Opening statement…
“Before I can start on the game, it was brought to my attention after the game about the pregame introductions. I think it has been something that’s been going on all year. I don’t watch our introductions, I’m not involved with them. I’m at another place during that time. Regardless it’s not appropriate. It’s been addressed and I can assure you that it will definitely not happen again this year. As far as the basketball stuff goes, we didn’t have a great start to the game. This is two games in a row now where I don’t think we played our best basketball. In the beginning of the game, we struggled to score for the first few minutes. We were down nine at the half, I thought we made some easy adjustments in the second half. I think (Jahvon) Quinerly was able to get into the paint and create offense for us. He ends up with seven assists, I thought he played really well. It’s nice to have depth that you can go with different options. We’ve needed different guys to step up in different games. I thought he was a big one in this game. We’ve gotta learn to close games better too. I think they scored 20 points in the last 2:30 or so. Give Arkansas credit, they are a talented team. Nick Smith is obviously really talented. They never quit on it. They got down, they hung in there and they gave themselves a chance there in the last 30 seconds. Give our guys a lot of credit after being down at the half, coming out and playing as hard as they did in the second half to get the win. We’ve got it down to two games left in the regular season with at least a one-game lead after today over Texas A&M. Depending on what happens with them and Mississippi State, we can clinch at least a share of the regular season championship against Auburn on Wednesday. That game on Wednesday will be a big game for us.”
Benny’s Breakdown: Alabama has found a way to work through distractions this week and Saturday was no different. After Brandon Miller’s pregame introduction routine caught the attention of the national media, the freshman was able to put together another stellar performance the team desperately needed. Along with Miller, the Crimson Tide got production out of Jahvon Quinerly, Mark Sears and Noah Clowney who all finished with double digits in Saturday’s win. Alabama’s win and Texas A&M’s loss to Mississippi State solidify a share of the SEC regular-season title — meaning that a win over Auburn would make it two outright regular-season titles in the Nate Oats era.
On finding a way to win after a poor 3-point shooting performance…
“We hit three 3s and went 3-for-22, obviously that’s not good enough. We had shooting issues last year, this year we shot it much better. We have to get some guys into the gym to get up shots and do it in games and all of that. But it gives us some confidence because Arkansas is playing very well. They’re playing their best basketball here, outside of Trevon Brazile being out, they’ve got their full squad they’re going to have for the rest of the year. They’ve won some big games. They came in here with Nick (Smith Jr.), with everybody and they shot 50% from 3-point range. They don’t take as many, but they obviously shot it well. So for us to shoot as poorly as we did from 3, and still figured out a way to get a win, tells you we’re able to win in multiple ways. They’re a tough team, we ended up outrebounding them by 11. They ended up going smaller for a lot of the second half based on what we were able to do to them on the offensive end, which obviously helped the rebounding but we don’t have to just win one way. For everybody that thinks that when we shoot the ball poorly from 3-point range we lose, we just shot 30% and won the game against a really good team. I think it gives us some confidence we can still win games where we're not making threes.”
Benny’s Breakdown: One of the major differences between last season’s team and this year’s is Alabama’s ability to win in different ways. In the past, when the Crimson Tide couldn’t convert from long-range, it normally resulted in a loss. Now that doesn’t happen as frequently. While it is convenient to have a game-changer like Brandon Miller on your team, Alabama also has plenty of depth at each position. Case and point is a guy like Noah Clowney, who starts games because of his relentless play on the defensive end, but quietly had a double-double tallying 10 points and 13 rebounds. Alabama’s depth is something Oats has harped on all season and it came through once again on Saturday.
On Jahvon Quinerly’s play…
“Listen Jahvon has been in big games. He was the SEC Tournament MVP two years ago. He’s proven he can play at a high level. We’ve been trying to get his defense better, his offense has been getting better and better as the weeks go on in practice. I thought he was much more engaged on the defensive end in this game. We were 48 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor than when he was off the floor tonight. Offensively we were obviously a lot better with him on the floor tonight. A lot better. There’s gonna be teams that we play that it’s gonna be a bigger difference with him on the floor than otherwise. Defensively, he’s gotta get a little bit better, but I think he’s been trying hard. He gives up some size sometimes when we switch and we’ve been switching a lot. But we don’t win the game if he doesn’t play as well as he does in the second half. We needed him tonight. We’re going to need him going forward. It’s great to see him get his swagger back.”
Benny’s Breakdown: Speaking of depth, there wasn’t a better player on the floor than Quinerly in the second half. While he started the game slowly, scoring just four points in 10 minutes of playing time, the senior turned it on in the second half with 12 points on 5 of 10 shooting along with seven assists. His facilitating helped jumpstart Alabama’s offense, especially during that 17-0 run in the final frame. The run which began at the 15-minute mark gave Alabama the lead for the second time and it wouldn’t be relinquished despite a late push by Arkansas.
On Brandon Miller’s scoring stretch…
“Like I said after the South Carolina game, I think he's the most mentally tough, if not the most mentally tough kids, that I've coached in my life and I’ve been coaching for a while. He completely understands the situation is tragic and he takes it very seriously as he’s been cooperating the whole time. He’s also done a great job being able to focus on practices, games and getting just laser focused where he’s dialed into where his feet are at. You look at how he’s played, he shot the ball well at South Carolina and kind of had everything going. Tonight he didn’t shoot the ball well. He was 1-for-6 from 3 and still winds up with 24 points. He’s got adjustments to his game. He got downhill. I mean he was coming into huddles saying, ‘They’re not going to help off of me. Use me as a screener. Alright, I’m going to screen you because they are not helping off of me. You can get downhill.’ We saw that happen multiple times. He sets the screen, Quinerly gets into the paint, Sears gets into the pain, so he’s got a high IQ and wants to help the team win. It’s really an ‘us’ thing and not a ‘me’ thing with him. I think when fully talented players are fully bought into doing whatever it takes for the team to win, sometimes you see weeks like he’s had. He’s got a special way about getting locked into where he’s currently at, whether it’s practice, games or whatever, focusing in on that and he’s been able to do that this week.”
Benny’s Breakdown: While there has been a lot said about Miller’s performance on the court, this week has exemplified his drive and his ability to perform no matter what is being said about him off the court. There’s not many people who can deal with the pressure and scrutiny he’s dealing with at 20 years old, but he does. Better yet the outside noise has propelled him to the best two-game stretch of his career. His 24 tonight, gives him 65 points over the last two games. Alabama needed every point after back-to-back subpar performances against South Carolina, and now, Arkansas. Regardless of how the team has played, Miller still comes through, leading Alabama to the precipice for another regular-season title.
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