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Thoughts After Alabama’s Loss to Gonzaga

One could argue that Gonzaga has played an even tougher schedule. They have already faced Purdue, Texas, Baylor, and Kentucky. They also had to fly cross country to play us in a game that tipped off at 10:00 in their local time zone. We don’t need to use exhaustion as an issue. Our last game was 4 days ago. We just played poorly on the defensive end today and got our tails kicked. It would’ve really been bad if Miller hadn’t donned his Superman cape and almost singlehandedly kept us within striking distance. I like this team. I think its ceiling is very high. We have a lot of work to do to reach that ceiling.
This ^^^
If the team was my age, I might understand the possible exhaustion, but not at 19-21 years of age.
 
One could argue that Gonzaga has played an even tougher schedule. They have already faced Purdue, Texas, Baylor, and Kentucky. They also had to fly cross country to play us in a game that tipped off at 10:00 in their local time zone. We don’t need to use exhaustion as an issue. Our last game was 4 days ago. We just played poorly on the defensive end today and got our tails kicked. It would’ve really been bad if Miller hadn’t donned his Superman cape and almost singlehandedly kept us within striking distance. I like this team. I think its ceiling is very high. We have a lot of work to do to reach that ceiling.
Best analysis yet
 
How much less of a team does the Tide have without Burnett who seems to be lost for at least the regular season and may not be 100% until next season. So far, it seems to have profoundly lessened the effectiveness of this team. Who might fill that gap, assuming there is one, before the losses mount?
 
How much less of a team does the Tide have without Burnett who seems to be lost for at least the regular season and may not be 100% until next season. So far, it seems to have profoundly lessened the effectiveness of this team. Who might fill that gap, assuming there is one, before the losses mount?
We are hoping Welch, but he just can not seem to get healthy.
 
What an incredibly, fun and exciting game that was. Unfortunately, Alabama’s curse in Birmingham continues as they were unable to defeat Gonzaga inside a raucous Legacy Arena.

Brandon Miller (36) is arguably the best scorer that has ever come through Alabama. He was incredible today, but unfortunately he and Jaden Bradley (18) were the only ones that showed up.

This will be the best offense that Alabama will play all season and losing Nimari really showed today. Ball rotations and defending the pick n roll wasn’t ideal, but Mark Few is an elite coach for a reason. They exploited weakness and Alabama did well adjusting, but Gonzaga just couldn’t miss. That happens in basketball.

Turnovers were another problem today and that’s what halted Alabama’s 20-11 run to start the game. It looked like one of those games where they couldn’t miss, but they went cold for a stretch that gave Gonzaga the momentum they kept.

Alabama had a great non conference stretch. They finished the tough stretch at 9-2, and will likely enter SEC play at 10-2. It has been a while since that has happened and will position Alabama well for a high seed.

Today is disappointing, but basketball can be that way sometimes. Gonzaga is still a really really good team that has played a very tough schedule too. They’ll end up a top 10 team at the end of the year. I hope Drew Timme graduates and Alabama never plays in Birmingham again.
Agree on the two players stepping up while the others sort of disappeared .

Half court defense and against a veteran Gonzaga team was lackluster and the Zags’ guards got into the paint almost any time they attempted .

Add to that the zags did not miss many attempts and Timme put in a master class of low post moves.

Live and learn .. this game will help this young bama team.
Make no mistake we all know what Miller can do but Jaden had a coming out party and has a high ceiling!!
 
There’s a reason that Gonzaga shot 74% in the second half and 57% for the game. Our defense was abysmal. As you noted, many of their mid range shots weren’t even contested. A team doesn’t shoot that well from the field against a team who is playing elite defense. We have given up 188 points in our last 2 games. If that’s not a school record, it has to be close to it. We’ve gotta fix that if we want to make a deep run in March and April.
Pete Golding must be teaching defense.
 
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