| NEWS Alabama 82, Ole Miss 64: 3 Things we learned as Crimson Tide wins SEC basketball opener- Tuscaloosa News

B

Bama News


Alabama men's basketball opened SEC play Tuesday night with an 82-64 victory over Ole Miss at Coleman Coliseum.

The Crimson Tide improved to 6-3. Ole Miss fell to 5-2.

Here's what we learned:

Things go better with Herb Jones

Much of the game was a struggle to manage minutes with Herb Jones, Alabama’s best defender and team leader. Jones picked up two fouls in the first 30 seconds, came in for a brief stint to help staunch a 9-0 Ole Miss run midway through the first half but played just over three minutes before fouling again.

He finished with just three points, three rebounds and two assists in only nine minutes before fouling out with 6:04 to play.

Alabama coach Nate Oats said that if someone had told him prior to the game that Jones would play only nine minutes, “I’d have said our chances were slim. Slim to none, to be honest with you. But for our defensive rating to be a 1.8 efficiency with one of the top five defensive players in America basically on the bench, I told our guys I was proud of them.”

But depth is the best remedy

Throughout the offseason, Alabama coaches talked about the number of players who could contribute, but that depth displayed itself dramatically against Ole Miss. With Jones in foul trouble, senior John Petty was effective coming off the bench. After a one-game suspension, Petty seemed motivated on both ends of the floor. Keon Ellis, in his first start, contributed and Alex Reese and Josh Primo were both in better form. Good play from Alabama’s athletic wings opened up the floor, creating lanes that point guard Jahvon Quinerly (game-high 24 points) could exploit. Eleven different players scored for the Crimson Tide.

"I thought Reese was great,” Oats said. “He was huge for us. We've been stressing rebounding, and he got to the offensive glass. Reese (10 points, four rebounds and a highlight-reel blocked shot) has really turned everything around. His attitude is great, he's all about the team. He's what you're looking for in a senior.”

The depth was necessary for another reason. There were 50 fouls called, and if either team had distinguished itself at the foul line that could have been a decisive factor. Neither did.

Petty, back from a one-game suspension, said he was happy with the unusual reserve role.

”It was the coach’s decision,” Petty said. “He thought that was our best lineup and it was our best lineup tonight. I’ll take whatever role the coaches give me.”

Oats praised Petty and said the one-game suspension helped “focus” the senior star.

"It's 100% in the past.” Oats said. “It was an in-house deal that wasn't really much of a deal. Some people on social media blew it way out of proportion. We had to get him focused in on what he needed to be focused in on."

The road runs uphill from here

No one was calling the SEC opener a “must win,” but with No. 6 Tennessee up next getting a few things sorted out was a key mission. Petty’s return was encouraging, and Jones surely won’t be sidelined by fouls so quickly. Plus, younger players like Primo and even veterans like Reese and Jordan Bruner seemed more adjusted to their roles.
 
Good to get the win. Honestly the team should 7-2. They should have won that Western Kentucky game but oh well they did not. Regardless they are going to have to shoot like they did in this game or even better and defend. The Vile game will be a tough one on the road. We will see if the offense is finding itself in that game for sure.

I am really perplexed with Petty. He is a senior trying to put himself in a position to make some dollars so he can take care of his family and future and he is struggling to stay focused. Just bizarre. Is there more to the story? We never know all these players are going through of the court.
 
Back
Top Bottom