Of the 3 SEC teams left, who is the most important player for the three teams to keep in the game.

[Vaughnbama]

We all know that Tennessee was a very good team with ZZ in the game; however, without him they are not capable of winning it all. Of the three remaining teams is there one player that must be in the game for the three teams to make it all the way.

1. Tennessee is winning with smoke and mirrors at the present time and I think they might be able to make the Elite 8, but that is about as far as they can go; however, Vescovi is their only real offensive threat, so they need him in order to spread the court. If he spreads the Court Nkamhoua becomes a real factor.

2. Arkansas is a team of great individual players, but the only one that gives maximum effort is Jordan Walsh. When Walsh is in the game he makes everyone one else better and he seems to come up with every loose ball and put back rebound. Walsh tends to be a little foul prone, so when he sits the other teams make a comeback. Arkansas puts five starters on the Court and at least three would start anywhere else in the conference, including Alabama; however, at the end of the season Arkansas is still not a basketball team, they are five great individual players and when Walsh is in the game they have one guy playing for the team and not himself.

3. Alabama, while the answer might be obvious in Miller, at this stage of the season I am not sure that Bediako/Clowney, whomever patrols the middle is not the most important player, defensively. Bediako allows the other players to play aggressive on Defense, knowing Bediako is going to clean up everything that comes in the middle, as good as Clowney is on Offense, I think his Defense means more to this team and you don't lose a thing when Pringle comes into the game. If we are going to win, Charles has to stay in the game. Of late he is not making the stupid fouls, so maybe he realizes his importance to the team.

The real key to winning in Louisville, is for Doug Shows to get the gig in Madison Square Garden.

 

[Codie B]

We all know that Tennessee was a very good team with ZZ in the game; however, without him they are not capable of winning it all. Of the three remaining teams is there one player that must be in the game for the three teams to make it all the way.

1. Tennessee is winning with smoke and mirrors at the present time and I think they might be able to make the Elite 8, but that is about as far as they can go; however, Vescovi is their only real offensive threat, so they need him in order to spread the court. If he spreads the Court Nkamhoua becomes a real factor.

2. Arkansas is a team of great individual players, but the only one that gives maximum effort is Jordan Walsh. When Walsh is in the game he makes everyone one else better and he seems to come up with every loose ball and put back rebound. Walsh tends to be a little foul prone, so when he sits the other teams make a comeback. Arkansas puts five starters on the Court and at least three would start anywhere else in the conference, including Alabama; however, at the end of the season Arkansas is still not a basketball team, they are five great individual players and when Walsh is in the game they have one guy playing for the team and not himself.

3. Alabama, while the answer might be obvious in Miller, at this stage of the season I am not sure that Bediako/Clowney, whomever patrols the middle is not the most important player, defensively. Bediako allows the other players to play aggressive on Defense, knowing Bediako is going to clean up everything that comes in the middle, as good as Clowney is on Offense, I think his Defense means more to this team and you don't lose a thing when Pringle comes into the game. If we are going to win, Charles has to stay in the game. Of late he is not making the stupid fouls, so maybe he realizes his importance to the team.

The real key to winning in Louisville, is for Doug Shows to get the gig in Madison Square Garden.

I agree with everything you said, except I think that if there is a player, imop, that is most important, outside of B Miller, it is JQ. With his quickness, if he is hitting his outside shots, and not making too many dumb turnovers, he opens up the whole floor for our offense. When his game is on, he is practically unguardable, and he creates nightmares for defenses.

 

[TideFever]

IMO our most important player is the one that we would have a VERY difficult time replacing and that's Bediako. Since the start of the SEC tournament, the overall +/- is so deep into + when Bediako is on the court I don't know how anyone else can be on the list.

We won a game where Miller didn't score and another game where he was obviously still very far from 100%. We won games in the SEC tourney when JQ didn't do much. Bediako has been the key to everything we do on defense and he's been in the mix on the offensive end.

The worst case scenario for our remaining games is Bediako gets two quick bad fouls early in a game, Oats sends him back out and he gets a 3rd, then he opens the second half with a quick 4th. Clowney isn't a true center and gets lost sometimes looking at the ball and forgetting who he's supposed to guard. Pringle will struggle against a talented post player that can match him physically. If I'm an opposing coach I'm working Bediako hard to start the game to see if they can get a cheap foul on a 50/50 call or two.


For Tenn it's all on Vescovi at this point. As he goes so goes the Vols season. He's basically their heartbeat.

Ark is a mess that managed to get all the cylinders firing at the perfect moment against a superior team. I don't know if you can pick just one and say he's the key. Black is important to them, Council has his moments, Walsh and Davis have their moments as well. IMO losing any of those will make the others overwork to fill the space and the engine starts misfiring.

 

[BamaNavyCPO]

I'll take a stab at it:
Vols: not sure. No one stands out for me.
Piggies: Black with his ball handling skills.
Bama: (1A). "Q" for his ability to break defenses down and he can get to the rim and finish. He will also hit his FTs and sink a couple of 3s.
(1B). Bediako is needed to control the paint; however, his FT shooting is suspect.

 

[cola68]

We all know that Tennessee was a very good team with ZZ in the game; however, without him they are not capable of winning it all. Of the three remaining teams is there one player that must be in the game for the three teams to make it all the way.

1. Tennessee is winning with smoke and mirrors at the present time and I think they might be able to make the Elite 8, but that is about as far as they can go; however, Vescovi is their only real offensive threat, so they need him in order to spread the court. If he spreads the Court Nkamhoua becomes a real factor.

2. Arkansas is a team of great individual players, but the only one that gives maximum effort is Jordan Walsh. When Walsh is in the game he makes everyone one else better and he seems to come up with every loose ball and put back rebound. Walsh tends to be a little foul prone, so when he sits the other teams make a comeback. Arkansas puts five starters on the Court and at least three would start anywhere else in the conference, including Alabama; however, at the end of the season Arkansas is still not a basketball team, they are five great individual players and when Walsh is in the game they have one guy playing for the team and not himself.

3. Alabama, while the answer might be obvious in Miller, at this stage of the season I am not sure that Bediako/Clowney, whomever patrols the middle is not the most important player, defensively. Bediako allows the other players to play aggressive on Defense, knowing Bediako is going to clean up everything that comes in the middle, as good as Clowney is on Offense, I think his Defense means more to this team and you don't lose a thing when Pringle comes into the game. If we are going to win, Charles has to stay in the game. Of late he is not making the stupid fouls, so maybe he realizes his importance to the team.

The real key to winning in Louisville, is for Doug Shows to get the gig in Madison Square Garden.

UT shot 9/21 three point attempts . The Vols will not be the beneficiary of the refs looking the other way.

The duke game was a rugby match on the bball court .
But the Vols’ Olivier Nkamhoua was outstanding. If he stays hot, UT will advance as FAU steps up in class.

Arky was great but received some critical and lucky bounces late in that game. Council is the key. I don’t think they can repeat their success but who knows if there is more Musselman magic.

Someone beside Miller or JQ needs to step up these next games… could Sears or Clowney be a difference maker again and return to their peak season form. I believe they will.
I think Burnett will have a good game as well and rylan will break out of his scoring slump

SDSU has not played a team like Alabama and bama will spread them out.

If bama will be disciplined in their shot selection, and take what is given inside the paint or outside, bama will advance to Sunday ( probably against Creighton).

​

 

[StablerCountry]

For Bama its Brandon Miller by a long shot. Bama can beat Texas AM CC and Maryland without much Brandon Miller. But the Tennessee, Houston, Gonzaga, UCLA, UConn of the tournament. Bama has no chance without Miller.

 

[winin11]

Bama - Miller/Bediako (tie)
Arky - Black
the viles - Vescovi

 

[lainey2020]

Bama - Miller/Bediako (tie)
Arky - Black
the viles - Vescovi

Yes sir, but l got to throw JQ in that bunch for Bama.

 

[winin11]

Just an opinion, but I think if we lose Bediako, it strains our defense more.
Losing Miller is a gaping hole on offense, defense and the boards.