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Alabama Basketball: Five Reasons Tide Postseason Is NIT And Not NCAA

By Ronald Evans

Mar 11, 2017; Nashville, TN, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Dazon Ingram (12) attempts a shot with pressure from Kentucky Wildcats guard Dominique Hawkins (25) during the first half during the SEC Conference Tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2017; Nashville, TN, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Dazon Ingram (12) attempts a shot with pressure from Kentucky Wildcats guard Dominique Hawkins (25) during the first half during the SEC Conference Tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 9, 2017; Nashville, TN, USA; Alabama basketball guard Avery Johnson Jr. (5) reacts after a foul call during the second half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the SEC Conference Tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Alabama won 75-55. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 9, 2017; Nashville, TN, USA; Alabama basketball guard Avery Johnson Jr. (5) reacts after a foul call during the second half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the SEC Conference Tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Alabama won 75-55. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /

Failing to Play Defense Without Fouling

Admittedly this a complex problem. It is difficult to play aggressive defense without fouling. Alabama basketball works very hard on defense. The Tide has two very good shot blockers. Coaches tell their players to protect the paint. Most significantly, with today’s officiating focus on defensive contact, it often seems incidental contact results in a called foul.

Two bad things can and generally do result from too many fouls. The first one is obvious but that does not make it unimportant. You cannot defend a foul shot. Foul a shooter and that shooter gets an opportunity for free points.

On the season Alabama fouls resulted in opponents shooting an average of 22 free throws per game. Nationally that is No. 240 in the nation teamrankings.com. By comparison, Villanova’s opponents only shoot 12.3 free throws per game.

From the same source rankings, Alabama’s opponents gain 22.9 percent of their points at the foul line. That figure puts Alabama basketball at No. 316 in the nation.

Without going into the details, Texas A&M beat Alabama this season because of the large disparity of free throw shots attempted. Again, YOU CANNOT DEFEND A FREE THROW. Please accept an apology for shouting – it is just so infuriating.

So infuriating we attempted to send the Alabama basketball a memo after the loss to the Aggies Memo to the Team.

The other major problem with committing too may fouls is reduced playing minutes by key players. In the SEC Tournament game against Kentucky, Bola Olaniyan played only 14 minutes due to fouls. Bola may well be the best offensive rebounder in the nation. He was needed for twice that many minutes against the Cats.

Perhaps it was a bit insulting but included in the memo referenced above was a reminder – after five fouls you cannot play in the game.

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