Alabama vs. Vanderbilt Hoops Preview
By Tony Breland
BamaHammer welcomes Nick from RunTheScores with his guest preview of tomorrow’s basketball game against the Commodores.
Coleman Coliseum should be a welcomed sight for Alabama and head coach Anthony Grant. Alabama suffered a tough loss at the hands of Mississippi State last Saturday, so it is crucial for the Tide to bounce back this week vs. Vanderbilt.
Here’s where conference play can come back and bite you. Alabama, coming off a loss to a top 25 team in Mississippi State, has to turn around and play Vanderbilt. The SEC isn’t known as a basketball conference, but I’m not sure any team in the nation would ask for Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky for a three-game stretch.
Alabama is a defensive team; they rely on defense and turnovers to get the offense going. Last game, Alabama started forcing shots after Mississippi State jumped out to an early lead. Alabama isn’t a good enough shooting team to force three-point shots. Here’s some things that Alabama will need to do in order to bounce back on Thursday night.
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Defense, Defense, Defense. Alabama has to lock down in the paint. JaMychal Green is an All-SEC forward, and there is no reason for a player to score 25 points and have 13 rebounds against him. Alabama can’t let one of Vanderbilt’s post players have a game like Arnett Moultrie did last week, or the outcome might be the same. If Alabama locks down the paint, Vanderbilt will be forced to shoot from outside, which should make defending the perimeter much easier.
Improve Outside Shooting. We all know Alabama isn’t the best shooting team in the nation, but they have proved that they can be decent. The same concept works on the offensive side of the ball, Alabama has to work the paint to open up the outside game. Look for Tony Mitchell and Trevor Lacey to benefit if the outside game opens up for the Crimson Tide.
Don’t Fall Behind. Alabama let Mississippi State jump out to an early lead. They have the defense to come back, but it’s never in the game plan to go down early. Here’s a stat for you: Alabama hasn’t lost a game when leading at halftime. All of Alabama’s losses have come when they allow teams to stick with them early. The Tide needs to set the tone right out of the gate.
JaMychal Green’s skills outside of posting up. This may not make sense, but stick with me. JaMychal Green is a great post player; that’s where he has earned his reputation. Green isn’t a natural 5 player (center). If/when he goes to the NBA he will probably play 4 (power forward). JaMychal has developed some skills most college center’s don’t possess – a great jump shot and a decent passing game. It is amazing to watch JaMychal spot up from 8-10 feet from the basket and score. With a great jump shot and some nice post moves, he can also benefit the offense with his passing. Playing opposite of Tony Mitchell does Green some good. If JaMychal Green can have a great game passing from down low, Alabama’s offense will be hard to stop.
Tony Mitchell’s Inside Game. Every touch by Tony Mitchell is a highlight waiting to happen, but lately he has left his inside game to increase his shooting from the perimeter. Mitchell has become one of Alabama’s best shooters from outside, but Alabama needs him to finish around the rim. Some of Mitchell’s best plays come on rebounds and baseline drives. If Mitchell sets the tone inside early, his outside game will benefit.
Freshmen getting involved in the offense. Alabama has some of the most talented freshmen in the SEC. Look for Anthony Grant to get some of them involved, to free up some of Alabama’s playmakers. Trevor Lacey went off vs. Georgia in Alabama’s SEC opener. If Lacey gets his offensive game going, it will be much easier for JaMychal Green, Tony Michell, and Trevor Releford to produce.
Keys to Victory
Alabama needs to attack the lane to open up the outside. Trevor Releford is one of the best point guards in the SEC. If the defense is weak inside Releford isn’t afraid to attack. The Tide will need to look for ways to get in the lane besides posting up. Tony Mitchell should provide a spark coming from the outside, and JaMychal Green and Nick Jacobs have the ability to lockdown the paint on defense.
The Tide has to control the game early. Setting the tone is crucial, plus this is a conference game at home. Look for the Crimson Chaos and the fans at Coleman Coliseum to play a major role in the game.
Look for Anthony Grant to work the full court press early and often. Vanderbilt isn’t an up-tempo style of team. They rely on set plays to get the ball in the hands of their scorers. Grant often uses the press to disrupt half court offenses and limit their setup time. Alabama should be able to swarm and create turnovers which lead to easy baskets on the other end.
Alabama has to limit turnovers. This isn’t spotlighted much, but the Crimson Tide have had turnover issues all season. They have been able to work through them, but it would be nice to not have ten turnovers in the first half.
Finally, play well when Trevor Releford is on the bench. Anthony Grant has shown that he isn’t afraid to give Releford some rest, especially in the first half. Releford is the leader of the Tide offense and when he is on the bench, they struggle. Trevor Lacey could come up big in this situation. Ben Eblen, Alabama’s back-up point guard, plays like he is afraid of making mistakes. Look for Lacey to see time a point guard when Releford is on the bench.
Key Matchups
John Jenkins vs. Levi Randolph. This should be a fun one to watch. John Jenkins comes into the game leading Vanderbilt and the SEC with 19.8 PPG. Levi Randolph has been strong on the defensive end all season. Both are big physical guards. Randolph has the size advantage at 6-foot-5 to Jenkins 6-foot-4.
Jeffery Taylor vs. Tony Mitchell. Jeffery Taylor is second in scoring for Vanderbilt with 16.9 PPG. Taylor has had a great career at Vanderbilt, and he will bring his A-game to Tuscaloosa Thursday night for sure. Tony Mitchell stands at 6-foot-6, just an inch shorter than Taylor. The two players are very similar. Both are listed as forwards, but Taylor and Mitchell can hold their own on the perimeter. It should be interesting to see how Tony Mitchell’s athletic ability compares to Taylor’s great scoring game. Tony Mitchell has the edge on the boards, averaging 7.5 RPG, but Jeffery Taylor might be the better forward. Look for both Mitchell and Taylor to play key roles for their respective teams.
This should be a very interesting matchup to watch. Vanderbilt relies on their offense to carry them to victory, while Alabama relies on their rugged defense. Plus, both teams are in the heat of their conference schedule. Alabama has Kentucky in Lexington, while Vanderbilt heads back to Nashville to face Mississippi State.
Game Info
January 19, 2012 – 6:00pm CST
Coleman Coliseum (Tuscaloosa, Alabama)
ESPN2, streaming on ESPN3