Alabama Crimson Tide Basketball

Alabama is getting on track. It is time, and they are in stride, eyes wide open. Anthony Grant is starting to have the type of influence he had hoped to have on these young men, though he wishes it had taken effect three games earlier. Now at 3-3 in SEC play, the Tide has a chance to compete for the title of SEC Western Division champion.

Just one week ago, after suffering a loss on the road to Arkansas, the men in crimson and white were close to elimination from contention after only three weeks into the regular season. Alabama can compete with anyone in the SEC.

The South Carolina victory against Kentucky should have a positive effect on all SEC teams, possibly with the exception of LSU. The leader in the West is Mississippi State. The Bulldogs suffered their first loss in Tuscaloosa last Saturday. Prior to Saturday, MSU had won 12 of their last 13 games.

Against LSU, JaMychal Green, Mikhail Torrence, Chris Hines, Charvez Davis, and Anthony Brock took the court following a mediocre effort in the first frame. They applied a relentless defensive effort that held the Bengal Tigers to a measly 13 points in the second half.

The smothering defense of the Crimson Tide forced LSU into 16 turnovers, and held the Tigers to only four assists. Charvez Davis provided the offensive fire power, leading the Tide with 15 points in 18 minutes of play.

Freshman Tony Mitchell (10 rebounds, 10 points) and Mikhail Torrence (10 assists, 10 points) achieved double-doubles in different ways. Green added eight points, Justin Knox totaled six, and Hillman (five points) and Hines (three points) contributed as well.

All LSU scorers were held under 10 points. Storm Warren led with nine points. Tasmin Mitchell had 10 rebounds on the night. The Tigers had 33 percent shooting in the first half, but only 22 percent in the second.

Alabama must remain focused and continue to increase their offensive production. The defensive effort continues to improve. The Tide will hit the road this weekend to take on the plainsmen at 3:00 PM. Auburn is 10-10 overall, 1-4 in SEC play.

The game is set to be televised on the SEC network. Roll Tide.

The 2010 basketball season could quickly be coming to a close if the men in crimson can't get things turned around in a hurry. After a 66-49 win against LSU in Baton Rouge, the Tide dropped the home opener in a closely contested game to the Vanderbilt Commodores, 65-64.

The second road trip was disastrous. Following a tightly contested first half, after a flagrant foul and ejection of Senario Hillman, the Tide "came undone" and lost last weekend to the Arkansas Razorbacks, 71-59.

The following Tuesday, again on the home court, the Tide fought valliantly against the highly ranked Volunteers of Tennessee but lost 63-56. The Alabama record now stands at 11-7 (1-3 in the SEC) for the early 2010 season.

Despite knowing that this would be a rebuilding year, Tide fans don't expect their team to be dismissed this early in the season. The Crimson Tide must hit their stride.

There are twelve games left on the schedule. Today, at 11:00 AM, the Tide will face the Mississippi State Bulldogs. MSU enters Coleman Coliseum with a 15-3 record, 3-0 in the SEC. The record is impressive, yet they have losses to Rider, Richmond, and Western Kentucky.

Mississippi State leads the Western Division of the SEC. The team has won 12 of their last 13 games. In addition, State has recently entered the AP top 25, landing at the No. 23 position in this week's poll. They opened the season at No. 18 but quickly dropped out of the rankings with the loss to Rider.

With a win, the Crimson Tide could get back on track to compete in the West. This is a must win for the Alabama basketball team. A loss would essentially take them out of contention for the division title. On the other hand, a win would boost the confidence of the young team and set the stage for success in future games.

Following today's contest, Alabama will face LSU at Coleman Coliseum, meet Auburn on the road, then return to Tuscaloosa and face the Florida Gators. Putting together a winning streak at this point in the season would infuse the much needed energy to finish the second half of the schedule with the hope of competing in the postseason.

This Alabama team has played very well against highly ranked opponents this season. In fact, the Crimson Tide should have beaten the Purdue Boilermakers, only to melt down in the last three minutes of the game. They played well against a stout Kansas State team and fought hard last Tuesday night against the Vols.

A win streak is possible, but it must start today. Seniors Anthony Brock and Mikhail Torrence must lead the way. JaMychal Green, although only a sophomore, must mature in these next four games and dominate the post. Senario Hillman must play at his full potential, a feat yet to be accomplished this season.

Hillman cannot continue to foul out of games if he wants to contribute his skills and give his team a chance to win. He is a junior, and he must be a leader on the court.

While defense has improved in the 2010 campaign, offense has yet to catch fire. The Crimson Tide must penetrate the opposition defense and take control of the game inside the paint.

The Alabama guards are not highly accurate beyond the arc. Dribble-penetration, driving the defender deep in the lane or all the way to the basket and completing the shot should be the objective. The inside game, 10-15 foot jumpers are the best chance for this team to score.

Let's help the Tide get on track with unconditional support from the fan base. Coleman Coliseum must become a hostile environment for the opposition. No free throw is shot uncontested by the fans, particularly the student section. The Crimson Chaos and pep band need to lead the way.

When the Alabama players enter center stage today, give them the loudest welcome of the season and encourage them to fight for a much needed victory. Alabama can beat this Mississippi State team. They are better than their record shows. The Tide is ready to take down the Bulldogs, Crimson style. Be there, and give your unwavering support.

I was going to focus my article on University of Alabama basketball and what’s wrong with it, as I look around my state; it’s not just the Crimson Tide struggling, but the whole state in general.

For years the state of Alabama had two seasons to look forward to; football and basketball. Now, it looks as if we basically skip over basketball for football recruiting, baseball, and softball. Basketball in our state, barely exist any more.

People like SEC basketball announcer Joe Dean Jr., says it’s because we in this state pay too much attention to football, therefore we lose out on great players like Eric Bledsoe of Kentucky who was a great high school player here, that none of the schools had a chance of getting.

First of all this is a football state and it will always be that way, but I think a lot of it has to do with coaching and the product. Kids not coming to big schools in this state has never stopped us before. Sonny Smith, Gene Bartow, and Wimp Sanderson, still got quality players and most of them were from this state.

Alabama grab Robert Horry and Gerald Wallace from small towns in Alabama; Charles Barkley came from the Birmingham area and Chuck Person is from the state too.

But we also got kids from out of state as well such as Latrell Sprewell who was from Wisconsin. So, don’t tell me it can’t be done. There are quality athletes from our state that choose to stay home and play basketball.

A lot of the failures in this state is do to poor coaching. As I watched the Alabama game last night, I noticed that we didn’t have a three-point threat on the floor. We didn’t have one guy who the other team was afraid of making that big shot to win the game. I wondered to myself, how did this happen?

It became obvious to me that Mark Gottfried left the Alabama basketball program in a mess. Gottfried was never known as a great coach, but a good recruiter. He got Gerald Wallace into the program for at least one year. But apparently along with his coaching, his recruiting reminds me of the mess Tommy Tuberville did to Auburn football. Oh there are one or two quality players, but quite frankly the rest probably wouldn’t start in the SEC.

Don’t get me wrong, I see improvement at least defensively and saw a lot more heart out there last night which says a lot about new Alabama head coach Anthony Grant and the job he is doing there. If he can get the players in, that team could be contending in a year or two. He already has good victories over Baylor and a ranked Michigan team, so anything is possible.

As far as Auburn goes, haven’t we been hearing for years that Jeff Lebo was going to turn their program around? Auburn fans are asking WHEN? Lebo basically has skated in this state because of the troubles in Tuscaloosa, the fact that he has beaten Alabama a few times the last few years and losing close games like the Kentucky game the other night.

Most Auburn fans are sick of this. They want a good team to go along with that new arena they are building down there and if Lebo doesn’t get it together, Auburn will be seeking a new head coach for 2011.

UAB has probably been playing the best basketball in the state; problem is they are like a tree that falls with no one there to hear it; no one cares. The greatest day in UAB history was the day John Calipari went to Kentucky.

That was also the worse thing that could have happened to UAB because quite frankly, that made Conference USA weaker. Despite UAB’s recent success, they will probably have to still win their conference tournament to get into the NCAA’s this year and if history is any indication, they won’t make the tournament again this year either despite their overall record.

So what’s the solution to all of this? Well, I think for Alabama get better players in there. They already have the right coach in place. For Auburn, basically start over. Get some new blood in the program. As for UAB, keep winning and win big. This state use to be a haven for great basketball, let’s just hope our best days are ahead of us.

Anthony Grant has the Alabama men's basketball team playing at a higher level this year compared to the 2008 team, yet it is not good enough to win against mediocre SEC competition. Last week, at home, the Crimson Tide lost a hard fought, close game to the Vanderbilt Commodores.

This evening, Alabama played good enough to win the first half against the Arkansas Razorbacks but they did not play with enough effort to finish strong. The Razorbacks ended on a 24-13 run to close out the game and hand the Tide consecutive conference losses.

Anthony Grant was christened against the Commodores but he was baptized against the Razorbacks. This is SEC basketball. He cannot be satisfied with his teams play. They have the ability and talent to excel. Depth is certainly a problem but it can't be fixed before next year. The time is now.

Moreover, the Tide continues to hurt themselves with freshman-type mistakes from veteran players. Junior Senario Hillman was ejected mid-way through the second half after a second flagrant foul. At the time of the foul, Bama trailed by one.

Hillman, a two year starter, and should know better. In addition, the team needs his leadership and athletic play in order to win. Grant came to Alabama to change the direction of the program. At this point, it is hard to tell much of a difference.

It is not for a lack of athleticism and basketball skill. A show of support could help.

As Alabama fans, it is time to be patient but expectant of a good return in the investment the administration has placed in Anthony Grant. It's a tough conference, it time to toughen up, Alabama.

Grant needs the support of the student body and die-hard basketball fans in the local community. This week, encourage the players to improve, let them know that the students care about basketball as much as any sport on the campus.

If the Auburn Tigers basketball team can take the Kentucky Wildcats to the brink of defeat in front of a sold out home crowd, we should be just as able to defend our home court. The raucous crowd energized the Auburn team and they responded. We need to do the same.

Alabama returns home to defend their court against the No.10 Tennessee Volunteers on Tuesday. The student body and fans need to fill Coleman Coliseum for the 6 PM ESPN broadcast.

The Alabama Men's Basketball team needs to feel the love from the Alabama fan base and use that energy to dismantle the Vols in front of a chaotic home crowd. Roll Tide, baby.

For any of you that have siblings and had the “pleasure” of being the younger sibling, I’m sure you know about the younger sibling mentality. I personally have never gone through it because I’m the oldest in my family, but my sister tells me about it all the time. Teachers ask her if she’s "Cameon’s sister" frequently, teachers compare her to me, and they expect her to be like me in everything that she does.

Alabama Basketball has become the younger sibling to Alabama Football, but I think that can/will change with the fan’s help and support that has diminished over the years.

Let’s face it. In the last few years, Alabama basketball has taken a backseat to Nick Saban, SEC Championships, National Championships (dreams of before this year) and recruiting. Nick Saban and the Football program as a whole have become the bigger sibling in the absence of a good basketball coach and a lack of, let’s be honest, ability to win from the Basketball team.

Luckily for Alabama Basketball, they have more similarities with Coach Saban and Alabama Football as a whole than my sister and I have.

Coaches

One thing Alabama Basketball had been missing for a long time was a decent coach, and that problem was alleviated with the hiring of Coach Anthony Grant in March of 2008.

Coach Grant said when he first came to the University of Alabama that he wanted to bring the passion back into the sport for the university. This guy has a process, just like Saban does, and if you look at them, these two guys aren’t that much different.

Coach Grant expects a lot from his players, all the time, just like Coach Saban. He doesn’t tolerate one guy wanting to be “the man,” and he doesn’t tolerate less than 100% at all times. He has a process. He knows what he wants from his players, and he knows what needs to be done to get there.

Remember that Coach Grant is playing with someone else’s players, but it’s clear that these guys have bought into the process that Grant has talked about and you can tell that from the way they play.

This team’s record is by no means perfect (11-5), but remember that Saban went 6-7 his first year at Alabama, and the season is far from over.

Players

Coach Grant has made some vast improvements in these guys and the game they are playing. Their dedication, determination, and want/power to win have improved by one million percent. Not only that, but the maturity of this team on and off the court, has improved.

These guys have bought into what Coach Grant has told them. They are believers that they can and will be better with work, dedication, and by listening to their coaches and getting what needs to be done taken care of.

Sounds familiar to another sport at the University to me.

(Remember earlier when I mentioned that my sister aren’t very similar, this is when that comes into play)

Fans

Bryant-Denny Stadium is filled to capacity at almost every home game. The waiting list to get season tickets was over five years the last time I checked. Alabama Football fans are there whether it is in snow, rain, tornado, or hurricane. 92, 138 people (respectively) show up to support their team and there are more people that just can’t get tickets.

Where are these fans during Basketball season?

Coleman Coliseum has a capacity of 15,316 people. That’s less than a fourth of what Bryant-Denny can hold.  Surely, being the Alabama fans that we are, we can fill that place up EVERY home game.

Getting to the game way earlier than expected, I got to hear Chris Stewart make a speech to the students. His request was to come to the games, bring a friend (he really emphasized this point) and make some noise.

That’s my request to you, and while I may not be Chris Stewart, voice of Alabama Basketball and Baseball, I hope I have some influence, if for no other reason than I’m younger and female.

Alabama Basketball is making a comeback, and they need your help and support just like the Football team did coming out of the Shula period and Saban’s first year.

15,316 fans screaming, sporting their crimson gear, getting involved in a program that is getting better and is a part of the University we yell so loudly for every Fall. Let’s keep it going. I am even including a link to the schedule and the Alabama Basketball Community page.

The Alabama Men's basketball team battled the Vanderbilt Commodores at Coleman Coliseum tonight in a game that went down to the last six seconds. Jeffery Taylor (6'7", 205) was fouled by true freshman Tony Mitchell (6'6", 185) with the score tied, sending the Vanderbilt sophomore to the line.

Mitchell short-armed the first, hitting the front of the rim and sank the second free throw after a timeout by Anthony Grant to give Vandy a one-point, 65-64 lead. With six seconds left, after a clean inbound play, Anthony Brock took the ball the length of the floor missing a short jumper from eight feet.

Brock was off on the shot, in part related to contact by the Vandy defender. The ball hit the rim and fell away from the basket. Although JaMychal Green grabbed the rebound, he could not position himself well enough to get a shot off before the buzzer.

Coach Anthony Grant would not comment on the last six seconds, indicating that he was emotional and needed to review the tape before he could be sure of what to say about the outcome. Mikhail Torrence indicated that it was the shot they wanted and "Brock makes that shot 9 out of 10 times."

With just under five minutes to play, A.J. Oglivy took a controversial charge on Mikhail Torrence that sent the 6'11" junior to the line. Ogilvy took the charge with four fouls. The replay showed his feet moving while Torrence was in the air. In fact, the official seemingly pointed at Ogilvy indicating a block but later said his motion was indicating that Ogilvy was to go to the line for a 1-1.

Alabama jumped out to an early 14-5 lead, led at the half 35-28 and maintained the lead throughout most of the second half. With 14:36 to go in the game, Alabama led 43-36. Vandy made a move and tied the score 53-53 at the 7:48 mark.

Alabama continued to battle the Commodores, pushing the lead to two, three, and four points in the last five minutes of the game. With 1:48, the Commodores tied the game once again at 62-62. A short jumper by Jermaine Beal put Vandy in the lead with 45 seconds left in the game.

JaMychal Green tied the score once again at 64-64 with two made free throws at the 35-second mark. Tony Mitchell subbed in for Charvez Davis. The Tide played excellent defense, keeping the ball on the perimeter for 27 seconds. But with eight seconds left, Taylor took the pass and turned to drive to the basket.

Mitchell grabbed Taylor around the waist and was called for the personal foul. The rest is history.

The men's basketball team fought valiantly but suffered a loss. They did not finish against an average Commodore team. They have made great strides in how they compete, they have improved their defensive play but the result was the same.

Having said this, they are playing with more intensity this year and defense is much improved. I know these players have the skills to get the job done now, but for some reason, other teams are still ahead on the learning curve.

Loses to Purdue and Kansas State, both highly regarded team that will make an NCAA championship run were hotly contested by the Crimson Tide. In fact, I think they should have beaten Purdue. It didn't work out. They played well against K State but really had no chance to win.

The players on the court and on the bench have bought into the Grant system. They will have to improve execution, particularly at the end of the game. Substitution of Mitchell late in the game was the right move. He just made a critical, critical mistake.

Critical mistakes make the difference in these kinds of games. It is up to the Alabama players to force the opponent into mistakes rather that commit them. It will happen. Give it time, Bama fan. Lots of good days ahead.

I suspect Alabama will gradually show improvement and will start winning these close games near mid-season. If not, it will be a long year. They have the potential to win the west. There is certainly no dominant team in the western division. But they will have to win games like this, particularly at home to contend.

Anthony Grant has now suffered his first SEC loss, at home. The Tide will travel to Fayetteville to face the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday.

P.S.

Since this site is not as popular as other college basketball sites, I would appreciate any feedback regarding quality of my writing and content of the piece. I hope to help make the Alabama basketball site appealing and fun to visit. I am sure the other writers will appreciate the same with their contributions.

I appreciate all feedback and will answer any questions to the best of my ability. If I don't have the answer, I will call a friend who does and get back asap. I look forward to the season with great anticipation and hopefully with good returns.

Roll Tide

Recently, I have come across an interesting type of “fan.” I’ll admit, working at a Bama retail store, I come across many interesting fans.

Some are interesting in a good way, and some well…they are just interesting for lack of a better word. As I’ve been there almost two years, let me enlighten you on the different fans I see come through our doors.

The Die-Hard Fan

I come across the die-hard fan for a University as a whole, very rarely. These are the fans that not only buy score shirts for football season, but want to know why we don’t have score shirts from the basketball team’s win over Toledo tonight and will want to know about score shirts from beating Tennessee in baseball when that comes around.

It’s the fan that gets “I heart Bama” tattooed on his chest right next to the picture of the Coors light can. This is the fan that attends, watches, or listens to every Alabama sporting event whether it be football, basketball, baseball, gymnastics, or even golf.

This fan loves his teams, loves his sports, and most of all, loves Alabama.

The “I like Alabama because the colors are pretty” Fan

These are the fashion runway people in Alabama sports, and they will most likely out style us all. These are usually the fans that call crimson “cherry” and houndstooth “checkered.” They are the fans that, quite honestly, we laugh at but hey, it’s business and job security.  

And who can blame them really? Crimson does go with almost everything.

The “Alabama’s winning so I’ll root for them” Fan

This fan, much like the “because the colors are pretty” fans, are popping up more frequently because of Bama’s successful football season. These fans are usually the ones that we can pinpoint pretty quickly because they’ll ask something stupid like, “What does the S stand for?” on our “S The Coach” stickers.

All I ask is that they please refer to my previous article to at least edumacate themselves enough to not give themselves away as closet Bama fans right off the bat. At least let me get to the good trivia questions. It’s getting slow, and I need entertainment.

The “My spouse is, so why not?” Fan

This is the fan that usually provides the most life right next to the die-hard fan or the closet fan. I’ll never forget the lady that came into our store asking for “A checkahd pimp hat with a red feather,” (in reference to the Bear hats that we sell) for her husband.

We got a good hour of laughter, and she got her pimp hat. Everyone was happy, and that’s our store’s only goal in existence.

The “One Sport Wonder” Fan

As indicated by the title, this is the fan that is most intriguing and most aggravating to me right now.

This is the fan that is at every football game, knows the commitments before Saban does, knows the schedule and records by heart, and has almost every picture known to man-kind from the games.

Ask them about basketball though, and they look about as flabbergasted as Rosie O’Donnell would if you told her there were things called fat free chips, and you didn’t have to eat the whole bag at one time.

I can understand following one sport a little more closely than others. I myself am probably a little more involved with football than I am with basketball or baseball, but I still keep up with and watch the others if I’m not at the games.

I do not, however, understand being so into one university program, saying you love it and it gives you more pleasure than your wife ever has, and then not looking into the other sports that the university has to offer.

I’m sure there are several fans like that on this site for Alabama and other universities as well. Alabama has traditionally been a football school, honestly. However, with Anthony Grant as our new men’s basketball coach, our basketball team is looking pretty decent as well. I’m thrilled about the excitement he is bringing to the program, which is what he set out to do.  

My message is this, right next to the Alabama Crimson Tide Football button you have at the top left of your screen, go to the Alabama Basketball Community , and join there. Go to the Alabama Baseball Community, and join there (when it is available).

Get involved with not only one sport, but the university as a whole. They are all young men and women living a dream (or nightmare depending on if Saban had his oatmeal cream pies that morning).

Who are we to say that they aren’t good enough for our support because they don’t play a sport we like as well as another because we’ve never given it a shot? Why is it that we tend to lean to one sport or another?

Also, there might be some fan types I over looked, and if you come up with more, feel free to add them below.

Roll Tide!

Tuscaloosa, 

After a slow start for the Crimson Tide in Coleman Coliseum the guys bounced right back. They would play like a team that I, as a fan, have not seen this year. 

The Crimson Tide would fight back after falling 9-1 in the first few minutes of the game. Seemingly in a moment, the Tide was on top; leading the No. 5 team in the nation.

What a proud few moments for Bama's fans. 

From the last ten or so minutes in the first half, the Tide seemed to be invincible. Even into the first few minutes after halftime they seemed to have things under control. 

However, Purdue's Boilermakers fought back. Boy, did they fight back. 

Suddenly, the men in black seemed to be quicker, stronger, and more determined. 

They would rally together and catch up to the Tide, who at one point had a substantial 18 point lead. In the end, the Boilermakers found a way to make it work. 

"Like great teams do, they dug in," Tide coach Anthony Grant said. "They handled the adversity and their defense really won the game for them."

Now, on to why. Why did the Tide let this win slip away from them?

There is a lot to be said about playing against the No. 5 team in our country. However as a fan, I found it hard to swallow that we would let them come back and beat us on our home court. 

First: The Tide played sound offense in the first half. Yet, later in the game, the players seemed to get tired. No profound statement there. Mikhall Torrance seemed to not come out of the game at all. 

I believe this had a huge impact on the late performance of the Tide. Had they had fresh legs, they may have fared more favorable / formidable. 

Second: In my preview of this game I made the statement, in order for us to disrupt the Purdue offense, we must get rebounds. Seemingly (like the offense) we did well in the first half gaining our rebounds and getting back down the court. 

However, in the latter part of the second half the rebounding seemed to come to a standstill. This would only serve to put a nail in the coffin.

Thirdly, The amount of penalties late in the game would hurt Bama beyond repair. As the players got tired, they began to have mental breakdowns: costly mental breakdowns. 

Finally: For those who have played a sport, you know how vital fan support can be. The number of times that the Purdue faithful screamed, "Boiler UP!" made me feel like we were on their court. 

I will applaud each and every fan who made the trip for the Boilermakers. They would be in my opinion, the determining factor that helped their team come back and win a nail biter over the Crimson Tide.

In a heart-breaking loss the Tide fell 73-65. 

I am extremely proud of our players. They played a hard fought battle and made it fun to watch. I will maintain that Coach Grant is an amazing addition to restoring our program to greatness. 

So Crimson Tide fans, do not loose heart! We have only yet begun to fight! 

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

After an amazing start to this season, there can be little doubt as to Tide fans satisfaction with Coach Anthony Grant. He has already whipped the Tide into shape and producing performances that can make "Every Bama Man" proud. The Tide would start the season after a grueling 18-14 season last year. 

6-2, Already the Crimson Tide has posted wins over Jackson State, Providence, Baylor, Michigan, North Florida, and most recently, LA Monroe. With an impressive start to the season the Tide and its fans look to the next confrontation: Purdue. Coming in to Tuscaloosa, the Boilermakers are an impressive 7-0.

If Alabama is to win this match-up they need to use the off-time before the game wisely. Preparing to defend key players like JaJuan Johnson and Chris Kramer will be key in this game. Johnson comes into this match up with a FG% of .507 and Kramer with .593. 

Also, if they are to win they must win the ever-important rebound battle. As in any game this will be vital to either sides success, or lack thereof.

If Alabama wants to show up and further impress the Tide nation JaMychal Green, Mikhail Torrance, and Anthony Brock must have great nights. Up to this point we have seen the three seniors put up some impressive numbers. Green averages 32 points per game, Torrance averaging 26, and Brock averaging just under 26. 

If the Tide hopes to extend their record to 7-3, then they must show up ready to play; as you can bet Purdue will. 

Tip-off will begin at 8:00 CST. The game will be televised on ESPN2 so be sure to tune in.

Check Back after the game for a complete analysis from the student section.

The Crimson Tide faithful have shed the shadows of Mark Gottfried's mediocrity and are hoping for a resurgence to being once again regarded as a powerhouse in the SEC Western Division, and the conference as a whole. Most respect new head coach Anthony Grant and his job at VCU, and most expect him to turn the Tide against their recent history.

But just how fast will that U-turn be?

If Alabama hopes to compete for the postseason, it will need a quick one.

The Tide slid a long way from their 2003-04 Elite Eight appearance. Since then, the team has won 20 games just twice, flirted with the .500 mark in 2007-08 (17-16) and went 18-14 last year. Despite some talent on the roster, turbulence and a lack of consistency played a major role in the team's struggles.

Gottfried resigned mid-season, shortly after star point guard Ronald Steele announced he was leaving the team and implied being mistreated by his former coach.

This year's team is without a four-year mainstay in do-it-all Alonzo Gee. As a guard, Gee could shoot it and was a great dunker, but was most adept at driving to the basket. Many comparisons were drawn between Alonzo and recent Mississippi State standout Jamont Gordon, and they were largely appropriate. Gee's strength and aggressive attitude provided the squad with some much-needed leadership that will be difficult to replace in 2009-10.

Monstrously inefficient shooter Brandon Hollinger and under-talented big man Yamene Coleman join the list of 'Bama players who don't return.

Filling their spots will be a set of talented newcomers, with highly-respected four-star Tony Mitchell leading the way.

Tony Mitchell (#38 overall, #7 SF, 4 stars)

Mitchell is the highlight of the class. He's 6'6" and 185lbs, quick and athletic. He can shoot and drive the basket and should see a great deal of playing time this year.

Ben Elben (#28 PG, 3 stars)

This 6-foot, 185-pound point guard is the kind of leader Grant needs to take the reins of this year's Alabama squad. Elben fits the hole that Steele left very well, as he is known for his intelligence, patience, and leadership. Though he isn't exactly quick in either his running or shooting, his presence alone should help 'Bama organize its offense better. Expect Elben to push for a starting position from day one.

Charvez Davis (SG, 3 stars)

Junior College transfer known for his three-point accuracy. Should see some playing time if he lives up to his shooting potential.

Chris Hines (3 stars)

Hines is 6'7" and 225 pounds, a thick "small forward" who can shoot. A Junior-College All-American, Hines is three years removed from high-school and should help 'Bama with their lack of depth in the paint.

Returning, though, is a crew that is moderately talented and—with good coaching—could turn 2009-10 into a respectable year.

• Senario Hillman 6'2", 192-pound junior SG
  (12.9ppg - 2.5rpg - 42.6% FG - 28.7% 3PT)
  Hillman came out of high school with a reputation for lights-out shooting, but hasn't provided on the college court. Hillman is a combined 24.6 percent shooter from three in his career, despite attempting over 101 long-range shots for the Tide last year, easily the most on the team.
  
  He's a great on-ball defender, ranking third-best amongst league returnees in steals per game, but must refine his shot and give Alabama some semblence of a deep threat. Should start.
  
  
• JaMychal Green 6'9" 220-pound sophomore F/C
  (10.3ppg - 7.6rpg - 51 blks - 71.0% FT)
  Green is easily the Alabama player with the biggest upside. He is ultra-reliable, is the sixth-best returning rebounder in the conference, and a formidable shot-blocker.
  
  If he can manage to take care of the ball—he was the most apt to turn it over on the team a year ago—he will prove to be one of the SEC's most reliable and efficient big-men. Should start.
  
  
• Mikhail Torrance 6'5" 210-pound senior PG
  (10.0ppg - 2.3rpg - 31.9% 3PT - 88.4% FT)
  Torrance is a very versatile guard who is particularly adept at handling the ball, with a 1.6 assist-to-turnover ratio. His shooting is average at best, but he's a threat at the end of the game with outstanding numbers from the charity stripe, as he leads all returning SEC players in that category. Should start.
  
  
• Justin Knox 6'9" 240-pound junior PF
  (5.7ppg - 5.1rpg - 48.3% FG - 22 blks)
  Knox has the physical gifts to become a superstar in the Southeastern Conference. He's a big, physical body down low who is one of the league's most efficient rebounders. With a little more aggression, Knox could be a surprise force down low for the Tide. Should start.
  
  
• Anthony Brock 5'9" 165-pound senior PG/SG
  (5.6ppg - 1.3rpg - 44.9% 3PT - 32 stl)
  Brock is a ticking time-bomb, in the best possible way. He has a rare finesse that was under-utilized by Gottfried that should blossom under Grant. He's the team's best long-range shooter by a long shot, and is the league's most efficient returning on-ball defender. Brock could be the "X" factor for Alabama this season. Could start.
  
  
• Andrew Steele 6'3" 215-pound sophomore PG
  (3.3ppg - 1.9rpg - 1.53 A/TO - 73.0% FT)
  The brother of departed superstar Ronald Steele, Andrew has a lot less potential. Andrew was an average shooter in his freshman campaign and only excels in ball-handling, where is he exemplary. A solid backup point guard.
  
  
• Demetrius Jemison (6'8" 240-pound senior PF
  (3.1ppg - 3.1rpg - 52.8% FG - 62.5% FT)
  Jemison is a big body underneath and is a serviceable player, but certainly not one that seems to be challenging for a starting point anytime soon. Jemison is a back-to-the-basket guy and a very efficient rebounder. There are some questions as to his health this season, but I have yet to find anything to verify that.

Grant has a history of success at VCU, where he went a combined 76-25, including a Colonial Athletic Association league title each of the three years at the helm of VCU. Now, returning to the league he once served as an assistant in, hopes are high in Tuscaloosa he can bring that level of success to UA.

He's got the pieces to surprise this year.

Schedule Breakdown

• Cupcakes: Jackson St. (H), North Florida (H), LA-Monroe (H), Samford (H), Mercer (H), Tennessee St. (N), Toledo (A)
• Real Games: Cornell (H), Providence (H)
• Marquee Matchups: Baylor (N), Purdue (H), Kansas St. (N)
• Opposite Division: Vanderbilt (H), Tennessee (H), Florida (H), Kentucky (A), Georgia (A), South Carolina (A)
• Predicted Result: (18-12, 7-9), No postseason
• Analysis: Just one true road game in the non-conference portion of the slate might hurt the Tide in the SEC.

What's Returning

• Points: 69.67% (6th - SEC Avg: 73.81%)
• Rebounds: 66.02% (10th - SEC Avg: 75.80%)

While Mississippi State is the prohibitive favorite to take the SEC Western Division crown this year, the Tide seems to be underrated in discussion for that No. 2 spot. While Ole Miss tends to be offered that title, Grant's Alabama team very well could knock the Rebels off of that stoop and challenge for an NIT berth.