably not as good as our record indicated, and we are certainly not a top 5 team or top 10 team.

But, we were not last year either. Again, the tournament is about match ups and seeding; not necessarily how high your seed is but what bracket you get seeded in.

I think the ceiling of this team is probably sweet 16, if we get the right bracket. But we could get bounced in the first weekend if we don't. The way this team plays defense is simply not conducive to a tournament run. It's hard to say Coach Oats needs to adjust his system because, good grief, he's taken Alabama basketball to heights it has never been to before and has us on a year to year run that is exceeding what Coach Sanderson accomplished.

I've said for a couple of years now it is just so frustrating that when Alabama finally gets its act together in basketball, so does the rest of the SEC.