Alabama Basketball: Bold Avery Johnson builds tough OOC schedule

Alabama basketball coach, Avery Johnson was known as the ‘Little General’ in the NBA. The bold leadership he showed in the NBA continues in Tuscaloosa.

Even though Alabama basketball coach, Avery Johnson was known as the ‘Little General’ in the NBA, he is not small in stature. At a tad under six feet, Avery looks shorter when standing next to most basketball players. Avery’s career proves leaders come in all sizes. The best way to describe Avery’s leadership is boldness.

Alabama is not a basketball blue blood but it doesn’t stop Avery from pursuing the top recruits in the nation. When others question his decision to give meaningful minutes to almost his entire roster, he smiles and remains steadfast. Most significantly, he seeks a tough schedule every season.

The 2018-19 season is not finished but it is already loaded with resume-building opportunity. Those opportunities also carry a risk for resume-busting. The same strategy worked last season when Alabama basketball was 8-10 in the SEC but earned a No. 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Big Games in 2018-19

The most recent addition to next season’s schedule is an away game with Stephen F. Austin on Dec. 30. The Lumberjacks will reciprocate with a Tuscaloosa game in the 2019-20 season. Some Alabama basketball fans may not realize the strength of Stephen F. Austin. The Lumberjacks were 28-7 last season, including a conference championship and an NCAA Tournament berth. The team returns almost 70 percent of its offensive production from last season.

The Crimson Tide will open the season with four games in Charleston, S.C. The Tide opens with Northeastern. An opening win will lead to a game against the winner of Ball State and Virginia Tech. Other teams in the tournament are Purdue, Appalachian State, Wichita State and Davidson. Including Alabama basketball, five of the eight-team field made the NCAA Tournament last season.

The other big OOC games also present challenge and opportunity. The Tide will travel to Orlando to play UCF, Nov. 29. The Arizona Wildcats travel to Tuscaloosa for a game on Dec. 9. Alabama basketball will go to Waco to take on Baylor on Jan. 26 in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. The Tide had planned an away game with Rhode Island this season, but it has been pushed back for one year. The Tide victory over the Rams last year was a big boost in NCAA Tournament status.

The full schedule will be completed soon. Murray State has been rumored to be another home game addition. If the Racers are added, the Crimson Tide has an opportunity to play more than 15 regular season games against NCAA Tournament teams from last season.

In other Alabama basketball news, recent commit and more recent de-commit, Diante Smith is still considering the Tide. Crimson Tide basketball insiders believe other higher-rated recruits may fill the open slots.