Improvement despite a loss

By Chris Stewart

(Oxford, MS) - Alabama may have played one of its most complete games in the last month Saturday in Oxford, yet the Tide still lost to Ole Miss- 75-69.

Welcome to SEC Men's Basketball 2007.

You can play well and lose. Play poorly, and you may get embarrassed.

That's something Alabama learned in its first three league road games. Bama won its previous venture two weeks ago in Baton Rouge to start a three game winning streak, but couldn't claim another victory in front of the largest crowd to ever witness a game at Tad Smith Coliseum.

There would be no late-game dramatics in this one for the Tide such as what took place Wednesday when Mykal Riley and Ron Steele accounted for eight points in the last minute to give Alabama a win over MississippiState. All the big shots were made by the home team, as the Rebels pulled even with the Tide in the SEC West standings.

A tenacious zone defense (yes, contrary to popular belief, you can play tough and aggressive out of a zone), solid shoot from the field (51%) and beyond the arc (42%) had Bama in position to win. However, four costly turnovers in the final 5:00 would be the difference in the end.

This week begins a brutal stretch for Mark Gottfried's team. A road trip Wednesday to top-ranked Florida is followed by a home game with Kentucky, and concludes with a visit to Tennessee.

The Vols are rejuvenated, the Wildcats are very good, and the Gators are just plain frightening.

This is potentially a make or break run for Alabama. Win two or three of these, and the Tide could be in good position to claim another division crown. Struggle and get swept, and Bama could be playing for its postseason lives down the stretch.

It's that type of year, especially on Alabama's side of the conference. Barring a totally unforeseen meltdown, Florida will walk away with the overall league crown. But in the West, an 8-8 record may be enough win a division title.

Alabama has that opportunity, but the road to a championship is loaded with pot holes. Hopefully, the Tide can safely maneuver the tough terrain and in the process, earn a sixth straight invitation to the Big Dance.
 

Chris Stewart writes a weekly column for bamafever.com. Stewart is the radio play-by-play announcer for University of Alabama men's basketball. He is also the pre and post game host for the Crimson Tide Sports Network's coverage of Alabama Football. In addition, he hosts a talk show each weekday morning from 7 until 9 on Tuscaloosa's Sports Radio 1420, The Tusk. Bama Fever is a company devoted to providing University of Alabama Crimson Tide merchandise. We have stores in Birmingham, Tuscaloosa  and Huntsville and have now created an online catalog for Crimson Tide fans all over the world searching for that hard to find merchandise. We carry over 7,000 items in our stores and have posted many of these items right here in our online catalog.

All University of Alabama merchandise is officially licensed and a portion of the proceeds go directly to the University.

Read all of Chris's Game Recaps