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gregg.dewalt@timesdaily.c
NASHVILLE — Alabama and Auburn have similar basketball programs, each looking to become relevant again in a football-crazy state.
And while they both are on the uptick with recent hires — Bruce Pearl at Auburn three seasons ago and Avery Johnson at Alabama two seasons ago — neither so far has been able to snatch the headlines away from football for an extended period.
That’s what happens when teams are 18-14 and 18-13 at this point of the season.
That’s why showing up and playing well in the SEC tournament is important. It’s one of the few times basketball takes the spotlight from football, and it’s an opportunity to capture some attention.
With two days down and three to go, Alabama is the only one of the two still playing at the SEC tournament. The Crimson Tide registered a 75-55 beatdown on Mississippi State in its first tournament game and plays South Carolina today in the quarterfinals, looking to add an impressive win to its resume.
By the time the Tide was putting the finishing touches on the rout of a rebuilding Mississippi State team, Auburn, which beat Alabama twice in the regular season, had long since vacated Bridgestone Arena, victimized in overtime by a Missouri team that had amassed all of seven wins this season before Wednesday night.
It was an embarrassing loss to a Missouri team Auburn beat by 11 in the final game of the regular season and likely ended Pearl’s third season. It also mirrored what the Tigers had done throughout the season. Pearl’s team proved over and over it could score enough to win. The problem was on the other end of the floor. Auburn simply never figured out things on the defensive end. The result was countless blown leads that turned into costly losses.
“Defense and rebounds,” All-SEC freshman team member Mustapha Heron said. “That’s it right there.”
Pearl echoed those thoughts in his postgame analysis.
“It’s been an issue,” he said. “We’re scoring enough to win … but we are one of the worst defensive teams in the league. And part of it is the effort and the energy, and part of it is the execution of the game plan.”
Alabama has been opposite of Auburn this season. The Tide plays great defense and rebounds as well as any team in the league, but scoring has been an issue. That wasn’t the case Thursday, as Alabama put together one of its most complete games. But the win started with defense. Alabama simply muscled Mississippi State out of the way.
“Their defense really caused us problems offensively the entire game,” Mississippi State coach Ben Howland said. “We struggled to score. They are the best defensive team in the league when you look at the percentages, the rebounding margin, and it really showed today.”
Mississippi State shot 39 percent from the field, including a paltry 2 of 12 from 3-point range.
“Alabama did a great job running us off the 3-point line,” Mississippi State’s I.J. Ready said. “We like to shoot jump shots. They kind of out-physicaled us.”
Alabama isn’t through playing yet, and Thursday’s performance gave a glimpse of how good it can be. For Auburn, next season could be a make-or-break year for Pearl. If he can’t make the Tigers relevant, then who?
Decatur Daily—Continue reading...
And while they both are on the uptick with recent hires — Bruce Pearl at Auburn three seasons ago and Avery Johnson at Alabama two seasons ago — neither so far has been able to snatch the headlines away from football for an extended period.
That’s what happens when teams are 18-14 and 18-13 at this point of the season.
That’s why showing up and playing well in the SEC tournament is important. It’s one of the few times basketball takes the spotlight from football, and it’s an opportunity to capture some attention.
With two days down and three to go, Alabama is the only one of the two still playing at the SEC tournament. The Crimson Tide registered a 75-55 beatdown on Mississippi State in its first tournament game and plays South Carolina today in the quarterfinals, looking to add an impressive win to its resume.
By the time the Tide was putting the finishing touches on the rout of a rebuilding Mississippi State team, Auburn, which beat Alabama twice in the regular season, had long since vacated Bridgestone Arena, victimized in overtime by a Missouri team that had amassed all of seven wins this season before Wednesday night.
It was an embarrassing loss to a Missouri team Auburn beat by 11 in the final game of the regular season and likely ended Pearl’s third season. It also mirrored what the Tigers had done throughout the season. Pearl’s team proved over and over it could score enough to win. The problem was on the other end of the floor. Auburn simply never figured out things on the defensive end. The result was countless blown leads that turned into costly losses.
“Defense and rebounds,” All-SEC freshman team member Mustapha Heron said. “That’s it right there.”
Pearl echoed those thoughts in his postgame analysis.
“It’s been an issue,” he said. “We’re scoring enough to win … but we are one of the worst defensive teams in the league. And part of it is the effort and the energy, and part of it is the execution of the game plan.”
Alabama has been opposite of Auburn this season. The Tide plays great defense and rebounds as well as any team in the league, but scoring has been an issue. That wasn’t the case Thursday, as Alabama put together one of its most complete games. But the win started with defense. Alabama simply muscled Mississippi State out of the way.
“Their defense really caused us problems offensively the entire game,” Mississippi State coach Ben Howland said. “We struggled to score. They are the best defensive team in the league when you look at the percentages, the rebounding margin, and it really showed today.”
Mississippi State shot 39 percent from the field, including a paltry 2 of 12 from 3-point range.
“Alabama did a great job running us off the 3-point line,” Mississippi State’s I.J. Ready said. “We like to shoot jump shots. They kind of out-physicaled us.”
Alabama isn’t through playing yet, and Thursday’s performance gave a glimpse of how good it can be. For Auburn, next season could be a make-or-break year for Pearl. If he can’t make the Tigers relevant, then who?
Decatur Daily—Continue reading...
