BAMANEWSBOT
Staff
Avery Johnson called Kenny Smith last week to make a point.
As South Carolina, Kentucky and Florida motored through the NCAA Tournamentās Sweet 16, Johnson let Smith know Alabama beat the Gamecocks twice to further justify the strength of the SEC in men's basketball.
Charles Barkley agreed the conference was underrated, but the proud former Auburn star didnāt let Johnsonās comment slide without making a point of his own.
āNext time you talk to Avery, tell him Auburn beat Alabama twice also,ā Barkley said during CBSā coverage of the NCAA Tournament that neither the Tide nor Tigers made.
With seventh seed South Carolina advancing to the Final Four, does this mean Alabama had a good enough team to do the same thing this season?
No. Correction.
Hell no.
Despite having a strong showing in the SEC Tournament that included a 64-53 win over South Carolina and a hard-fought 79-74 semifinal loss to UK, the Tide lost to Richmond in the first round of the NIT.
That home loss showed Alabama wasnāt even an NCAA Tournament team, let alone a Final Four one.
Rankin: Like South Carolina, can Alabama make Final Four?
