Alabama
Will Alabama basketball win the SEC? What win vs. Georgia showed
Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats felt compelled to interject.
The Crimson Tide was huddled during a timeout with 10:15 left in the second half. Georgia held a 10-point lead in a game in which Alabama had struggled to gain much traction to that point, trailing by as much as 16 in the first half. Then one Crimson Tide player expressed optimism in the huddle.
We can win this game.
Oats, who said postgame he didn’t know which player said it, disagreed with the statement.
No. Stop. We are going to win this game. There’s no ‘we can.’ We are winning this game and here’s how we’re going to do it.
Then he described the plan: Get stops and get rebounds. Georgia scored the next bucket, but soon, Alabama started to draw closer and closer. Before five minutes had even passed, the Crimson Tide tied the game. Then less than a minute later, Alabama took the lead and never looked back.
The No. 22 Crimson Tide managed to pull off the second half comeback on the road, defeating Georgia 85-76 at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Georgia.
“Everybody that played that second half showed some toughness,” Oats said. “Some character. Some grit. We grew up a lot tonight.”
The victory kept Alabama (15-6, 7-1 SEC) atop the conference standings, and it keeps winning the SEC very much so in play. As January comes to a close and the halfway point of SEC play approaches, the question is, will the Crimson Tide remain in the top spot?
Will Alabama actually win the SEC?
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That can’t be answered with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on Jan. 31. That was the case even for last season’s Alabama team that looked destined for a regular-season championship for much of conference play with frequent dominance.
But this season’s edition of the Crimson Tide has been more difficult to figure out. It’s a team that frequently mixes signs of progress and promise with indications of problems.
Is this an elite offensive team that is capable of a run in the NCAA Tournament? That answer would have been vastly different on Saturday vs. LSU from the one in the first half vs. Georgia. Fresh off 109 points vs. the Tigers, Alabama couldn’t hit open shots before halftime vs. the Bulldogs, as the Crimson Tide went 2-for-11 from beyond the arc and 1-for-4 from the free-throw line.
Will Alabama figure out its defense and play to the level Oats seeks more often than not? Against Auburn, South Carolina and Mississippi State, that looked possible. Against LSU, it didn’t much at all.
Can Alabama win big games away from Coleman Coliseum? So far, Mississippi State is the best road win Alabama has. Meanwhile it has road losses to the likes of Tennessee, Creighton and Arizona. All big games, all losses.
And does Alabama have the necessary intangibles? Does it display proper effort each possession? Does it have enough toughness? Each half of the Georgia game gave different answers. Before halftime, Georgia outrebounded Alabama 27-7. The Crimson Tide returned the favor with a 19-12 rebounding edge in the second half.
“The first four minutes, our effort has to be a lot better,” guard Mark Sears said. “The first four minutes of this game, our effort was not where it needed to be.”
The last four minutes it sure was. Sears and Grant Nelson served as the top catalysts for Alabama’s finishing efforts. The two combined for 20 points in the final six minutes of the game.
“The two (3-pointers Nelson) had late in the game were huge,” Oats said. “They sealed the game for us. He showed he’s a winner. He showed the moment doesn’t get too big for him and he doesn’t shy away from it. We’ve got a lot of guys I thought played hard.”
Alabama has solid pieces, and the Crimson Tide continues to earn victories more often than not. Winning the SEC is not only an aspiration but also a legitimate possibility at this point.
Nonetheless, it will all come down to how Alabama answers the questions that haven’t yet gone away.
Nick Kelly is the Alabama beat writer for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network, and he covers Alabama football and men’s basketball. Reach him at nkelly@gannett.com or follow him @_NickKelly on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – 7-seeded Alabama continues NCAA regional action in the Tuscaloosa Regional on Saturday against USC Upstate. The Crimson Tide is coming off a monstrous offensive effort on Friday that saw the team score the most runs in program NCAA Tournament history with 21. The Spartans scored in each of the first four innings to upset Oklahoma State and advance to Saturday’s winner’s bracket game.
Alabama Baseball Regional Tournament Central: Schedule, How to Watch, Bracket Breakdown
Live Updates (Refresh Your Browser For Latest Updates at the Top)
Pregame
- Tonight’s start time has been delayed as we’ve entered a weather delay.
- Alabama vs. USC Upstate will have a first pitch time of 6:23 p.m. CT. The grounds crew is currently tending the field in between matchups.
- 5:13 p.m. CT – Oklahoma State beat Alabama State 8-7 in 11 innings to eliminate the Hornets from the Tuscaloosa Regional. The Cowboys move into tomorrow’s elimination game against the loser of Alabama and USC Upstate on Sunday.
Starting Lineups
USC Upstate
Alabama
How to Watch: 7-Seed Alabama vs. USC Upstate in the Tuscaloosa Regional
Who: 7-seed Alabama (38-19, 18-12 SEC) vs. USC Upstate (34-28, 13-11 Big South Conference)
What: NCAA Regional Game 4
When: Saturday, May 30, 6 p.m. CT
Where: Sewell-Thomas Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
TV: ESPN +
Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network. LISTEN LIVE
Series: Alabama and USC Upstate have never played in baseball.
Last Meeting: The Crimson Tide and Spartans have never played in baseball.
Last time out, Alabama: The Crimson Tide used 15 hits, and took advantage of eight walks, four errors, and four wild pitches to beat Alabama State 21-3 in their first NCAA Regional matchup of the weekend. Alabama had four different players hit home runs as the Crimson Tide cruised to an easy win.
Last time out, USC Upstate: The Spartans upset Oklahoma State 8-5 in their first game of the NCAA Regional. USC Upstate struck out 10 batters and scored in each of the first four innings to upset the Cowboys.
Tuscaloosa Regional Information
- Alabama, (37-19)
- Oklahoma State, (37-20)
- USC Upstate, (31-27)
- Alabama State, (31-21)
Friday
- Game 1 – #2 Oklahoma St. (37-20) vs. #3 USC Upstate (33-28), 1 p.m. CT, ESPN+
- Game 2 – #1 Alabama (37-19) vs. #4 Alabama St. (34-21), 6 p.m. CT, SEC Network
Saturday
- Game 3 – Oklahoma State vs. Alabama State – 1 p.m. CT
- Game 4 – USC Upstate vs. Alabama – 6 p.m. CT
Sunday
- Game 5 – Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 – 2 p.m. CT
- Game 6 – Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 – 7 p.m. CT
Monday
Game 7 – IF Necessary – Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 – TBD
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The Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Alabama State Hornets meet in the first game of Saturday’s action at the Tuscaloosa Regional on Saturday.
The Cowboys (37-21) and the Hornets lost their first games of the tournament on Friday. The loser of this game will be eliminated. The winner of this game will advance to another elimination game on Sunday between the loser of the USC Upstate-Alabama game, which follows OSU-ASU
Oklahoma State fans can keep up with the game here, including lineups and inning by inning details on the game. Check out Oklahoma State On SI’s NCAA Tournament Central for everything related to the Tuscaloosa Regional.
Game Details
Oklahoma State vs. Alabama State
Time: 1 p.m. central
TV: ESPN+ (Derek Jones & Jared Mitchell on the call). NOTE: TV is subject to change without notice.
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network & The Varsity Network App/93.7 KSPI-FM or okla.state/GetVarsity (Rex Holt on the call)
OSU Batting Order
The batting order for Saturday’s game will be posted here when it is released by the team.
Xxx
Tuscaloosa Regional
Location: Tuscaloosa, Ala. Venue: Sewell-Thomas Stadium (5,867).
Friday’s Results
Game 1: USC Upstate 8, Oklahoma State 5
Game 2: Alabama 21, Alabama State 3
Saturday’s Games
Game 3: Oklahoma State vs. Alabama State, TBA (elimination game)
Game 4: USC Upstate vs. Alabama, TBA (advances to Sunday’s final)
Sunday’s Games
Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 (elimination game)
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5
Monday’s Game
Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 (if necessary)
(Times subject to change for TV purposes)
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MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – For those incarcerated in Alabama, there is a path to employment through the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles Re-Entry Program.
The Bureau looks at where someone may live after serving their sentence and starts connecting them with potential employers, while also conducting drug screenings to help ensure employers and communities are getting a safe employee.
“We make sure as they’re moving through our re-entry programs that they’re re-assessed for mental health stability for substance abuse challenges,” said Rebecca Bensema, Assistant Director of Re-entry and Rehabilitation.
Bensema said the agency sits down with inmates to gauge their interests and review their work history to help match them with opportunities.
Bureau Director Cam Ward explained that there are areas where an individual would be unable to work because of their conviction.
“For example, if I committed check fraud, I’m not going to be able to get a job at the bank. Sex offense… you’re not going to be eligible to work anywhere near kids or sensitive facilities,” Ward said.
Ward said offering job possibilities to people leaving incarceration is key to reducing recidivism and repeat offenses.
“Give the employer all the information and if they want to hire somebody based on their criminal history, let the employer decide, don’t let the government be the one who dictates it,” he said.
The Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles says it currently has positions open that people with a criminal background can apply for.
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