Alabama Basketball: Gators chomp tusk-less Tide in T-Town

Two teams needing a win to improve NCAA Tournament chances played Saturday in Tuscaloosa. One team played like the game mattered. That team was not Alabama basketball.

Alabama basketball lost a ‘must-not-lose’ game Saturday afternoon in Tuscaloosa. The Florida Gators came to T-Town needing a win to climb back into the ‘Big Dance Bubble.’ It was a must-win for the Gators and they played it with an intensity appropriate to the task. And why would Florida have not been confident? Florida basketball last lost in Tuscaloosa in 2006.

Alabama basketball certainly understood the importance of the game. The Crimson Tide just offered little to counter Florida’s aggressive, confident offense and determined in-your-face defense.

It was clear early the Tide was no match for the Gators. It took the Tide almost eight minutes to score its first field goal. Galin Smith’s baby hook cut the Florida lead to 12-4.The Gators led by seven to 13 points before getting to halftime with a 35-26 advantage.

Alabama basketball was outshot, out-rebounded, out-smarted and out-hustled in the first half. John Petty came off the bench to produce eight points, a rebound and an assist. Donta Hall, Galin Smith and Kira Lewis Jr. added four points each. The other Crimson Tide players (Avery Jr., Herb Jones; Alex Reese; Tevin Mack; Dazon Ingram and Riley Norris) shot 2-for-11 from the field in the first half. The Tide also missed five-of-eight first-half free throws.

The second half was agonizing for Alabama basketball fans. It took the Gators less than seven minutes to expand the lead to 17 points. The Tide cut the lead to under 10 points, for three, brief second-half intervals.

The final margin of 18 points (71-53) was an accurate reflection of how badly the Crimson Tide was beaten. Kira Lewis, John Petty and Donta Hall needed much more help from their teammates. Dazon Ingram, Alex Reese, Riley Norris and Tevin Mack had horrid games

Avery Johnson deserves a heavy dose of blame. Coming home after a bad beating on the road, the Tide should have been the aggressor. It should have been the physically and mentally tougher team. Instead, the Tide was not competitive in a game it needed not to lose.

What happens next? The players, and maybe even more importantly, the staff need to take a long look in the mirror. The loss will drive the Tide down in the bubble. Two of the next three games are on the road.

Three wins in the final six regular season games are now essential for a NCAA bid. Alabama basketball must play much better than it has in the last two games – to have a chance to win three more.