Alabama Basketball: March Madness Game 1 – Big Success for Crimson Tide

Alabama basketball started its March Madness Season Thursday at the SEC Tournament. The Tide Played Superbly. Let’s look at the keys to victory.

Alabama basketball played its best of the game of the season on Thursday in the SEC Tournament. The Crimson Tide coasted to a 75-55 victory over the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

We have been pleading with the 2017 Alabama basketball team to correct some fundamental mistakes that plagued it often during the season. Too many turnovers, poor assist-to-turnover ratio, and excessive fouling have cost the Crimson Tide close to half its losses this season.

We will not be so bold to suggest that our memos to the team finally made a connection. Certainly whatever we fans see is a small percentage of what the coaches understand. But something or someone got the team’s attention and today it paid off.

Let’s look at the numbers that keyed the Tide victory:

• Alabama committed nine turnovers, three by backups in the last two minutes, and only two in the 1st half

The coaches who are most strict on fundamentals say that 12 or below is an excellent turnover number for a game.

• Alabama made 16 assists, for an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.78

But the more accurate number would be calculated by throwing out the three TO’s in garbage time. Based on that calculation, the assist-to-turnover ratio was 2.67. A number that is exceptional.

At halftime, Alabama basketball had a 12 point lead. Avery was asked for the keys to the second half. His closing response was the team that got in the bonus first, would have a big advantage. Mississippi State did not get in the bonus in the 2nd half. The Tide only committed 10 fouls in the entire game.

Alabama

shot 26 free throws

, Mississippi Sate shot six. The resulting difference in points was 17 points for the Tide and three points for State.

Alabama Crimson Tide Basketball

Other points of note: Alabama basketball won by 20 points and its best offensive player on the season, Braxton Key, only scored three points. Dazon Ingram made up the difference by being PERFECT for the day. Ingram was 7-7 FG’s and 2-2 from the foul line for 17 points.

Corban Collins added 13 for the Tide. Key was also a factor in the win, grabbing five rebounds and making five assists.

And another tidbit from Avery: At halftime, he commented on the crisp passing and quick ball movement. Indeed the Alabama basketball half-court offense was sharp. Frankly, the Tide looked nothing like the team that struggled to execute offense throughout the season.

Much of the game, the Bulldogs looked complacent on defense. The Tide’s suddenly adept offensive play will meet a much stiffer challenge tomorrow against South Carolina.

If, and admittedly it is a big IF, Alabama’s offensive display can be replicated against the Gamecocks, March Madness will become very interesting.

Next: Want the Key to a 2017 Tide Football Championship? Click Here.

Alabama basketball takes on the South Carolina Gamecocks Friday at the Bridgestone Arena. When the two last played, the Crimson Tide won 90-86 in a four-overtime thriller. Check in with us on Facebook and let us know how you think the Tide will do.