Guess who’s back? Back again. BB4’s back, tell a friend.
Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!
Or whichever reference you prefer. Bottom line is this – the Bama Basketball Breakdown is back! At least for the remainder of this season. I’m sure everyone is aware of Erik’s departure from the site – something I certainly won’t get further into – but that means the person I handed Tide Hoops coverage over to had to hand it back. It’s not an ideal situation, but we’ll make the most of it.
I’ll level set with y’all – I left RBR after the conclusion of the 2024 Final Four run for a reason. I started a new job, baby #2 was on the way, and I simply couldn’t commit to keeping up the standard of writing that I had put together for over a decade covering this program. Plus, it was kind of a perfect way to go out. Nothing about that has changed. I am very much pressed for time still. But I couldn’t leave you beautiful people without a dedicated basketball contributor. All of this is to say that the Bama Basketball Breakdowns will look a little different going forward. There will be a lot more brevity – something that Erik and I have always been ironically short on – but I want the content to be as meaningful. So, bear with me as I figure out what this ends up looking like (and as I get used to the new WordPress editor – I leave and the whole place changed within 18 months).
Anyway, let’s cut to the chase – Tide Hoops is very much keeping things rolling under Nate Oats. A 3-1 start with wins over #13 Illinois and #14 St. John’s – both away from home – is about as strong of a resume as there is in the country, outside of Tucson, AZ. I’m not sweating that loss to #1 Purdue – the Boilermakers are about as bad of match-up as Alabama will see all season, particularly considering the experience that squad has. That goes a long way in November. Purdue being able to pair a massive frontcourt with guards who can hang with Alabama’s backcourt was ultimately the difference in that game, especially since Keitenn Bristow had not yet made his debut with the Tide. What a difference that kid made last week against the Fighting Illini. Getting 20-25 minutes a game from him will be critical the rest of the way.
Which brings us to today:
How to Watch
What: Players Era Festival Round One: #12 Gonzaga (5-0) vs #8 Alabama (3-1)
Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena – Las Vegas, NV
When: 8:30 pm CT
TV: TNT
Line: Zags -4.5
Nate Oats and his hellacious nonconference scheduling, amiright? Mark Few – back again for season #27 in Spokane – has one of his better Bulldog teams in a few years. They finished merely 23rd and 15th in the final AP Poll the past two seasons after finishing in the top ten the previous seven years. This year’s squad has top ten written all over it. The Zags have already dominated the likes of Oklahoma, Crieghton, and Arizona State this season.
Led by third year starting big man, Graham Ike, the Gonzaga frontcourt is big and physical. Ike is listed at 6’9 and plays like an old-school power forward, averaging 17.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG, and 2.4 APG on 58.5%/44.4%/76.0% and a 26.6% DREB%, which is top 50 in the country. 6’10 Braden Huff (14.8 PPG, 5.0 RPG) and 6’7 Tyon Grant-Foster (11.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG) – the latter whom Alabama fans should remember for that dogfight against Grand Canyon in the Second Round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament (miss you, Mo!) – add size and physicality to the Bulldogs front-line.
In the backcourt, senior transfer from Colgate, Braeden Smith, starts at the point guard spot (3.4 PPG, 4.6 APG, 2.0 RPG on 35.3%/20.0%/75.0%). As you can probably tell from his stat line, he’s very much a pass-first, more traditional kind of point. The Zags have looked to a pair of Europeans to try to spark a perimeter attack that has been pretty underwhelming despite Gonzaga’s dominant start (34.0% 3P% – 149th in the country). True freshman Spaniard, Mario Saint-Supery, has been the one real playmaking guard thus far (9.8 PPG, 4.0 APG, 3.8 RPG on 48.4%/63.6%/80.0%), while Italian junior, Emmanuel Innocenti, plays more of a spot-up shooting role (4.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 1.2 APG on 50.0%/36.4%/NA). Adam Miller, a super senior with four years’ worth of starting experience at ahem Illinois, LSU, and Arizona State, has been the volume scorer (11.0 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 0.8 APG on 47.7%/33.3%/80.0%). He’s a strong, physical guard who is looking to slash and create in the paint, but he’ll certainly pull from the outside when given the chance.
Three Keys to Victory
- Hold Up on the Interior. Gonzaga is full of big, strong men who will take it to the basket and bang on the glass all night. Alabama’s clear weakness so far this season is its lack of size and ability to positively impact the game on the inside. The previously mentioned Bristow will be huge for Alabama in this regard, but we have got to see more competitive post play from Aiden Sherrill if the Tide doesn’t want to have issues in the paint all season. He just hasn’t really shown much in that area. He definitely plays like a former guard who grew seven inches his Junior year of high school. His development is critical. Defensively, I expect to see Bol Bowen defend Ike most of the night, as he has the size and quickness to hold up. But does he have the strength?
- Move the Ball. The Zags’ defense is elite – 2nd in eFG% allowed, 4th in 3P% allowed, 28th in Turnovers created, etc. Alabama, as always, is at its best when the Tide is moving the ball around quickly and making the extra pass. This year’s team has been a bit more willing to play iso, and to their credit, they have done so effectively. Labaron Philon and Aden Holloway can both attack and finish well off the dribble. But the Bulldogs are just so good defensively man-to-man that relying on that will be incredibly difficult tonight.
- Let it Fly. The great equalizer will be critical tonight. If Alabama can consistently get good looks by moving the ball well, they absolutely have to make them count. This year’s squad is arguably Oats’ best shooting team yet, and there will be times that Latrell Wrightsell and company will simply have to overwhelm opponents with the shot making. Hopefully, they were able to get some good shoot-arounds in, as playing on a neutral floor in a casino with a half a dozen other games being played on the same day can be a real challenge for teams that rely on shot-making as much as Alabama does.
This post will also serve as our game thread. I would love any feedback on format, length, and content as we work to deliver the best possible product to the illustrious RBR commentariat. The Tide will play again tomorrow and Wednesday, so we’ve got some good reps for my first week back.
Roll Tide!
