Alabama
If this is how Alabama universities defend employees, it’s not working • Alabama Reflector
Alabama’s colleges and universities are scared.
And I understand why. If an administration that prioritizes ideological conformity over intellectual curiosity cut off one of my key funding sources, I’d hesitate to speak out, too.
But they don’t have a choice. Not they take their educational missions seriously.
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.
When Alander Rocha asked some of Alabama’s key research universities about the loss of nearly $400 million in National Institutes of Health funding — money that supports research into cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and a whole host of diseases — after President Donald Trump froze the funding last month, he got silence.
The University of Alabama Birmingham, which will suffer the most from the suspension, issued a generic statement. So did the Southern Research Institute. So did the University of South Alabama.
Yes, they’re trying to figure out what’s going on. Lobbyists may be working behind the scenes to get the money back.
But for God’s sake, guys. Meekness is not a strategy. You should know that.
Last year, the Alabama Legislature — upset over intellectual debate and welcoming attitudes on college campuses — made it illegal to run a diversity, equity and inclusion program on campus, and left the door open to fire teachers who teach “divisive concepts.”
What is a divisive concept? Why, it’s anything that upsets the white Republicans in the Legislature.
This was a real test for the University of Alabama and Auburn University. Other public colleges and universities in Alabama must comply with whatever short-sighted idea lawmakers have at the moment. UA and AU enjoy constitutional protections and self-perpetuating boards of trustees that give them some independence.
That independence was an opportunity. They could have made it difficult for lawmakers to push through this assault on their students. And given cover for other Alabama schools to fight for theirs.
Instead, they caved.
UA abolished its DEI program and closed dedicated spaces for the school’s Black Student Union and LGBTQ+ resource center. Auburn dumped its program, too.
Alabama did replace its DEI program with some vaguely worded “Division of Opportunities, Success and Connections.” But Auburn didn’t even try to replace what was lost. It closed its office and reassigned employees.
And other campuses followed. South Alabama, which has one of the highest percentages of Black students of any non-HBCU school in the state, mumbled something about “volunteerism” as it closed down its program.
Standing up to lawmakers had risks. The state’s conservative media, always chasing pointless rage, would have had a fit. A far-right legislator would have puffed out his chest and demanded retribution. State funding could have been threatened.
But there was no guarantee such threats would have succeeded. Colleges and universities are major employers in many lawmakers’ districts. Any number of senators representing Alabama, Auburn, Troy University, North Alabama, South Alabama, West Alabama and more could have blocked punitive cuts against the schools or made it harder for the Legislature to carry them out.
I can’t imagine legislators would have wanted a drag-out battle with the schools over this, especially one likely to put members of the Republican caucus at odds with their communities.
But that didn’t happen.
And will capitulation spare the schools from further attacks on their independence?
I wouldn’t bet on it.
“Alabama House Republicans will continue pushing back against ‘woke’ policies and radical efforts that attack our morals and work to change the fundamental beliefs that make our state such a special place to live, work, worship, and raise families,” the House GOP’s 2025 legislative agenda says.
And now these schools face an attack on their research funding from a man with the same anti-DEI attitudes as Alabama lawmakers. The National Science Foundation, another key source of grants for universities around the country, froze its grants last week.
Universities are proud of their research. They should be. Dedicated men and women working in academia have made discoveries and developed techniques that improve our lives and help us better understand the world and each other.
That work is under attack. If college administrators see intellectual inquiry as something other than a marketing slogan, they need to fight for their researchers.
The state’s colleges and universities need to pull together and create a united front against these tantrums. They should pressure federal and state lawmakers to do their jobs; to represent their constituents and above all else, to uphold the independence of institutions that elevate our state.
In other words, they have to be far more forceful than they’ve proven to be.
There are risks to such an approach, just as there were in opposing the state’s anti-DEI law.
But there are far greater perils in staying quiet. Relying on the good faith of people distorting the goals of higher education and the motives of those dedicated to it will lead to disaster. Protest may not work, but humility will never be rewarded.
YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.
Ringo, an abandoned puppy that was dropped off at the Madison Police Department earlier this week, will get the surgery he needs thanks to an outpouring of donations from the city’s residents.
On Dec. 9, the Madison Police Department said in a Facebook post it was trying to raise $2,000 so Ringo could get an injured leg amputated.
“Citizens of Madison, we need your help. Recently, an abandoned and abused puppy was brought to us—sweet, loving, and still full of hope despite what he’s been through,” the post said.
“To give him the chance at a healthy, happy life, he needs a surgery to amputate an injured leg. Once he recovers, he’ll be ready for adoption and would make an incredible addition to a loving Madison family—just in time for Christmas.”
Just three days later, the department said in an update that they’d raised the money they needed, and Ringo would get his surgery in the middle of January.
During a vet visit, the pup was given a clean bill of health and all his required shots.
“We completely met the goal and could not have done it without the help of all our citizens here so we greatly appreciate everything you guys donated for him,” an update video said.
Now the police department is asking for the community to step up again and help get Ringo adopted before his surgery.
“Our next thing we can do is have him adopted. He is ready to go into somebody’s home so he can get acclimated and ready to go before his surgery,” the post said.
Anyone interested in adopting Ringo is asked to call Madison’s Animal Control at 256-772-5694.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — No. 12 Alabama fell to No. 1 Arizona in Legacy Arena in the fifth annual C.M. Newton Classic. The Crimson Tide held a 2-point halftime lead, but got decimated in the second half, opening the first six minutes of the second frame with just two field goals made.
The top-ranked Wildcats went on to claim a 96-75 victory and dropped the Crimson Tide’s record in the event to 2-3.
“They’re obviously a really good team,” Nate Oats said. “There’s a reason they’re number one in the country. I thought the first half we played pretty well. We were down five on the glass and needed to clean it up a little bit, and then the second half we had this issue where we just haven’t had very good starts to the second half. We came out and didn’t have a very good start, and it got progressively worse. I think they scored, shoot 39 the entire first half. They had 39 in less than 12 minutes to start the second half.
“Start of the second half was bad. Obviously, they came out of halftime ready to play; we didn’t. The toughness factor was a problem. It’s impossible – I shouldn’t say impossible. It’s nearly impossible to win a game when your opponent gets 28 more field goal attempts than you. If you look, we outshot them from the field and from the free throw line, both percentage-wise. Free throws, they made one more free throw than we did and they got 28 more field goal attempts. You can’t win games giving your opponent 28 more field goal attempts. Offensive glass we had three the whole game, they had 22. We lost the rebounds by 20 again. This has been a recurring issue for us.”
Alabama History in C.M. Newton Classic
- 2021 – Davidson 79, Alabama 78
- 2022 – Gonzaga 100, Alabama 90
- 2023 – Alabama 101, Liberty 56
- 2024 – Alabama 100, Illinois 87
- 2025 – Arizona 96, Alabama 75
Watch the above video as BamaCentral writers Katie Windham, Hunter De Siver, and Will Miller, provide thoughts and takeaways from the Alabama men’s basketball team’s 96-75 loss against the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday. The trio discusses the performance of the No. 12 Crimson Tide and the rebounding issues that continue to plague the program.
Even on a neutral floor, Alabama should feel plenty of support from the Birmingham crowd at Legacy Arena — enough to keep No. 1 Arizona on its toes.
Photo By – Imagn Images. Alabama Crimson Tide guard Aden Holloway (2) drives to the basket.
The Arizona Wildcats are regarded as the best team in the land once again and will put that moniker to the test when they hit the road to face Alabama in Birmingham.
Both of these teams will come into this matchup off strong wins. The Wildcats beat Tide rival Auburn by nearly 30 points, while Alabama blew out UTSA by 42.
I break down the matchup in my Alabama vs. Arizona predictions & college basketball picks for Saturday, December 13.
Arizona vs Alabama prediction
Arizona vs Alabama best bet: Alabama +1.5 (-110)
In name only, this will be a neutral site game but given the geography between the two teams and the fact that this game will be played in Birmingham, this is certainly going to be a very pro Tide crowd.
With that at the forefront, it’s enough to shift things and make Alabama my best bet to cover. I projected this number closer to three.
The Tide have the best unit on the floor: It’s offense. The Nate Oats math-ball shot profile led by Labaron Philon and Aden Holloway is kinda exactly what you want here.
Arizona’s defensive profile is more conducive to slowing down your traditional post and big to big actions, not exactly this one. What’s particularly concerning is allowing an above average scoring rate (.93 points per possession) on attacks + kicks along with 1.02 points per possession on big cuts and rolls.
These are two items that are a foundation of the Alabama offense. Their clearest edge is in transition and on the offensive glass, areas Alabama can at least partially control by taking care of the ball and keeping the floor spaced.
In a game that should be played in the 80s possession-wise with huge three-point volume, I’d rather have the side with more proven perimeter shot-making and multiple paths to scoring efficiently.
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Arizona vs Alabama same-game parlay
I started things off here with Holloway to go over his assists number. He’s the primary facilitator on the big cut-and-rolls, meaning he should benefit the most from these sets with an increase in assist volume.
This doesn’t even begin to mention how he’ll likely find some easy ones in transition.
Speaking of transition, I’ll finish our same-game parlay off with Jaden Bradley to go over his points total because of it. Alabama, somewhat a product of how they play, has one of the worst transition defenses in the country, and Bradley may be the best transition scoring option on the floor.
Arizona vs Alabama SGP
- Aden Holloway Over 4.5 assists
- Jaden Bradley Over 16.5 points
- Alabama +1.5
Our beyond the arc SGP: Wrightsell shoots from deep
Latrell Wrightsell should get plenty of clean looks from deep given how Arizona is likely to defend Alabama, so I paired his over 1.5 threes with the game Over.
I’m close to market on the number, but with two awful transition defenses, the pace and easy-runout points make me lean higher.
Arizona vs Alabama SGP
- Alabama +1.5
- Aden Holloway Over 4.5 assists
- Jaden Bradley Over 16.5 points
- Over 178
- Latrell Wrightsell Over 1.5 threes
Arizona vs Alabama odds
- Spread: Arizona -1.5 (-110) | Alabama +1.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Arizona -130 | Alabama +110
- Over/Under: Over 178 (-110) | Under 178 (-110)
Arizona vs Alabama betting trend to know
Arizona has hit the 1H Moneyline in 29 of their last 37 games (+21.10 Units / 1% ROI). Find more college basketball betting trends for Arizona vs. Alabama.
How to watch Arizona vs Alabama
| Location | Legacy Arena at BJCC, Birmingham, AL |
| Date | Saturday, December 13, 2025 |
| Tip-off | 9:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN |
Arizona vs Alabama key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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