1.) Without Austin Wiley, Danjel Purifoy, Anfernee Mclemore, and Mustapha Heron, Auburn easily handles Alabama. Auburn has the most energy, effort, and chemistry throughout the game. It showed and you could tell in the second half, the crowd started getting to the players. They looked dysfunctional, lifeless, and like they didn't know what they were doing at times.
I had thought that Heron would be a huge loss for Auburn, but their guard play and 3 point shooting was unstoppable. Give that to horrible defense and effort. The body language for Alabama players was less than ideal. They have to turn this around or their season may go down quickly.
2.) Rebounding and free throws. Two things you can personally control are energy and effort, but the players lacked both. Free throws are mental, and you can tell they were not mentally engaged. It was horrible, indescribable, and all-around bad. Energy and effort does not take athleticism or skill, just someone who has the drive to be better than the other guy. Alabama did not have that tonight, outside of Collin Sexton.
Alabama had 17 turnovers, got outrebounded by a team with one guy over 6'7. They did not have the toughness or intensity to match Auburn.
3.) Alabama plays two teams that love to shoot the three next in Arkansas and Florida. Lose one of those home games and Alabama is looking at the having to win at Texas A&M or in the SEC tournament. Win both and they are locked into the tournament. The question is which Alabama team will show up. The team that blew out Tennessee and LSU at home, or the team that looked lifeless against Auburn and Miss St? That's been the problem for Alabama all season.
However, they have a different problem this time though, and that is defense. They have been the best defensive team in the SEC all season, but now has gotten torched twice in a row by Kentucky and Auburn. Until they learn to defend and rebound, every game will be a struggle.
This game can be upsetting because of Heron not playing, but this is still one of the best teams in the country that played at home with a lot of emotion. Auburn came out with a lot of intensity because of the Iron Bowl trophy presentation and that was the difference, intensity.
Alabama's RPI will not move tonight, and it will not hurt statistically. However, you can sense a chance spoiled to become a lock in the tournament. Alabama still controls its own destiny and has two very winnable home games left. Let's just hope they show up and play like they have been at home.
I had thought that Heron would be a huge loss for Auburn, but their guard play and 3 point shooting was unstoppable. Give that to horrible defense and effort. The body language for Alabama players was less than ideal. They have to turn this around or their season may go down quickly.
2.) Rebounding and free throws. Two things you can personally control are energy and effort, but the players lacked both. Free throws are mental, and you can tell they were not mentally engaged. It was horrible, indescribable, and all-around bad. Energy and effort does not take athleticism or skill, just someone who has the drive to be better than the other guy. Alabama did not have that tonight, outside of Collin Sexton.
Alabama had 17 turnovers, got outrebounded by a team with one guy over 6'7. They did not have the toughness or intensity to match Auburn.
3.) Alabama plays two teams that love to shoot the three next in Arkansas and Florida. Lose one of those home games and Alabama is looking at the having to win at Texas A&M or in the SEC tournament. Win both and they are locked into the tournament. The question is which Alabama team will show up. The team that blew out Tennessee and LSU at home, or the team that looked lifeless against Auburn and Miss St? That's been the problem for Alabama all season.
However, they have a different problem this time though, and that is defense. They have been the best defensive team in the SEC all season, but now has gotten torched twice in a row by Kentucky and Auburn. Until they learn to defend and rebound, every game will be a struggle.
This game can be upsetting because of Heron not playing, but this is still one of the best teams in the country that played at home with a lot of emotion. Auburn came out with a lot of intensity because of the Iron Bowl trophy presentation and that was the difference, intensity.
Alabama's RPI will not move tonight, and it will not hurt statistically. However, you can sense a chance spoiled to become a lock in the tournament. Alabama still controls its own destiny and has two very winnable home games left. Let's just hope they show up and play like they have been at home.
