🏀 🏀 Alabama wins SEC opener, 73-68, over Tennessee

[bamanc50]

Got to hit FT’s.

 

[bama alum]

GURLEY!!! MVP tonight!

 

[bamanc50]

Bama wins!!!!!

 

[bama alum]

HUGE win tonight! RTR!

 

[Bama Guy]

Poorest passing I've seen from this team. Oh well, a win.

 

[mando]

Gurley starting to play better was huge. He needs to sustain it. The D and effort was better and the difference in the game especially down the stretch. FT's and 3 point shooting was just not very good. They got hot at the end on offense to erase the 5 point deficit and win by 5. Finding a way to win when you do not shoot well can become contagious. This game was probably won with the tough out of conference schedule. Oats teams have these type of offensive games. That is why the D and effort has to be there every game to compensate for these offensive stinker games.

Glad to get a win to start SEC play at home. Was against a wounded Vile team but I will take it.

 

[bama alum]

Poorest passing I've seen from this team. Oh well, a win.

Most of that crap came from Davidson. Just wild and erratic...

 

[mando]

Most of that crap came from Davidson. Just wild and erratic...

Yeah JD is playing like a freshman for sure. Very talented kid but has not gotten it figured out. I expect to see him get better as he gets more and more games under his belt.

 

[Bammerboy321]

Oats said in his press conference before the game that Gurley had some great practices. It definitely showed tonight. Now I doubt he goes for 20 points a game, but 10 rebounds. That is where we need him and Gary to excel. He showed up big tonight. Hopefully this is a sign that he's turned the corner.

I've said it plenty of times on here, but JQ is one of the best guarda in the country. No defender can stay in front of him. He needs a little more help from his teammates because he's better than just three assist. His ability to break down the defense and facilitate the basketball is what makes this offense work. I still think our offense has hit a bad slump and we're not getting the paint touches we need.

Davidson is struggling still and it shows. Poor decision making that led to turnovers and TN runs. He's got to play better and utilize his athleticism in order for Alabama to get back to playing at an elite level. I'll even throw Ellis in there as well. Both have not only been struggling offensively, but defensively too.

Big win tonight. 10-3 is a lot better than 9-4. Beat the Gators.

 

[UA Press Release]

No. 19/19 Alabama’s Game-Ending Run Enough to Topple No. 14/15 Tennessee, 73-68, in SEC Opener - Alabama Athletics

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The No. 19/19 Alabama men's basketball team used a 16-5 run over the final 6:02 to earn a hard-fought 73-68 victory over No. 14/15 Tenness...

rolltide.com

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The No. 19/19 Alabama men's basketball team used a 16-5 run over the final 6:02 to earn a hard-fought 73-68 victory over No. 14/15 Tennessee Wednesday night in Coleman Coliseum. It marked the Crimson Tide's (10-3, 1-0 SEC) third win over a top-15 team this season.

Graduate transfer Noah Gurley had his best game of the season, recording his first double-double in an Alabama uniform with 20 points and 10 rebounds on the night. Guard Jahvon Quinerly added 18 points while Jaden Shackelford finished with 12 points in the victory. Senior Keon Ellis also played solid with nine points, nine rebounds and a team-leading five assists.

The win marked the Crimson Tide's 17th-consecutive home victory and the third-straight over Tennessee in the series – the first time UA has defeated UT in three-consecutive games in the series since doing so from 2011-13.

Tennessee (9-3, 0-1), who was coming off an upset win over previously unbeaten and top-10 ranked Arizona last week, was playing without starters John Fulkerson and Kennedy Chandler, who were kept out of the lineup due to Covid protocols.

Head Coach Nate Oats Postgame Comments​

"That was a tough game. You've got to give Tennessee a lot of credit, playing without two starters, and they gave us everything we could handle. We told our guys going into the game that we have been in these situations before where our team is down a guy or two and everybody picks it up. That's what happened today. It was one of those games that we struggled to make shots but they had a lot to do with that. We just missed open shots. I thought that in the past maybe some of our guys let their defensive intensity go down when the offense is struggling but that didn't happen tonight. I thought Noah Gurley had the best game he has played since he has been here. He's been in the gym working and hard work does not go unrewarded. It is a big win for us. Tennessee is going to challenge for the SEC title and it was a big win to start off SEC play."

Team Stats​

• It was not only the Crimson Tide's third victory over a ranked team this season, it marked the third win over a team ranked in the NCAA NET top 10
• The last time Alabama defeated Tennessee in three-consecutive games in the series came in 2011, 2012 and 2013 (the Tide won both games versus the Volunteers last year)
• The contest featured eight ties and seven lead changes, with Alabama taking its biggest lead of the game with the final score
• Alabama outscored Tennessee in the paint, 38-22
• The Tide scored 73 points on the Vols, which entered the game ranked No. 2 in defensive efficiency
• Entering the game, Tennessee had held five of its previous six opponents to less than 57 points and was averaging giving up just 59.3 points per game

 

[mando]

I'll even throw Ellis in there as well. Both have not only been struggling offensively, but defensively too.

I would add Shack to that as well. He is not playing to his ability the last few games.

• Alabama outscored Tennessee in the paint, 38-22
• The Tide scored 73 points on the Vols, which entered the game ranked No. 2 in defensive efficiency
• Entering the game, Tennessee had held five of its previous six opponents to less than 57 points and was averaging giving up just 59.3 points per game

That was big out scoring them in the paint.

I did not realize how good of a defensive team the Viles were on paper. I guess given that it is not a surprise there would be scoring struggles.

Said it before but Bama being tested in the OOC games helped them in this game.

 

[TerryP]

I did not realize how good of a defensive team the Viles were on paper.

Including Bama, three losses on the season with one being to #5 Nova. A win over a top ten Arizona team this season tells me UT is a good ball club on the court.

It's a big win for Bama with the tourney in mind: it gives the Tide the tiebreaker over Tennessee as everyone shoots for that double bye.

 

[rick4bama]

How many h=still have your finger nail?

 

[Destiny's Child]

Several things are going on and some are normal for a good and young team. 1st the most productive players in the SEC opener was.. you guessed it seniors. Players who have been thru it and are able to be consistent no matter what is going on around them.
Secondly, we are playing great teams and the "book" is out on the young guys and how to play us.. it is up to our guys to realize what they are doing and adjust or attack what they are giving us.
They are running at Shackleford and sitting on his left side hard, he is also getting the best long defender from each team.. what has happened with that is that Shack has been rushing his shot and trying to force things. He is not playing in rhythm and because of that his scoring and averages are way off. Shack and coach just needs to recognize what they are doing and use scheme to pull their teams best defender out of the play and run offense to attack. Shach needs to calm down and shoot in rhythm when the shots come to him.
They are trying to punk Charles Bedeako down low. They are playing rough with him and using little dirty tricks to be extra physical with him. He has to turn into to "angry Chuck" under control. Play smart and stay out of foul trouble.
JD Davidson, is uber talented and has great instincts. He isn't confortable in his shot right now and because of that he is getting predictable. Drive to the right and try to kick back out to wing. Defenses know he doesn't want to shoot it and that his goal is to kick to the wing and are just reading it. He is pressing and a little unconfident in his shot He just needs to calm down, play with confidence and look for his shot using his athletism.. fake the kick and look for a cutter or shoot a floater, get to the free throw line and get himself into the flow of the game.

Good news is we won against a very good team even though we have been struggling. We need to make some adjustments based on how people are playing us and hopefully some of our upperclassmen can keep performing well unitl our other guys get going. Lastly #14 Ellis needs to step up. He is playing great defense, doing all the little things and is a great team leader but he has more talent on offense thatn what he is showing right now is he starts being a real threat it takes some the defensive heat away from Shack and JQ.

 

[Davestwin]

Davidson is opening a pastry shop. Lots of turnovers...

That’s a lot of years. Was the Arky home game in January not at Coleman when they were ranked 10 and we were 5? And the Houston game a couple of weeks back?

I see, Top 25 meeting between UT and Bama. My bad.

Much better last 4 minutes of the first half. Started playing better D. All tied up 33 -33 at the half.

Yeah JD is playing like a freshman for sure. Very talented kid but has not gotten it figured out. I expect to see him get better as he gets more and more games under his belt.

Full disclosure … I’m not as well versed on BB as I am on football. Is JD supposed to be a one and done? I mean he makes so many mistakes that I wonder if Oats feels like he better get all he can get out of him while he can? Again, BB isn’t my game but I can’t imagine NBA teams would draft him in Round 1 until they see better play more consistently from him … right?

 

[bama alum]

Full disclosure … I’m not as well versed on BB as I am on football. Is JD supposed to be a one and done? I mean he makes so many mistakes that I wonder if Oats feels like he better get all he can get out of him while he can? Again, BB isn’t my game but I can’t imagine NBA teams would draft him in Round 1 until they see better play more consistently from him … right?

The prevailing thought on JD is that he was going to come in and be a one-and-done. Then again, I think some had the same thoughts for both John Petty and Trendon Watford. If things don't dramatically improve for JD this season, he'd be well advised to come be the dominant player JQ is this season.

 

[BamaFan334]

The prevailing thought on JD is that he was going to come in and be a one-and-done. Then again, I think some had the same thoughts for both John Petty and Trendon Watford. If things don't dramatically improve for JD this season, he'd be well advised to come be the dominant player JQ is this season.

I agree. I feel he already needs to come back, no questions asked. Of course, Primo showed me about the same last year and he got drafted. Who knows anymore. Pro GM's are about like meteorologists, right a fraction of the time.

 

[mando]

I agree. I feel he already needs to come back, no questions asked. Of course, Primo showed me about the same last year and he got drafted. Who knows anymore. Pro GM's are about like meteorologists, right a fraction of the time.

I think a lot has to do with what they do in the NBA workouts prior to the draft. Not to familiar with how that process works but sounds like Primo showed out during those.

As far as JD, he has a looooong way to go and hopefully he will find his way over the next two months. The confidence switch could come on with one good game. Even within one game he was better in the 2nd half than the 1st half.

 

[Bammerboy321]

It's not even January yet, so a long way to go. That said, JD hasn't looked like a one and done prospect to date. But the NBA is all about potential and guys with his type of talent usually make the jump.

 

[mando]

It's not even January yet, so a long way to go. That said, JD hasn't looked like a one and done prospect to date. But the NBA is all about potential and guys with his type of talent usually make the jump.

He would probably jump another inch or two higher if he would cut that hair .