the Bamateur Hour

E132 BH Alabama beats TX Tech 90-65 in 2nd Round of NCAAs Alabama blows out Texas Tech 90-65 as Alabama is rolling through the Midwest bracket beating both of its two opponents by 20 pts or more. This game was really fun to watch as Alabama played great laid it on Texas Tech. Alabama is now in the Sweet 16 and how sweet it is. Post-game reaction to win over Texas Tech 90-65 March Madness is in full swing. Alabama rolls over Texas Tech 90 to 65 to advance to the sweet 16. Alabama dominated Texas Tech in a performance similar to the beatdown Alabama laid on BYU a year ago in the sweet 16. Alabama played great and blew out Texas Tech Second Half: In the second half, Alabama maintained its focus, its effort, and its dominance despite a brief push from Texas Tech, which managed to cut the deficit to under 20 points for the first time after the break at the 11:55 mark (63–45). However, the Crimson Tide quickly regained control with a 14–4 run to extend their lead to 77–49 by the under-eight-minute timeout. Latrell Wrightsell Jr. led the second-half charge, finishing with a team-high 24 points, while freshman Labaron Philon orchestrated the offense to finish with 15 assists, nine points, and six rebounds. Alabama's perimeter shooting proved insurmountable as they hit 19 three-pointers compared to just four for the Red Raiders. Houston Mallette led the effort on the glass with eight rebounds as Alabama's physical defense limited any potential comeback. The victory advanced the Tide to a Sweet 16 matchup against Michigan in Chicago. Stars of the Game Latrell Wrightsell with 24 pts going 7-10 from three, 4 rebs, 1 assist, 2 steals, and only 1 TO Other notables: Houston Mallette had 15 pts on 5-8 from three, 8 rebs, and 1 assist Amari Allen had 12 pts, 4 rbs, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks Aiden Sherrell had 10 pts Labaron Philon had 9 pts, 6 rebs, 12 assists, but had 4 TO’s on a solid night despite a poor shooting night Noah Williamson had 8 pts including 2 threes, 2 rebs, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 2 TO’s – nice to see him really contribute London Jemison had 7 pts, 5 rebs, 2 assists, and 2 TO’s Taylor Bol Bowen had 5 pts, 5 rebs, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks Highlights This Bama team played really focused and intense the whole way. Bama seemed locked in from the start and just dominated Texas Tech and never let up. Without Holloway, Alabama is longer, taller, and plays better defense and rebounds the ball better. Really impressive all-around performance from Alabama. The way this team has played the last two games gives me hope that Alabama can beat Michigan. It will not be easy, but Bama has looked great the last two games winning by 20 over Hofstra and 25 over Texas Tech. Issues How will Bama do against the big and talented front line of Michigan that is better than the Florida bigs. Stats Bama made 30 FG’s to 21 for Tech Bama shot 44% from the field to 34% for Tech Bama made 19 threes to just 4 for Tech Bama shot 45% from three to just 16% for Tech Bama played great defense and held Tech to just 65 points and force Tech into a poor shooting night as Tech shot 34% from the field and just 16% from three Bama had 47 rebs to just 35 for Tech Bama had 25 assists to just 8 for Tech as Bama really moved the ball well on offense Bama had 13 TO’s to just 10 for Tech Bama’s largest lead was 34 pts and Bama trailed by 2 early in the first half before jumping ahead and rolling to the win. Bama has played great in the first two rounds and blown out both teams they faced. Next up is top-ranked and number 1 seed Michigan. It will be a tough ask to beat them, but if Bama plays the way they have the last two games, Bama can win! Next Matchup: Alabama will play Michigan on Friday in Chicago in the Sweet 16.

E131 BH Alabama beats Hofstra in First Round of NCAAs Alabama Hofstra Post-game reaction #RollTide #MarchMadness #AlabamaBasketball #BuiltByBama #NCAATournament #BamaHoops First Half: Alabama started off quickly with aggressive defense and forcing turnovers to go up 8-2 and then Hofstra rebounded to take a 10 pt lead in first half with less than 9 mins left in the first half before Alabama came all the way back to take a 37-35 lead at the half. Bama has an early 6 pt lead and then Hofstra flipped it to a 10-pt lead 28-18 with 9.20 led by shooting guard German Plotnikov’s 8 pts that got Hofstra going offensively in the first half in the first half before Bama got over its scoring drought and stormed back on a 19 to 7 run to close out the half and take a 2 pt lead into halftime. Bama went ice-cold on shooting midway through first half with 13 mins to go and only scored 200 pts for the next 5 minutes, before scoring 17 pts in the last 8 minutes of the game to take the lead at half by two 37-35. First Half stats Hofstra outshot Bama from the Field 42% to 39% and From three 46% to 26% Rebounding was even with Bama having 22 to 21 for Hofstra Turnovers were in Bama’s favor 7 to 4. Aiden Sherrell led Bama in scoring with 12 pts, while Labaron Philon had 8 and TBB also had 8. Hofstra was led in scoring at the half by Cruz Davis with 9, German Plotnikov with 8, and Biggie Patterson with 6 Second Half: T The No. 4 seed Alabama Crimson Tide advanced to the Round of 32 with a 90-70 victory over No. 13 seed Hofstra in Tampa. Despite the absence of star guard Aden Holloway due to a recent arrest, the Tide overcame a slow start that saw them trail by 10 points midway through the first half. Alabama found its rhythm late in the opening period, closing on a 19-7 run to take a slim 37-35 lead into the locker room. The second half belonged to Labaron Philon Jr., who exploded for 21 of his game-high 29 points after the break. While Hofstra’s Preston Edmead kept the Pride competitive with 24 points and six triples, trimming Alabama's lead to just five with seven minutes remaining, the Tide responded with a dominant 19-4 closing run. Aiden Sherrell anchored the interior with a 15-point, 15-rebound double-double, while Taylor Bol Bowen provided an emotional spark with several late dunks to seal the 20-point win. Alabama now moves on to face No. 5 seed Texas Tech this Sunday.

E130 BH Alabama Sweet 16 Hopes up in smoke #rolltide #bamahoops #marchmadness #alabamabasketball Alabama is the 4 seed in the Midwest Region with first game on Friday in Tampa vs Hofstra. In a sad and disappointing development, Aden Holloway was arrested for felony possession of Marijuana. Have Bama’s Sweet 16 hopes gone up in smoke with this arrest? March Madness is here. Alabama plays Hofstra on Friday in Tampa. Aden Holloway (Alabama’s 2nd leading score on the team) got arrested on felony possession charges. The 21-year-old Holloway has also been removed from campus after the arrest, the university announced, in addition to his current status with the Alabama basketball team. Pete Thamel posted on his social media that Holloway “is not going to be with the team as the UA Office of Student Conduct investigates his case. He’ll be off the team until he goes through the school’s investigation process.” To me, Holloway will not play on Friday and will not play with the team for the rest of the 2026 season. That is a big blow to the team to lose its 2nd leading scorer. The team’s sweet 16 hopes have gone up in smoke. Or have they? Players like Latrell Wrightsell, Houston Mallette, Taylor Bol Bowen, and Jalil Bethea have the opportunity to step up and contribute more. London Jemison and Amari Allen will have to contribute more to pick up the slack. It will hurt Bama and will make it harder for Alabama to beat Texas Tech in the round of 32 and to get to the sweet 16. And it will make them more likely to be upset by Hofstra in the first round. It will be a real letdown if Alabama cannot be Hofstra without Holloway, but Holloway was having a really good year and a major force on the offensive end for Alabama. His defensive contributions were not great. We should be a better defensive team and better rebounding team without him, but should be less potent on offense without him. Nate Oates has his work cut out for him. In a season where the injury bug has kept players out of the lineup for stretches of the season, to lose a key player to this situation hurts. Next man up Alabama! Those players healthy and still in good standing needs to step up, pick up the slack, and show that Alabama can win big games without Holloway. My confidence in Alabama reaching the sweet 16 is diminished, but I still think Alabama should beat Hofstra. But if we play TX Tech in the round of 32, that game will be a toss-up and Bama is primed to lose now. Prove me wrong Bama. Show me that you have the skills and the toughness to get the 2nd weekend of the tournament. I will be pulling for the Tide, but certainly much less confident in this team’s ability to get to the Sweet 16. And there are many questions that the players must answer with their play with Holloway likely out for the tournament.

E129 BH Alabama 4 Seed in Midwest March Madness preview Alabama is the 4 seed in the Midwest Region with first game on Friday in Tampa vs Hofstra. I will do a March Madness preview for Alabama. March Madness is here. Alabama plays Hofstra on Friday in Tampa. And then after that, Alabama will likely play Texas Tech in the round of 32 and then play the number 1 seed Michigan Wolverines in the Sweet 16 if Bama gets that far. Here the top four seeds in the Midwest region. 1 – Michigan 2 – Iowa State 3 – Virginia 4 – Alabama 5 – Texas Tech Let’s start this preview with Hofstra. Alabama will play Hofstra on Friday in Tampa.This game features a significant contrast in playing styles: • Tempo: Alabama, led by coach Nate Oats, plays one of the fastest offenses in the country (ranked 4th in adjusted tempo). Conversely, Hofstra prefers a much slower, more methodical pace, ranking 317th nationally in tempo. • Three-Point Shooting: Both teams rely heavily on the long ball. Hofstra is one of the nation's best from deep, making 36.8% of their three-pointers. Alabama is known for its high-volume shooting and explosive scoring. • Defense: Hofstra boasts a top-tier interior defense, ranking 3rd in the country at defending 2-point shots. Alabama’s defense has been identified as a potential vulnerability, particularly following a recent one-point loss to Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament. 2025–26 Roster & Key Players The team was led by a high-scoring backcourt consisting of the reigning CAA Player of the Year and the CAA Rookie of the Year. Cruz Davis Sr.G 20.2 PPG, 4.6 APG CAA Player of the Year; League's top scorer - 6’3 Preston Edmead Fr. G 15.9 PPG, 4.4 APG CAA Rookie of the Year; CAA Tournament MOP - 6’1 Biggie Patterson Sr. G 9.5 PPG, 5.6 RPG Key starter and rebounder - 6’7 German Plotnikov Sr.G 9.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG Experienced graduate starter - 6’5 Silas Sunday Sr.F 5.2 PPG, 6.9 RPG Team leader in blocks (1.2 BPG) - 7’0 Bench - Victory Onuetu Fr.F 4.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG Top interior presence – 6’10 Odds Point Spread: Alabama -12.5 / Hofstra +12.5. Moneyline: • Alabama: -675 to -700 (Bet $700 to win $100). • Hofstra: +490 to +530 (Bet $100 to win $530). Metric Comparison (as of March 15, 2026) Metric Alabama (SEC) Hofstra (CAA) NET Ranking 18th 88th KenPom Rating 17th 87th BartTorvik (T-Rank) 18th 92nd Strength of Schedule (SOS) 1st 229th BPI (Basketball Power Index) 15th 102nd Key Analytical Takeaways • Offensive Firepower: Alabama features the No. 3 adjusted offensive efficiency in the country (129.8 per KenPom). They play at an extremely high pace, ranking 14th nationally in adjusted tempo. • Defensive Contrast: Hofstra's metrics suggest a more defensive identity; they rank 19th nationally in scoring defense (66.1 PPG allowed) compared to Alabama's 66th-ranked adjusted defense. • Resume Quality: Alabama has secured 7 Quad 1 wins and 9 Quad 2 wins against a elite schedule. Hofstra is just 0–1 in Quad 1 games but dominant in lower tiers (17–4 in Quads 3 and 4). • Predictive Outlook: Despite Alabama being the metric favorite, CBS Sports and other analysts have highlighted this as a potential upset watch due to Hofstra’s elite guard duo and Alabama's recent loss to Ole Miss. Should Bama beat Hofstra, they will likely play the number 5 seed Texas Tech next on Sunday. Here is a quick primer on Texas Tech. Signature Top-10 Wins The Red Raiders have proven their elite status with three standout victories against teams ranked in the Top 10 at the time of the game: No. 1 Arizona: Stunned the top-ranked Wildcats with a 78–75 overtime victory in Tucson. No. 3 Duke: Rallied from a 17-point deficit to defeat the Blue Devils 82–81 at Madison Square Garden. No. 6 Houston: Snapped the Cougars' 11-game winning streak with a 90–86 home win in Lubbock.

E128 BH Alabama loses to Ole Miss in Friday 13th debacle 80-79 post-game reaction Alabama loses to Ole Miss in its first game in the SEC tournament on Friday the 13th as Bama likely blows its chance for a 3rd seed in the NCAA tournament. Now we wait until Sunday to see where Alabama falls in the bracket reveal. March Madness is upon us, it is Friday the 13th, and it was truly unlucky for Alabama as they lose to Ole Miss 80-79 as Ole Miss jumped on Alabama early, led the whole way, and Bama made it close at the end, but could not get over the hump and steal a win at the end. Bama was playing for seeding, and now is likely relegated to a 4 seed in the Tournament. In a historic upset, the 15th-seeded Ole Miss Rebels defeated the 2nd-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide 80–79 on March 13, 2026, in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The Rebels, playing their third game in three days, led for over 39 minutes of the contest. Despite entering the tournament with a 14–19 record as the 15th seed and having lost 12 of their final 13 regular-season games, Ole Miss maintained a consistent rebounding edge and shot 47% from the field to keep the Tide at bay. First Half: Ole Miss jumped out to an early 9–5 lead and eventually built a 14-point advantage. They went into halftime leading 47–41. Using a lockdown defense to deny Alabama good looks from three and to deny them easy shots at the rim, Ole Miss forced Alabama to take tough two’s or forced threes as Alabama shot the ball poorly through out much of the game. Meanwhile, Ole Miss shot the ball well from the field and made clutch shots whenever Alabama seemed poised to take the lead. And the Ole Miss made key defensive plays when needed to stop Alabama including at the end with just a one point lead to secure the win. Second Half: The Rebels extended their lead to 13 points with roughly 13 minutes remaining following an Eduardo Klafke three-pointer. Alabama launched a late comeback, fueled by a 7–0 run that cut the deficit to 66–62 with under nine minutes left, but could not come all the way back. Even as Alabama cut into the lead and threatened to pull out a win, Ole Miss made timely baskets at the end on offense and made key defensive plays to deny Alabama from stealing a win at the end on a night when Ole Miss outplayed Alabama for much of the game. The Finish: In the final seconds, Alabama's Labaron Philon Jr. hit two free throws to bring the Tide within one point (80–79). After Ole Miss missed a free throw with 9.4 seconds left, Alabama recovered the rebound, but Aiden Sherrell could not score at the rim as Ole Miss as the Ole Miss Bigs collapsed on him, and he turned the ball over as he attempted to score and Ole Miss secured the ball on the final possession when Sherrell could not score at the rim against the Ole Miss bigs. Alabama got the ball back with less than a second left, but could not get the shot off from half court in time. LaBaron Philon scored 28 pts, had 4 rebs, 4 assists, and 1 TOs Other notables: Latrell Wrightsell had 8 pts, 7 rebs, 1 steals, and only 0 TOs Aden Holloway had 18 pts, 1 assists, and no TO’s. Aiden Sherrell had 14 pts, 6 rebs, 1 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 TO’s Amari Allen had only 5 pts, but had 11 rebs, 2 asst, 1 steal, and no TO Stats Bama made 26 FG’s to 31 for Ole Miss Bama shot 41% from the field vs 46% for Ole Miss Bama shot 31% from 3 to 42% for Ole Miss Bama stayed close in the game by making 18-25 FT’s to just 10-15 for Ole Miss Bama never led in the game. Ole Miss took the lead early and then led the rest of the way, but somehow Alabama made it close at the end and had chances to steal a win when Ole Miss outplayed Bama for much of the game.

#BamaRecruiting #AlabamaBasketballRecruiting #NateOats #FiveStarBama #BamaHoopsCommit #TuscaloosaHoops #CrimsonTideHoops Richardson is 6-foot-6, as is incoming four-star Tarris Bouie, and composite five-star Qayden Samuels is 6-foot-5. Oats will need to do more in the Transfer Portal to build out the rest of the roster in that image, but his recruiting class signals a philosophical shift that is a few years overdue. Was pursuing Caleb Holt 6’6 is an American basketball player who currently attends Prolific Prep. He is a five-star recruit and one of the top players in the class of 2026. He chose Arizona over Alabama. As of March 2026, the Alabama Crimson Tide has secured three commitments for its 2026 basketball recruiting class. The class, which currently consists entirely of small forwards, is ranked No. 9 in the nation by 247Sports.2026 Alabama Basketball Commits Jaxon Richardson (Committed: March 5, 2026) Rating: 4-Star / Top-25 recruitPosition/Size: SF | 6'6", 205 lbsLocation: Orlando, FL (Southeastern Prep Academy)Notes: A McDonald’s All-American and son of former NBA star Jason Richardson. Qayden Samuels (Committed: January 28, 2026) Rating: 5-Star (some sources list as 5-star)Position/Size: SF | 6'5", 210 lbsLocation: Forestville, MD (Bishop McNamara High School)Notes: Considered a consensus top-25 prospect. Tarris Bouie (Committed: September 10, 2025) Rating: 4-StarPosition/Size: SF | 6'6", 170-180 lbsLocation: Geneva, OH (SPIRE Academy)Notes: Officially signed with the program in November 2025. Top Remaining 2026 Targets Brandon McCoy (PG | No. 1 Overall Prospect)The consensus top player in the 2026 class is a major priority for Alabama. McCoy is a 6'4" point guard from Sierra Canyon (CA) with a "fully open" recruitment. Alabama is competing with Miami, Michigan, and Arkansas for his commitment. Tyran Stokes (SF | No. 2 Overall Prospect)As one of the most physically dominant wings in high school basketball, Stokes is a target for nearly every blue-blood program. Alabama is in the mix for the 6'7" forward from Rainier Beach (WA) as they look to add even more size and versatility to their wing-heavy class. Christian Collins (PF | Top-10 Prospect)Alabama is eyeing the 6'8" power forward from St. John Bosco (CA) to provide a presence in the frontcourt. With the current 2026 class built entirely of small forwards, Collins would offer much-needed size and rim protection. Quentin Coleman (SG | 4-Star Prospect)A sharpshooting guard from St. Louis who fits the "green light" shooting philosophy of the Nate Oats offense. He remains uncommitted and on Alabama's active recruiting board. Current Big man targets Alabama is currently pursuing several high-ranking prospects to anchor their frontcourt: Christian Collins (PF | 6'8", 200 lbs): A top-10 national prospect from St. John Bosco (CA). Collins is a priority for the staff due to his ability to play both inside and out, offering the "positionless" versatility Alabama covets. Tyran Stokes (PF/SF | 6'7", 245 lbs): Though often classified as a wing due to his skill set, Stokes has the frame of a power forward. He is the No. 2 overall recruit in the 2026 class and has Alabama among his top schools. Marcis Ponder (C | 6'11", 285 lbs): A true 4-star center from West Oaks (FL) who holds an Alabama offer. He would provide a massive physical presence and traditional rim protection that the current commit list lacks. Latrell Allmond (PF/C | 6'8", 205 lbs): A highly-touted 4-star big man from North Carolina. Allmond is known for his high motor and rebounding, areas where Alabama seeks consistent production

After losing to Georgia, Alabama refilled its tank and came out with great energy and effort and laid a beat down on Auburn to close out SEC regular play 96-84 winning 9 of their last 10 games and securing the 2 seed in the Sec tournament and locking up at least a 4 seed in the NCAA tournament. Bama is playing for seeding, and this bounce-back win helps. No. 18 Alabama is (now 23-8 overall and 13-5 in SEC with the win. Alabama celebrated its Senior Night in blowout fashion, knocking off Auburn basketball 96-84 Saturday night inside Coleman Coliseu...Alabama completes a regular-season sweep of Auburn with the win. The win secured the No. 2 seed for the Crimson Tide in the upcoming 2026 SEC Tournament in Nashville. The victory improved Alabama's record to 23–8 (13–5 SEC), while Auburn fell to 16–15 (7–11 SEC) as the regular is over and tournament time is here. Alabama: Clinched a double-bye for the SEC Tournament; will play their first game on Friday, March 13. The Crimson Tide had previously beaten Auburn 96–92 on February 7, 2024, at Neville Arena, marking the season sweep for head coach Nate Oats over Steven Pearl. Labaron Philon Jr. (Alabama): Reached a career milestone by surpassing 1,000 points during his dominant first-half performance. Nate Oats has sweeps Steven Pearl in the regular season. Stars of the Game LaBaron Philon scored 21 pts, had 1 rebs, 4 assists, 1 steals, and 2 TOs Other notables: Latrell Wrightsell had 8 pts, 7 rebs, 1 steals, and only 0 TOs Aden Holloway had 21 pts, 3 rebs, 1 assists, 1 steals and 1 TO’s. Aiden Sherrell had 10 pts, 6 rebs, 1 assists, 1 steal, 3 block, and 1 TO’s Amari Allen re-emerged from hiding after being MIA for a few games and had 16 pts, 5 rebs, 1, asst, 1 steal, 1 block, and 1 TO London Jemison also re-emerged and had 11 pts, 4 reb, 1 asst, 2 steal, and 1 TO Houston Mallette had 7 rebs and 2 assts - Philon and Holloway each scoring 21 pts on Auburn - Bama jumping up on Auburn early and leading by 19 at half 50-31 and getting up on Auburn by 28 pts in 2nd half before letting off the gas a bit and only winning by 12. Bama had five players score in double figures led by Philon and Holloway each with 21 and with Sherrell, Allen, and Jemison also hitting double figures in scoring Great bounce-back win after loss to Georgia where Bama was out of gas and sluggish in game vs Georgia. Bama came out with their batteries recharged, their tanks full, and put it to Auburn for the first 30 minutes of the game to take a 28 pt lead and cruised to victory. Let off the gas the last 5 minutes after being up 28 pts in the 2nd half and only winning by 12 pts Bama currently is slotted for a 4 seed in the NCAA’s, but is still set up to get a 3 seed if Bama can get to the finals of the SEC tournament. Next Matchup: Alabama plays on Friday in the SEC tournament in Nashville, but not sure who they will play yet. March Madness is in full swing and Bama is positioned to make another sweet 16 or elite 8 run in the tournament. It will be hard for Bama to make the final four for these five reasons 1. Lack of size, skill, and depth in the front court – Sherrell is the only true big man on Bama’s team 2. Bama’s inability to stop high-powered teams such as Florida, Arizona, Gonzaga, Michigan, and Duke from scoring in the post and dominating in the paint 3. Bama’s inability to score the ball effectively in the paint against these same high-powered teams such as Florida, Arizona, Gonzaga, Michigan, and Duke who have size, strength, and skill in the post to keep Alabama from scoring easily at the rim. 4. Bama’s rebounding issues due to its front court issues 5. Bama will require its guards and wings to carry them to the final four given the issues with its front court on both ends of the court #RollTide #BamaHoops #BeatAuburn #TheSweep #ColemanChaos #PhilonAndHolloway

E125 BH All good things must come to an end as Alabama loses at Georgia and the winning streak is over. #HowBoutThemDawgs #KanonCatchingFire #StreakSnapped #StegemanStunner #BamaTrapGame #SECBasketball #MarchIsComing #TideStepBack #GoDawgs #RollTide All good things must come to an end as Alabama loses at Georgia 98 to 88 and the winning streak is over. Alabama was just out of gas after the 8 game winning streak and the quick turnaround after the big win on Saturday at Knoxville. Bama loses its first game in the month of March, but time to reset and start a new winning streak on Saturday against Auburn and put the road loss in the rear view mirror. No. 18 Alabama is (now 22-8 overall and 12-5 in SEC after losing to Georgia by 10 pts on the road in Athens 98 to 88. The Bulldogs led for nearly the entire contest, fueled by a standout performance from transfer Kanon Catchings, who scored a career-high 32 points. Georgia used a 12–0 run midway through the first half to establish a double-digit lead they never surrendered as Georgia led 50 to 43 at half and then were able to keep the lead and extend it to 10 pts by the end of the game. While Alabama attempted several second-half rallies, cutting the lead to five points at one stage, they were unable to overcome significant deficits in rebounding and points in the paint. Key Individual Performances • Kanon Catchings (UGA): 32 points (career high), 12-for-20 from the floor, and 7-for-13 from 3-point range. • Labaron Philon Jr. (BAMA): Led the Crimson Tide with 26 points and four 3-pointers. • Blue Cain (UGA): 16 points, finishing just one point shy of his 1,000th career point. • Latrell Wrightsell Jr. (BAMA): 19 points and 5 rebounds. NCAA Tournament Implications: This victory served as a significant "Quad 1" win for Georgia, likely securing their second consecutive NCAA Tournament berth. • Conference Standing: Alabama fell to 22–8 (12–5 SEC), missing an opportunity to improve their tournament seeding. Stars of the Game LaBaron Philon scored 26 pts, had 4 rebs, 3 assists, 2 steals, and only 1 TO Other notables: Latrell Wrightsell had 19 pts, 5 rebs, 2 assists, 2 steals, and only 1 TO Aden Holloway had 15 pts, 3 rebs, 3 assists, 2 steals and 1 TO’s. Aiden Sherrell had 12 pts, 4 rebs, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, and 2 TO’s No one else made any significant contributions Highlights Bama had four players score in double figures led by Philon’s 26 pts. Issues Outrebounded and outplayed by GA in the post again Outphysicaled for much of the game by a big, taller, and stronger GA team. Bama was out of gas after the quick turnaround from the win in Knoxville to have to go to Athens for another road game. Too much Kanon Catchings as Bama could not slow him down as he poured in 32 pts. Stats Bama makes 16 3’s to 13 for GA as Bama shoots 38% from 3 and while GA makes 45% from 3. Bama makes 22 FT’s to just 15 for GA Bama has 10 TO’s to 14 for GA. Bama gets outrebounded by GA 40 to 30 Georgia scored 40 pts in the paint to just 18 for Bama Georgia got 21 pts off TO’s to just 15 for Alabama Georgia shot 53% from the field to just 39% for AL Bama currently is slotted for a 4 seed in the NCAA’s, but is still set up to get a 3 seed if Bama can beat Auburn and get to the finals of the SEC tournament. Next up: Alabama returns home to face rival Auburn on Saturday, March 7, to conclude the regular season. • Next Matchup: Alabama returns home to face rival Auburn on Saturday, March 7, to conclude the regular season. Bama needs to beat Auburn in order to secure 2nd place in the SEC and to keep building their NCAA tournament resume if they want to get a 3 seed in the NCAA tournament. The winning streak is over after 8 games and going a month without losing as Bama starts off the month of March with a loss. Time to get a bounce back win over Auburn on Saturday.

Alabama comes from behind win over TN 71 to 69 as Labaron Philon scores the game winner on midrange stepback to extend the winning streak to 8 games as Bama as Bama remains hot hot hot. Nate Oates and Alabama get the TN/Rick Barnes monkey off their backs as they snap the 5-game losing streak to TN and put themselves in second place the SEC with just two games left in the regular season. No. 18 Alabama (now 22-7 overall and 12-4 in SEC) snapped a five-game losing streak against Tennessee on February 28, 2026, with a gritty 71-69 victory at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville. Alabama caught a break near the end of the first half as 5-star freshman for TN Nate Aments hurt his knee and ankle in a scramble for the ball and sat out the rest of the first half and tried to play at the beginning of the 2nd half, but pulled himself out and didn’t play the rest of the game. Ament lead TN to a comeback victory over Alabama in Tuscaloosa a month ago and not having him at the end of the game hurt Tennessee’s ability to get buckets late in the game when they were trying to close out Alabama. Offensive Efficiency: After a stagnant first half with only 28 points, Alabama scored 43 in the second half. Alabama came out on a 12 to 2 run to open the 2nd half and cut the lead to 4 pts. Alabama then fell behind again by as much as 11 pts with 9 minutes to go in the game, but Bama kept fighting and clawed its way back to tie the game with 2.32 left on a Philon driving layup. A critical improvement for the Tide was ball security as Bama committed only two turnovers after halftime. 2:00 Remaining (UT 69, UA 67): Tennessee big man J.P. Estrella scored on the block to put the Volunteers up by two, ending a 6-0 Alabama run that had tied the game at 67 all. • 1:45 – 1:15 Remaining: A chaotic sequence saw Alabama's Labaron Philon miss a potential game-tying three, but Aiden Sherrell fought for two consecutive offensive rebounds, eventually forcing a Tennessee out-of-bounds call. • 1:01 Remaining (Tie 69–69): Aden Holloway hit a short baseline fadeaway to tie the game for the first time. • 0:50 Remaining: Coming out of a Tennessee timeout, Ja'Kobi Gillespie missed a clean look from three. During the rebound struggle, Alabama's Felix Okpara fell hard and was forced to the bench with 45 seconds left as the ball was off TN and was Alabama’s ball out of bounds. • 0:24 Remaining (UA 71, UT 69): Labaron Philon hit a contested midrange fadeaway in the paint over the tall 6-11 JP Estrella to give Alabama its first lead of the entire game. • Final Seconds: After a Tennessee timeout, Alabama coach Nate Oats instructed his team to give a foul to burn time. With the clock winding down, Gillespie attempted a game-tying layup but was denied; the ball rolled around on the fall and away from anyone being able to possess the ball after the miss as time expired sealing the comeback win for Bama. Stars of the GameLaBaron Philon hit the game winner on a midrange stepback in the paint with a tall TN defender Estrella on him with 24 seconds left to give Alabama its only lead of the game 71 to 69. Philon had 23 pts and only one TO scoring most of his points in the 2nd half. Latrell Wrightsell had a game high 25 pts to lead the Bama comeback charge in the second half of the game. Other notables: Aden Holloway had 12 pts, 4 rebs, 2 assists and 2 TO’s. Bama currently is slotted for a 4 seed in the NCAA’s, but is set up to get a 3 seed if Bama keeps winning. Alabama with two games to go is in 2nd place in the SEC and will finish no worse than 4th in the SEC now. Next up: Alabama plays at Georgia Tuesday night March 3 at 5:30 pm. Bama needs to beat Georgia in order to secure at least 3rd place in the SEC and to keep building their tournament resume if they want to get a 3 seed in the NCAA tournament. Bama is hot hot hot right now with the 8-game winning streak, let’s get it to 9 on Tuesday.

E123 BH Alabama on a 7-game winning streak with big upcoming game on Saturday at TN Bama John is back from a week away in Jamaica. Ya Man and everything little thing gonna be alright. Bama is hot right now on a 7-game winning streak highlighted by Bama’s Double OT win over Arkansas a week ago and then going to LSU and winning and then crushing Miss St at home last night. And Bama won the last two games without labaron philon, so much kudos to Bama for getting two wins without Philon. Bama now is 21-7 overall and 11-4 in the SEC with a 7-game SEC winning streak and hot at the right time. Great wins for the Tide over the last 9 days as Bama beats Arkansas in double OT, then wins at LSU, and caps it off with a blow out win at home over Mississippi State. The pivotal game in this 7-game winning streak is the double OT win over Arkansas, a game that Bama could have lost and where Bama trailed by 10 pts at half before coming back and taking a 5 pt lead in the 2nd half and then blowing the lead and surviving to get the win in 2 OT. I will talk about that key win at the end of the episode. But first I will talk about the win at LSU and then talk about the blow win over Miss State to run the winning streak to 7 games. Let’s put this 7-game winning streak into perspective. After a blow out loss in Gainsville to FL, Bama came back and beat Texas A&M at home by 3 pts for a bounce-back win to start the 7-game winning streak. Then Bama went to Auburn and won by 4 pts for win number 2 in the 7-game winning streak. After that, Bama went to Oxford and blew out Ole Miss by 19 pts for number 3. Next Bama beat SC by 14 pts at home for number 5. Then the pivotal win over Arkansas for 5 which I will discuss in detail at the end of this episode. Then On February 21, 2026, No. 25 Alabama defeated LSU 90-83 in Baton Rouge, marking their sixth consecutive victory. Then after the big win over LSU, Alabama dominated Mississippi State 100–75 on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa. Despite again playing without leading scorer Labaron Philon (leg injury), the Crimson Tide extended their winning streak to seven games and secured their 10th consecutive home victory over the Bulldogs. With this win, Alabama improved to 21–7 (11–4 SEC) with a 7-game winning streak and moved into a tie for second place in the conference standings. No. 25 Alabama outlasted No. 20 Arkansas 117–115 in a double-overtime "instant classic" on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide overcame a 14-point second-half deficit to secure their fifth consecutive victory in one of the highest-scoring games of the SEC season. In the final minutes of regulation on February 18, 2026, Alabama appeared to have the game under control after erasing a 14-point second-half deficit. This win marked Bama’s fifth in a row and kept the winning streak alive which is now 7 in a row. Here are the positives from the 7-game winning streak. Bama’s offense is rolling. The Bama top six players of Philon, Holloway, Jemison, Allen, Sherrell, and Wrightsell are all playing well and contributing. Lack of bigs and lack of depth in the front court – Finally, Rick Barnes owns Nate Oates. TN has beaten AL five straight times and Barnes has outcoached Oates in all five games. Up next: Alabama plays Tennessee at TN in Knoxville on Sat, Feb 28 at 5 pm. Bama needs to beat Tennessee on the road and keep stacking wins to improve its seeding for the tournament and to show Alabama can beat TN and Rick Barnes and that Bama can win big games against teams with bigs that play tough, physical defense. Bama is in great position to finish 2nd in the SEC and to play itself into a 3 seed or a 2 seed for the NCAA’s. Bama currently is slotted for a 4 seed in the NCAA’s.

No Bediako no problem. Alabama gets a big and much-needed home win on Valentine’s day over South Carolina 89 to 75 in Tuscaloosa. Bama has moved on from the Charles Bediako era and has won two in a row without Bediako. Aden Holloway, LaBaron Philon, and Latrell Wrightsell lead Bama to the win as Bama is 18-7 overall and 8-4 in the SEC. Great win for the Tide as Bama is now on a 4-game winning streak. Alabama defeated South Carolina 89–75 in Tuscaloosa on February 14, 2026, marking the Crimson Tide's fourth consecutive victory and their 11th straight series win over the Gamecocks. •Alabama took a strong lead in the first half and led at halftime 45 to 32. In the second half, the game was defined by a massive individual scoring burst from South Carolina's Meechie Johnson and a clinical closing performance by Alabama's Aden Holloway. Second Half Breakdown • Meechie Johnson's Scoring Surge: After being held to just two points in the first half, Johnson exploded for 24 points after halftime. He sparked a 9–0 run (part of a larger 11–2 personal run) that brought South Carolina within seven points, trailing 63–56 with 8:20 remaining. • Alabama's Immediate Response: The Crimson Tide halted the momentum when Latrell Wrightsell Jr. hit a critical three-pointer with 7:39 left, pushing the lead back to 10. South Carolina's Myles Stute missed a wide-open transition three shortly after that could have cut the deficit to four points. • Aden Holloway's Closing Act: Holloway, who struggled in the first half, scored all 20 of his points in the second half. He served as the "ultimate closer," recording a layup, a three-pointer, and four free throws in the final 2:13 to ensure the double-digit win. • Free Throw Consistency: Alabama secured the win by going 15-of-18 (83.3%) from the free-throw line in the second half, a significant improvement from their 44% clip in the first. Aden Holloway scored all of his 20 pts in the 2nd half. He also had 4 rebs and 3 assists, but did commit 3 TO’s. Other notables: Alabama had 4 players in total score in double figures. Here are the other three. LaBaron Philon had 19 pts and 6 assists, but had 3 TO’s. Philon is still dealing with a leg injury sustained in the win over Texas A&M and does have his full burst or mobility currently, but still put up 19 pts. Latrell Wrightsell had 19 pts, 3 rebs, 3 assists, and 1 steal, but 1 TO. Aiden Sherrell had 11 pts, 6 rebs, 1 assist, and 1 block Others: Amari Allen had another great stat-stuffing game with 8 pts, 10 rebs, 3 assists, and 2 Steals, and only one TO London Jemison and Houston Mallette both crashed the boards as London had 8 rebs and Mallette had 6 rebs. TBB sat out Bristow still out with a leg injury South Carolina was led by Meechie Johnson with 26 pts who scored 24 pts in the 2nd half and kept South Carolina within striking distance for most of the 2nd half until Aden Holloway made key plays in the closing minutes to put South Carolina away and secure the 14 pt win for Bama. Key Team Stats Bama shot well from the field and from three shooting 48% from the field and shooting 41% from three as Bama made 14 threes as compared to just 7 threes for South Carolina. Bama held South Carolina to 25% from three making only 7 threes. Bama jumps up on SC in the first half. Without Bediako, Alabama will struggle against teams like Arizona, Florida, and Michigan that have lots of skilled big men. Allen and Jemison will have to play at the four spot as 3 and D stretch fours and hit the boards to help make up for the lack of big men on the Bama roster. Alabama is now 18-7 on the season and 8-4 in the SEC with a 4-game winning streak, keeping them right in the hunt for a top four seed in the conference tournament and in the hunt for a top four seed in the NCAA tournament. Up next: Alabama plays Arkansas on Wed, Feb 18 at 6 pm. Bama needs to beat Arkansas at home and keep stacking wins to improve its seeding for the tournament.

E121 BH Alabama wins over Ole Miss 93 74 Quick Reaction in Hoops No Bediako no problem. Alabama gets a big and much-needed road win in the SEC over Ole Miss 93 to 74 in Oxford. Bama was without Charles Bediako as he has been ruled ineligible in state court. Latrell Wrightsell comes off the bench to lead Bama with 21 points as Bama is 17-7 overall and 7-4 in the SEC. Great win for the Tide as Bama is now on a 3 game winning streak. It was a tale of two halves which is a theme for Alabama this year. After a shaky start to the game and close first half with Alabama leading 32-30 at half, Bama absolutely rolled thru Ole Miss in the 2nd half to win by 19 pts 93-74. Alabama came out cold—and I mean ice-cold. They shot just 25% from the field in the first half and only managed 32 points for the half. It was actually their lowest-scoring first half of the entire season. But thanks to some gritty defense and a nearly perfect night at the free-throw line—going 24-of-26—they actually went into the locker room with a slim two-point lead. Alabama exploded for 61 points in the final 20 minutes to roll to a 19 pt win 93-74. The human torch of the night was Latrell Wrightsell Jr. He tied his career high with seven 3-pointers, finishing with a team-high 21 points. Six of those triples came in the second half. Stars of the Game. Latrell Wrightsell off the bench with 21 pts on 7 threes, 3 rebs, 3 assists, and only one TO. Wrightsell left the Auburn game with a knee injury, but bounced back and played great to lead the Tide to victory. Other notables: Alabama had 5 players in total score in double figures and had 9 players score. Here are the other four. LaBaron Philon had 18 pts, 5 rebs, 3 assists, 1 steal, while having 1 TO’s. Amari Allen had another great stat-stuffing game with 13 pts, 8 rebs, 6 assists, 3 Steals, 2 blocks and only one TO. Aden Holloway had a really solid game scoring 12 pts, 4 rebs, 6 assists, 1 steal, and zero TO’s..Aiden Sherrell had 15 pts, 6 rebs, 1 steal, and 2 blocks. Taylor Bol Bowen, Houston Mallette, London Jemison, and Jalil Bethea all played, scored, and contributed to the effort although none of them scored in double figures. MIA’s Noah Williamson played, but did not put out any stats. Key Performances Bama made 17 threes to just 8 for Ole Miss Bama made 24 free throws on 92% from the line while Ole Miss only made 8 FT’s. Bama’s ability to draw fouls and get to the line and convert the free throws was a big factor in the win. Bama held Ole Miss to 42% from the field with Ole Miss making only 8 threes. Bama outrebounded Ole Miss by five 44-39 as the hot shooting from 3 and from the free throw line and the rebounding edge led to a blow out Bama win. Bama had 6 TO’s to 8 for Ole Miss. Alabama’s shooting from 3, ability to draw fouls and make free throws, its rebounding edge, and Bama low number of turnovers allowed Bama to get the win. Bama got a much needed road win to run its record to 7-4 in the SEC. Bama is now on a 3 game winning streak. Poor starts to games in the first half. Alabama is now 17-7 on the season and 7-4 in the SEC, keeping them right in the hunt for a top four seed in the conference tournament. Up next: Alabama plays at South Carolina on Sat, Feb 14 at 6 pm. That will be another road test for Alabama. Bama needs to beat Gamecocks and keep stacking wins to improve its seeding for the tournament. #RollTide, #BamaFootball, #OleMissRebels, #BAMAvsMISS, #SECFootball, #CollegeFootball, #CFB, #CrimsonTide, #HottyToddy, and #SECSports Talk

E120 BH Alabama wins over Auburn 96 92 Quick Reaction in Hoops Alabama gets a big and much-needed road win in the SEC over Auburn 96 to 92 on the plains. Bama is 16-7 overall and 6-4 in the SEC. Great win for the Tide and now time for Alabama to keep stacking wins as Bama is playing for seeding for the tournament. What happened in the game. It was a tale of two halves as Alabama trailed Auburn 41-37 at the half. First half recap 2nd half recap. Alabama outscored Auburn 59-51 in the second half to secure a 96-92 comeback victory on February 7, 2026. After trailing 41-37 at halftime, the Crimson Tide utilized high-scoring runs and a dominant bench performance to take the lead for good with 10:39 remaining in regulation. • Alabama’s Offensive Surge: The Crimson Tide found their rhythm after a slow start, shooting 54% from the field and 52% from three-point range for the game. Guard Labaron Philon Jr. was the catalyst, scoring 16 of his 25 total points in the second half while going 8-for-8 from the free-throw line. • Game-Changing Runs: Alabama erased a 10-point deficit with two major second-half bursts: an 11-0 run that gave them their first lead in over 24 minutes of game clock at 55-54 with 13.41 secs in the half, followed later by an 8-0 run to solidify their control at 87-81 with on a 4-pt play by Holloway with 2.30 left in the game. Bama held on from there to get the win making enough free throws and key baskets to get the win 96-92 in a hard fought back and forth game. • Big plays including making key free thows and key baskets by Philon, Holloway including 4 pt play, and Amari Allen in the closing minutes of the game allowed Bama to get the win. LaBaron Philon had 25 pts, 5 rebs, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks, while having 4 TO’s. Other notables: Alabama had 4 players score in double figures and had 9 players score. Besides Philon, here are the other three that scored in double figures Amari Allen had another great stat-stuffing game with 17 pts, 6 rebs, 2 assists, and only two TO Aden Holloway had a really solid game scoring 15 pts, 2 rebs, 4 assists, 1 steal, and had 3 TO’s Charles Bediako had 12 pts, 3 rebs, and 1 steal Aiden Sherrell, Taylor Bol Bowen, Houston Mallette, London Jemison, and Latrell Wrightsell all played and contributed to the effort although none of them scored in double figures. Auburn had 4 players score in double-figures lead by 25 from Tahaad Pettiford, 24 from Keyshawn Hall, 17 from Kevin Overton, and 17 from KeShawn Murphy. Bama shot the ball really well, shooting 54% from the field, 52% from 3 making 12 threes, and 87% from the free throw line making 20-23 including many big ones at the end of the game. Bama held Auburn to 32% from three with Auburn making only 9 threes. Auburn outrebounded Bama by five 35-30 and kept themselves close with effective offensive rebounding Bama had 14 TO’s to just 5 for Auburn with Bama turning the ball over 9 times in the first half. Alabama’s hot shooting, ability to score the ball effectively in key spots, and its defensive pressure allowed Bama to get the win despite getting outrebounded and committing lots of turnovers. Bama got a much needed road win to run its record to 6-4 in the SEC. Bama battled to the end and figured out a way to get the win in a game on the road in February that Bama could have lost. Issue – Turnovers and rebounding -- Poor offensive ball movement and execution by Bama at times - but was better than the Texas A&M game Struggled with out of bounds plays again --Bama on defense allowed players to get to their dominant hand and drive to their dominant side, particularly allowing Pettiford to drive left over and over. There is no great team in the SEC, but there are a bunch of really good teams. Texas A&M, Florida, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee are probably the best teams in the league. Alabama is now 16-7 on the season and 6-4 in the SEC. Next up: at Ole Miss on Wednesday.

Alabama survives Bucky ball in Tuscaloosa as Alabama gets a much needed win at home over Texas A&M 100 to 97. blown out by Florida in Gainesville 100 to 77. Bama is 15-7 overall and 5-4 in the SEC. Good win for the Tide and now time for Alabama to start stacking wins. First half recap - The first half of the Alabama vs. Texas A&M game on February 4, 2026, ended in a 46-46 tie. The half was characterized by a fast-paced "track meet" style of play, with the two teams combining for 47 three-point attempts and 18 made shots from deep. In the second half defined by frequent lead changes and heavy 3-point shooting, Alabama used a late surge and hitting just enough free-throws to secure the victory. • Late Lead Changes: The Aggies responded with a 10-2 run to reclaim a 93-92 lead with two minutes left. • Clutch Finishing: Latrell Wrightsell Jr. hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:11 remaining to give Alabama a 97-95 lead. Aden Holloway then extended the lead to 99-95 with a layup with 22 seconds left. But missed the and one free throw that could have padded the lead a bit more. • Final Sequence: Leading 100-97 with 3.4 seconds left after an Amari Allen free throw, Alabama survived a final attempt as former Tide player Rylan Griffen missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer after two missed free throws by Rashaun Agee and Texas A&M gets the rebound and gets it to Griffen for the last second attempt which fortunately for Alabama was missed. Aden Holloway had 20 pts, 6 rebs and 4 assists, and 1 steal, but had 2 To’s while shooting only 1-6 from three. Holloway made a key two point shot with 22 secs left to put Bama up by four 99-95, but missed the and one free throw. Other notables: Alabama had 6 players score in double figures and had 8 players score at least 5 pts as Alabama only played 8 players Besides Holloway, here are the other five that scored in double figures Labaron Philon had a solid game scoring 17 pts, 4 rebs, 3 assists, and 3 blocks, and had no TO’s Latrell Wrightsell had 16 pts, and 2 rebs, 3 assist and 1 TO’s Amari Allen had 12 pts, 7 rebs, 6 assists, 2 steals, and only one TO Houston Mallette had 12 pts (all on threes), 5 rebs, and one assist in only 14 mins of play London Jemison had 10 pts and 4 rebs in only 12 mins of play Aiden Sherrell had 8 pts, 8 rebs, and 3 blocks as he played the majority of the mins at the five No other Bama players played besides the seven mentioned above and Bediako who played OK, but not great. Key Performances Texas A&M had 3 players score in double-figures lead by 21 from Rashaun Agee, 18 from Marcus Hill, and 17 from Rylan Griffen. Bama could use Rylan Griffin as he showed out and could also use Derrion Reid who is now playing for Oklahoma. It is ashame to Bama could not keep them on this roster as both players would be upgrades over other players on the current roster and would be 2 of our 8 best players. Bama Bigs held their own against the A&M bigs. Rashaun Agee was tough to stop and was effective against Bama, but the other bigs didn’t overwhelm Bama as Alabama outrebounded T AM and got enough offensive rebounds to generate additional possessions needed to win. Bama survived Bucky ball and the relentless ball pressure and only turned the ball over 6 times in the game. The biggest effect of Bucky ball was that Bama forced up too many contested 3’s and bad two’s and shot 45% for the field and only 33% from three. Bama needs to take better shots and not force shots from three or from two against doubles and triple teams. There is no great team in the SEC, but there are a bunch of really good teams. Texas A&M, Florida, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee are probably the best teams in the league. Alabama is now 15-7 on the season and 5-4 in the SEC. Up next: Alabama plays Auburn at Auburn on Wed, Feb 7. That will be another tough test for Alabama. Bama needs to beat the Auburn to improve its seeding for the tournament.

E118 BH Alabama loses to Florida on the road 87 75 Quick Reaction in Hoops Bad start to February as Alabama gets blown out by Florida in Gainesville 100 to 77. Bama drops to 14-7 overall in 4-4 in the SEC. Bama’s tournament seeding is slipping as the losses in the SEC keep piling up. And Bama has a Florida/Todd Golden problem just like they have a TN/Rick Barnes problem. Bama got blown out. Alabama keeps losing to Florida as has a Florida/Todd Golden problem as Alabama now has a 5 game losing streak to FL First half recap Bama battled Florida hard in the first half, but with 5 minutes to go in the half with Florida up just 32-30, Florida went on 14-6 run to close out the half with a 10 pt over Alabama 46-36 as the Florida bigs outplayed the Alabama bigs while the Alabama guards and wings failed to keep pace with Florida. Alabama came out in the 2nd half flat while Florida went on a 12-0 to extend the lead by 22 pt2 to 58-36 before Alabama scored a basket in the 2nd half with 14.29 left in the game. Alabama got in such a hole after being outplayed in the last 5 minutes of the first half and the first five minutes of the 2nd half that the game was essentially over as Florida maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way to get a dominant win over Alabama by 23 pts 100-77. Stars of the Game Aden Holloway had 19 pts, 3 rebs and 3 assists, but had 3 To’s Other notables: Labaron Philon had a subpar game scoring 15 pts, but had 5 TO’s Aiden Sherrell had 13 pts, 5 rebs, and 5 assists Charles Bediako had 6 pts, 7 rebs, and 4 blocks, but also 2 TO’s Latrell Wrightsell had 11 pts, and 4 rebs and 2 TO’s MIA’s No other Bama player scored in double figures as the Alabama bench players all had no impact on the game Key Performances Florida had 5 players score in double-figures lead by 25 for Alex Condon, 22 for Thomas Haugh, 15 for Boogie Fland, 14 for Rueben Chinyelu, and 11 for Urban Klavzar as these 5 players combined for 87 of Fl’s 100 pts. The Stats Key Team Stats Florida bigs outplayed Bama’s bigs and Fl’s defense harassed Alabama all night Fl outrebounded Bama by eleven 44-33 Fl scored 72 pts in the paint to 26 by Bama Fl had 26 fast break points to just 3 by Bama Fl had 13 steals to just one for Bama Florida had 2 TO’s to 18 for Bama Florida made 17 free throws to just 9 for Bama These stats tell the story Issue – Too many TO’s 18 for Bama to just 2 for FL Poor offensive ball movement and execution by Bama – too much one on one on the offensive end leading to turnovers and bad shots Bama went from down 2 pts with 5 mins to go in the first half to down 22 pts with 15 mins to go in the game. That 10 minute stretch at the end of the first half and start of the 2nd half killed Bama’s chances. Alabama is now 14-7 on the season and 4-4 in the SEC. Bama needs to figure some things out and start winning games or their seeding in the NCAA will keep sliding. Bama is probably a 6 or 7 seed in the tournament after this loss And let’s hope it doesn’t get so bad that they risk not making the tournament. Bama needs to get its key players healthy. And Bama needs to figure out how to execute better and just score the ball in tight situations in half court sets. And that means scoring from all three levels and taking the best shot you can at any level, not just from three or at the rim. There is no great team in the SEC, but there are a bunch of really good teams. Texas A&M, Florida, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee are probably the best teams in the league. Up next: Alabama plays Texas A&M at home on Wed, Feb 4 at 6 pm. Bucky ball is up next. That will be another tough test for Alabama. Bama needs to beat the Aggies to stop the bleeding and to improve its seeding for the tournament.

E117 BH Alabama blows out Missouri at home 90 64 Quick Reaction in Hoops On a cold January night, Alabama was hot from three and from the free throw line led by Latrell Wrightsell’s 21 points all from three as Alabama snapped a two-game home losing streak to blow out Missouri 90-64 and move it’s record to 14-6 overall and 4-3 in the SEC. No. 23 Alabama snapped a two-game home skid with a dominant 90–64 victory over Missouri at Coleman Coliseum. After a tight start that saw the teams tied midway through the first half, the Crimson Tide utilized a 21–8 run late in the first half to take control before halftime going into the half with a 42-29 lead. After halftime, the onslaught continued in the second, highlighted by a 16–2 spurt midway through the 2nd half that pushed the lead to as many as 29 points as Bama wins by 26 pts 90 to 64. Alabama’s efficiency was the story of the night, as they connected on 15 three-pointers and shot an elite 88% from the free-throw line, while defensively holding the Tigers to a season-low 19% from beyond the arc. The win was fueled by a standout performance from Latrell Wrightsell Jr., who poured in a season-high 21 points on a career-best seven triples. He was well-supported by freshman Labaron Philon, who added 18 points and six assists, and big man Aiden Sherrell, who chipped in 16 points. A major storyline involved center Charles Bediako, who contributed 14 points and six rebounds after being cleared to play via a legal injunction against the NCAA. This comprehensive win moved Alabama back into the win column, capitalizing on Missouri’s poor 34.8% shooting from the charity stripe making only 8 of 23 missing 15 Free throws to secure the blowout. Latrell Wrightsell with 21 pts, 5 rebs, 2 assists, and 2 steals - LaBaron Philon with 18 pts, 4 rebs, 6 assists, and 1 steal, but had 2 turnovers. Aiden Sherrell had 16 pts and 2 blocks -- Charles Bediako had 14 pts, 6 rebs, and 1 steal, and was 6-6 from the free throw line --TBB had 10 rebs and Houston Mallette had 8 rebs as both of them hits the boards hard all night -- Key Team Stats Hot shooting by Alabama Bama made 15 threes and shot 38% from three compared to Missouri shooting 19% from three and only 39% from the field and shooting 35% from the three throw line Bama made 23-26 Free throws shooting 88% from the charity stripe MO outrebounded Bama by 5 rebs 44-39, but that stat didn’t matter given how poorly MO shot the ball MO also had 13 TO’s to just 7 for Alabama MO did have 44 pts in the paint to just 20 for Alabama, but Alabama scoring 23 free throws to just 8 for MO and Alabama making 15 three’s as well to just 4 for MO overcame the fact that MO scored effectively in the post against Alabama. Bama needs for Amari Allen to get healthy. He is needed for his all-around play and one of Bama’s five best players. Bama has added depth in the front court now with Bediako, but none of the post players can score effectively with post moves around the basket. Sherrell playing a stretch four with Bediako at the five opens up the offense. The best starting lineup seems to be Bediako at Center Sherrell at stretch four Amari Allen when healthy on the wing Either Holloway or Wrightsell at shooting guard And Philon at the point. Up next: Alabama visits No. 19 Florida on Sunday, Feb 1. That will be a tough test for Alabama. We will find out a lot about this Alabama team on Sunday. Florida like TN has Alabama’s number over the past two plus years, so given that Auburn just beat Florida, it will be a great measuring stick for Alabama. Alabama (14-6, 4-3 SEC) will next face Florida in Gainesville on Sunday, Feb 1.

E116 BH Alabama loses at home to Tennessee 79 73 Quick Reaction in Hoops Alabama playing without two starters loses to Tennessee at home 79 to 73 in tough loss where Bama fails to score in the last 3 mins of the game to run its record to 3-3 in the SEC and 13-6 overall as Bama fails to execute on offense and rebound on defense at the end of the game. Alabama played without Aden Holloway and Amari Allen who both sat out with injuries, and at crunch time, it showed. The big story pre-game was Charles Bediako playing, but the bigger factor was Bama not having Holloway and Allen. And Nate Oates has a Rick Barnes and TN problem as Alabama has now lost 5 in a row to TN. It is another bad home loss to drops Bama to projected seed of 5 or lower for the tournament. The Tennessee Volunteers defeated No. 17 Alabama 79-73 on January 24, 2026, at Coleman Coliseum. Despite leading 39-36 at halftime, the Crimson Tide struggled offensively in the second half, get outrebounded by TN and shot just 34.5% from the field and going scoreless over the final 3:11 of the game. During the key last four minutes of the game, Alabama missed six 3-pt attempts and made only one three (going 1 for 7 in the last 4 mins) and attempted zero 2 pt shots in that time period and let Tennessee outrebound Alabama as well. Alabama’s three point shots during those last four mins of the game were not clean, good looks, but rather contested shots. And Bama failed to run its offense to just get a good open shot from where ever to get points. Second half – Tennessee outscored Alabama 43-34 in the second half to secure a 79-73 comeback victory. The Volunteers erased a 39-36 halftime deficit by opening the period on an 11-2 run, taking a 47-41 lead just minutes into the half. Decisive Run: With 7:34 secs left, TN led 64-63, Tennessee responded to Alabama's with a 6-0 run burst, fueled by Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Ament, to extend their advantage to 70-63 with 6:34 to play. • Bama then went on a 7-2 run to cut the lead to 72-70 with 4.42 left. Then TN scores 5 consecutive points to take a 77-70 lead with 4 minutes to go. • The Closing Drought: Alabama then cuts the lead to 77-73 following an Aidan Sherrell three-pointer at the 3:11 mark, the Tide's offense completely stalled and went scoreless to the end. Alabama went scoreless for the final 3:11, missing their last five field goal attempts while Tennessee's defense, anchored by Felix Okpara, sealed the game with late blocks and rebounds -- LaBaron Philon with 26 pts, 4 rebs, 7 assists, but had 3 TO’s and only shot 2 for 9 from three. Other notables: Latrell Wrightsell had 14 pts Charles Bediako had 13 pts, 3 rebs, 2 steals, and 3 blocks - TN only had two players in double-figures Led by Nate Ament with 29 pts, 7 rebs, and 3 assists as Ament made clutch shot after clutch shot down the stretch in the 2nd half to lead TN to victory over Bama And Ja’kobi Gillespie had 24 pts, 3 rebs, 4 assists, and 2 steals in a strong performance Bama is not playing like a final four or even elite 8 team if you judge them by the way Bama played against Oklahoma. Bama still on pace to make the tournament, but their ability to get a top four seed in a region is slipping. Need to start stacking wins again. There is no great team in the SEC, but there are a bunch of really good teams. Up next: Alabama (13-6, 3-3 SEC) will next face Missouri at home on Tuesday, January 27.

Currently, Alabama is 13-5 on the season and 3-2 in the SEC. Tied for sixth in the SEC right now. Bama needs to figure some things out and keep winning games or their seeding in the NCAA will slide. Let’s do our midseason review and report for the Team Up next: Alabama plays Tennessee at home on Saturday, Jan 24 at 7.30 pm. Charles Bediako – what??? Players of note The leader - Labaron Philon The three amigos Aiden Sherrell Amari Allen Aden Holloway The rest of the cast – who can we count on? Houston Mallette TBB London Jemison Keitenn Bristow Latrell Wrightsell Jalil Bethea Noah Williamson Injuries Davion Hannah SEC Standings Highlights Issues Issue – Why Bama has lulls in the games where they just lose focus? The static offense – too much one on one and not enough ball movement Bama has little depth in the front court. TBB is hurt. Bristow is hurt. And Williamson is not reliable. Need TBB healthy and to play well game in and game out Need Bristow to step up and contribute. Don’t know what he will do and how he will play game in and game out. Williamson played and contributed very little in this game, but need more from him if Bama wants to be a great team. I know who our best four players are, but who is the fifth starter? Bethea contributed a bit in 7 minutes, but we need more from him. The Big man issue with Nate Oates and Bama – inability to recruit, develop, and get big men into the NBA – centers and power forwards – great with wings and guards and 3 and D players and stretch fours. Lack of low post play Nate Oates – North Carolina and Kentucky – could try to hire him away? Alabama is now 13-5 on the season and 3-2 in the SEC. Bama needs to figure some things out and keep winning games or their seeding in the NCAA will slide. And let’s hope it doesn’t get so bad that they risk not making the tournament. Bama is not playing like a final four or even elite 8 team if you judge them by the way Bama played against Oklahoma. Up next: Alabama plays Tennessee at home on Saturday, Jan 24 at 7.30 pm. Tennessee is struggling, but Rick Barnes will have them ready to play against Alabama. Will be a tough game. Bama must play with the kind of effort and focus game in and game out they played with against Oklahoma in the 2nd half if they want to be a sweet 16 team again this year. I am cautiously optimistic that Bama can make the elite 8.

Alabama wins a tough road game 83 to 81 over Oklahoma in Norman to run its record to 3-2 in the SEC and 13-5 overall as Bama holds on and does just enough to win. It is another Big road win to keep Bama in pace for a top 4 seed in the tournament. Labon Philon was again the star of the game with a career high 23 pts to lead the Tide as he made clutch plays down the stretch to lead Bama to victory in real nail-biter. First Half Recap Stars of the Game LaBaron Philon with 23 pts, 5 rebs, 4 assists, but had 3 TO’s and missed 4 free throws. Other notables: Amari Allen with 12 pts, 8 rebs, 2 assists, 3 steals, but 2 TO’s Aiden Sherrell with 21 pts, 9 rebs, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block Aden Holloway with 9 pts, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 2 TO’s in a quiet night for him Houston Mallette with 12 pts, 6 rebs, 2 assists, and 1 steal, but missed a key Free throw at the end of game Bama rebounded as a five-man team on the defensive end in the MIA’s Keitenn Bristow – did not play – ankle injury TBB with wrist injury – not effective London Jemison struggled Noah Williamson not much Jalil Bethea scored 4 pts and had 2 rebs in 7 mins Davion Hannah out with Key Performances Oklahoma had 4 players in double figures led by Xzayvier Brown’s 21 pts. Derrion Reid had 16 and 9 – former Bama player Tae David had 14 and Nijel Pack had 12 Former Bama player Mohamed Wague had 6 pt, 6 rebs, and 2 blocks The Stats Key Team Stats Bama outrebounded by OK 45-43 Bama had 11 TO’s to just 9 for OK. Bama shot 44% from the field, just 30% from 3, and made 15 FT’s shooting 58% from the charity stripe and missing 11 Free Throws that helped allow OK to stay in the game. Tough shooting night for Bama and the free throw shooting was bad This win is a big road win when Bama was not at its best, but got a win nonetheless. Highlights Philon with a game high 21 pts making key plays in the 2nd half when needed as he scored 15 pts in the 2nd half Bama outrebounded OK in the 2nd half after being outrebounded in the first half to win the rebounding battle 45-43. When dialed in and focused, Bama can be a decent rebounding team. Best four are Philon, Holloway, Sherrell, and Amari Allen Who is that fifth player? Who will bring effort and consistency of performance game in and game out Mallette had a solid night. We need this type of effort from him every game. Issues Issue – Why did Bama close out the first half so poorly? Bama has little depth in the front court. TBB is hurt. Bristow is hurt. And Williamson is not reliable. Need TBB healthy and to play well game in and game out Need Bristow to step up and contribute. Don’t know what he will do and how he will play game in and game out. Williamson played and contributed very little in this game, but need more from him if Bama wants to be a great team. I know who our best four players are, but who is the fifth starter? Bethea contributed a bit in 7 minutes, but we need more from him. Alabama is now 13-5 on the season and 3-2 in the SEC. Bama needs to figure some things out and keep winning games or their seeding in the NCAA will slide. And let’s hope it doesn’t get so bad that they risk not making the tournament. Bama is not playing like a final four or even elite 8 team if you judge them by the way Bama played against Oklahoma. Up next: Alabama plays Tennessee at home on Saturday, Jan 24 at 7.30 pm. Tennessee is struggling, but Rick Barnes will have them ready to play against Alabama. Will be a tough game. Bama must play with the kind of effort and focus game in and game out they played with against Oklahoma in the 2nd half if they want to be a sweet 16 team again this year. I am cautiously optimistic that Bama can make the elite 8.

E113 Curt Cignetti The Cignetti Way his story his coaching rise part 2 The late-bloomer who is blossoming in Bloomington, and is now and currently the best college football coach bar none. Best coach in college football. He has taken the mantle from Kirby Smart who took it from Nick Saban. Cignetti spent nearly 30 years as an assistant coach, an unusually long path in modern college football. While many chase early head-coaching opportunities, he chose to learn—quarterbacks, receivers, recruiting, program management—under multiple staffs and systems. Stops at Pitt, NC State, and Alabama gave him exposure to everything from rebuilding efforts to championship standards. Then he goes into coaching as a coaching lifer. Takes a serious of positional offensive coaching jobs, but was never an offensive coordinator or defensive coordinator during his career. At NC State and at Alabama, he was the recruiting coordinator at both program. Paying his dues and honing his craft - Assistant Roles (1983–2010) Graduate Assistant – Pittsburgh (1983–1984). Davidson (QBs/WRs) — 1985. Rice (Quarterbacks) — 1986–1988. Temple (Quarterbacks) — 1989–1992. Pittsburgh – QBs/TEs — 1993–1999. NC State – QB/TE/Recruiting Coordinator — 2000–2006. Curt Cignetti describes his seven-year tenure at NC State (2000–2006) as a pivotal period of success and personal growth, highlighting it as a "better situation" compared to previous coaching stops due to the talent and resources available under head coach Chuck Amato. Alabama – Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coordinator — 2007–2010. His success at NC State and his ties and his father’s ties to Nick Saban from the West Virginia days had to set up Cignetti to join Saban’s staff in 2007 Part of Alabama’s 2009 National Championship team under Nick Saban. During these years, Cignetti built a reputation for strong offensive coaching and recruiting expertise across multiple Division I programs. Alabama – Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coordinator — 2007–2010. His success at NC State and his ties and his father’s ties to Nick Saban from the West Virginia days had to set up Cignetti to join Saban’s staff in 2007 Part of Alabama’s 2009 National Championship team under Nick Saban. During these years, Cignetti built a reputation for strong offensive coaching and recruiting expertise across multiple Division I programs. IUP Elon James Madison Indiana in 2024 and 2025 Reloading after players graduate or leave for the NFL Restocking through the portal and through recruiting high level talent and keeping them Losing key assistants and replacing them Managing that staff turnover that will happen Cignetti’s age – he is 64. Amazing story that came out of nowhere Cignetti has been grinding for 40 years as an assistant coach, as a D2 head coach, and as coaches at low level D1 programs. Finally, he gets a D1 power 4 job and instant success Truly a story that makes a great movie Cignetti is the best coach in college Let’s see how the story plays out Monday night and beyond.