Alabama Basketball: Crimson Tide have become road warriors

Alabama basketball has made a living on the road this season, thriving in hostile environments and reliably defeating quality opponents on their own floors.

The Crimson Tide is 8-1 in true road games, and 6-0 in opposing SEC venues. In the non-conference, Alabama traveled down to Mobile and played at South Alabama early in the 2022-23 season. The Tide left with a victory despite not playing well against an inferior opponent.

A few weeks later, Alabama basketball went to Houston and did battle with the Cougars, who were ranked no. 1 at the time. Alabama topped Houston 71-65 in what is still one of the most impressive wins in all of college basketball this season. The Crimson Tide and the Cougars are ranked no. 1 and no. 2 in the latest AP Poll.

In the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, Alabama would fall in embarrassing fashion in Norman, Oklahoma. The Tide lost 93-69 to an Oklahoma team that resides at the bottom of the Big 12 standings. That game, which has proven to be a completely uncharacteristic performance for Alabama basketball, remains its only road loss of the season.

In conference play, Alabama has run the table to this point, including all six of its road games. The first five of these SEC road wins all came by double-digit margins. Bama won at Mississippi State by 11, at Arkansas by 15, at Vanderbilt by 12, at Missouri by 21, and at LSU by 10. In its most recent game, Alabama won a hard-fought rivalry game at Auburn 77-69. The Tigers scored on their final possession to end the Tide’s streak of double-digit road wins.

The Crimson Tide has won its conference road games by an average margin of 12.8 points per game. The team has been significantly better at home, dominating opponents by an absurd 29.3 points per game. Still, a double-digit average margin of victory in road games is beyond impressive.

To win out in its SEC road schedule, Alabama has to win three more games. This Wednesday, it plays at no. 10 Tennessee. This heavyweight bout in Knoxville could be one of Bama’s toughest games of the season. As if the Vol faithful weren’t already going to be raucous, the Tide’s no. 1 ranking will send Thompson-Boling Arena into a frenzy.

Should Alabama get the win in Knoxville, it will then travel to Columbia to play the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Crimson Tide then ends the regular season with another tough one at Texas A&M in College Station. A&M is currently in second place in the SEC.

Despite being a young team, Alabama Basketball has carried itself with the maturity of a senior-laden squad. This has allowed the team to handle itself, and come out victorious, in any environment.