Crimson Red Sports

Releford on fire with 11 points and Tide leading 13-8.



 :popcorn2:

I hate to say this because I know it will jinx the team, but they are hitting on all cylinders on offense. 15-10 after Obasohan scores. Releford has 3 3-pointers.

Texas Tech is coached by Tubby Smith so this is a challenge for the Tide. Timeout Tide 15-12.


 :worship:

(http://gamedayr.com/wp-content/slideshow/2012/10/sec-cheerleaders-crimson-tide-edition/full/girls-alabama-570x359.jpg)

There, I contributed.  Please keep us posted; I'm watching football still.

The days of tough defense may be over. Refs are calling ticky tack fouls this year, by new rule. We need more than Releford doing the scoring.

They explained during the Duke-Kansas game the new foul system was to reduce so much touching and pushing and allow for more scoring.


 :wave:

Would be nice if they called those same fouls on TT.

Remember, the Tide D has been built around hand-checking and using your hands on the other players body since Grant got there. Hard to break a habit you are used to when they change the rules on you.


 :popcorn:

Lift up your head and hands and go Bama! RTR!

You're right, MD, and that is what has kept them a winning team, because they've never scored that well. This new rule scares me with this team. Bama will certainly have to learn how to score.

Yeah, good observation. We have to rebound and score on the perimeter to be a better team with the new foul rules. Taylor has looked decent on the inside but very raw. Tide 28-22 on circus shot by Obasohan.


 :clap:

Good to see Obasahon driving to the basket.

What a fantastic fast break by Taylor, Randolph, & Cooper!!!




 #+ #+ #+

I hope they keep that intensity up.  :popcorn2:

Taylor blocking shots & Releford hitting 3's. I could get used to that on a regular basis. Tide leads 33-25.

Jimmy taylor has been very impressive in the middle. He has blocked at least 3 shots and caused Tech to change their shots a few times. That's what we need from the post position.



 :popcorn2:

TR absolutely on fire the first half, Bama wearing them down at the end of the first half. Bama up 40-28 at the half.

Tide 40-28 at half. Releford on fire with 19 points and 5/6 3 pointers. Taylor looking good and good energy from Randolph, Obasohan, & Cooper.




 #+ #+ #+ #+ #+

They looked like a real basketball team the last 3 minutes of the half. Alabama speed and Releford's shooting is the difference in this game.

Now, here's the key, can we do it again in the 2nd half. That's our problem over the past few problems, finishing the deal.


 :clap:

A quick 4 points by Tech and Tide looking sluggish. Grant bringing in Randolph for an energy infusion.

Tide 44-32 after Obasohan scores, then great play by Releford by bouncing inbounds pass off defender then making easy layup.

Slow start, but cooking now! How about that inbound pass by Releford?!!!

Obasohan looking great and he has really stepped up his game. He worked hard in the offseason, apparently. Tide 46-32 & Taylor rebounds missed shot.

Tide D looking tough and have caused 3 shot violations by Tech. Jacobs fouled & misses both FT's. Tide getting a tad sloppy right now, then Releford hits layup. Tide 48-36.

Bama not letting up. 56-41 with 10:57 left. Releford has been amazing. The D is doing well since they started double teaming the man with the ball down low.

Well-known basketball saying: Don't turn your back to the ball!!!



 :lol2:

They're discussing the work of the new strength coach. One player lost 20# (could not hear the name) and Jacobs lost 30#'s.



 :clap:

You can see this team starting to gel a little. As Taylor and Key gain experience, you've got to believe this team has the potential of being good. Engstrom is playing less and less.

I was just wondering about him. Is he completely recovered from the knee injury? Cooper hits 1/2 FT's. Tide 61-48.

Cooper just can not hit a 3 pointer tonight.


 :wall:

Bama hitting the boards on that one!  #+

Getting a little sloppy here near the end. 72-59 Bama. A couple of minutes ago, we were up by 18.

Tide 76 Texas Tech 64 Final



 :clap: :clap: :clap:

Bama wins easily 76-64. Releford with 29 points was MVP of the game. Great win!

Good job, CAG and everyone!

Roll Tide!!
A good win for the Tide, they beat a decent team and a very good coach tonight. Releford showed the young ones what this team is capable of doing tonight and I look for some better days ahead for the team. They played some pretty good basktball the second half.

A very good 76-64 win for the Tide. I don't know how good Texas Tech is but they had some good players and they are well coached. They had the potential to give us a lot of trouble with their big guys. All in all it was a good win and one we needed badly.

Alabama played a very aggressive zone most of the game. TT could not hit perimeter shots to make us change defenses. Even in the zone we guarded the outside shot so TT had very few open looks at the basket. The zone limited our fouls and kept us out of foul trouble. We only had 9 fouls and TT was never in the bonus. TT was 4-8 from the line.

Our press worked last night. They had trouble getting the ball across mid-court in 10 secs much of the night. We got a few turn overs, one ten second call and Tubby called one timeout. Even when they crossed mid-court the shot shot was close to 20 seconds before they could start to set up their offense. We got two shot clock violations and they put up several bad shots trying to avoid a violation.

Trevor Releford was on fire. He had 19 points at the half and finished with 29. Obasohan had 15, Randolph 10, Copper 7 and Jacobs 9. Obasohan played a good game. Randolph is getting back in shape and Jacobs went toe to toe with their big guys to get his nine points. We shot 55% for the night which is outstanding. We were 14-17 from the line for 82%.

We still need to rebound better. We out rebounded TT 32-26. However they got 13 offensive boards to our 12.

Jimmie Taylor played well for a freshman. He played 21 minutes and scored 4 points, 6 rebounds and 4 blocks. He had one nice tip in called off off for offensive goal tending that was a bad call. He was only credited with 4 blocks but I thought he had more. He altered many shots. I hope he can keep this up and continue to improve. Engstrom does not look good at all.

I was surprised we did not see much of Algie Key last night. He only played 11 minutes and scored 2 points. Shannon Hale only played 6 minutes and did not score but got one rebound.

We play again on Monday against Stillman in the NIT Preseason Tip-Off Classic. The first two rounds of the tournament will be in Tuscaloosa.

Texas Tech has been a train wreck the last few years. I think they were 8-20 last year. Tubby Smith is in his first year so he is in a huge rebuilding process. Still, we played good but we still can't rebound and that will kill us during the season against good teams.


 :dog:

According to the box score the attendance at the game was 10,736. It looked more like 3,500. The crowd size looked very bad on TV. Either that number is inflated or there were a lot of season ticket holders that did not attend.

Yeah, I thought they might have 5,000 tops, so I think they are counting tickets sold,  not attendance.


 ???

It looked like a deserted building.

Thanks for the report guys.  All I saw of the game was Releford highlights during halftime at the Titans game.

Releford was great but others contributed. I would say Randolph, Jimmy Taylor, Obasohan and to a lesser degree Jacobs all played well.


 :clap:

After two games we have scored 73 and 76 points. For CAG teams at Alabama these are high scores. Against Oklahoma we had 4 players in double figures. Last night we had three players in double figures. In both games we have others scoring 7-9 points. This is encouraging to me. Since CAG came to Bama we have struggled to score. We won a lot of games with our defense while scoring 65 points or less.

The point of this post is to point out it appears to me we have more scoring options than in the past. We know Releford can score. Obasohan has been in double figures both games and is averaging 14.5 pts. Randolph is averaging 9. His style of play will draw a lot of fouls with the new rules. Cooper is averaging 9.5 pts and he has been cold as ice. His rebounding has been impressive. Key went off for 20 against Oklahoma and barely played against TT. I think Taylor will get better and get us some trash points under the basket.

We have to get better but I am encouraged after two games.