Crimson Red Sports

It's early in the Southeastern Conference basketball season, but not too early to form the opinion that the University of Alabama men's basketball team is about to enter its toughest three-game stretch of the season.

The rough row to hoe begins this afternoon in Starkville, Miss., where the Crimson Tide (13-3, 2-0 SEC) will meet No. 20 Mississippi State(14-3, 1-1 SEC) in a 3 p.m. game at Humphrey Coliseum. That will be followed by a home game against Vanderbilt next Thursday and a road game at Kentucky the following Saturday. But the tallest order of the week, literally and figuratively, may come against the Bulldogs.

MSU will throw a front line which includes 6-foot-11 Arnett Moultrie (15.9 points, 10.8 rebounds per game) and 6-11, 285-pound Renardo Sidney, inconsistent but talented, against a much smaller Crimson Tide starting lineup. The Bulldogs, though, are more than just big.

"You talk about their size, but they are led by (Dee) Bost," Crimson Tide coach Anthony Grant said. "I think he's their leader in just about every statistical category, but it's more than that. He just has an ability to impose his will on the game."

So Pmull, do you know why Sydney is only playing half a game (average minutes wise)? He also missed 3 games so I'm guessing he was hurt, then they had to gradually work him back into lineup. But he is good for 10, shooting .500+ (including 3s) and has the potential for 20 about any time now. Especially if not blocked out. I hate traveling games in really cold weather-- it seems to transform to the floor.

I know he missed some games with a groin injury in November. It may still be bothering him.

Weather wise it is actually a nice day. It was cold last night but today the sun is out and the temps will be near 50. Not bad for Jan 14th.

MY bad. I have 0 wind chill. What does the Tide do-- take busses to Starkville and return after game,-- or spend the weekend close by for a shoot around, etc?

IDK what the BB team does. The football team goes over on Friday and stays in Columbus. Since it is only 90 miles they may bus over this morning.

Really sad to see this opportunity missed. I appreciate your trying to find the silver lining but there was a SEC road game in the bag-- 4 minutes? or so- and DIDN"T FINISH. But yeah, on the bright side, solid defense never really goes on a cold spell, --so it is nice to have THAT in our bag of tricks. Now we must beat Vandy.

Kentucky has just let two average/below average teams hang around. They let the Crimson Tide hang around they are asking for trouble and maybe a #2 seed come NCAA time.

JG played pretty well (no worse than anyone else) so I'm not going to use this game against him. But this was getting close to being a good example of what we have been talking about. JG took about 4 or 5 shots at the end (last 7 minutes) that maybe could've been spread around. He thinks, and I not real quick to bash him here, that he is the senior and needs to take it on his shoulders to pull one out,-- like today. Especially when he sees 6-11 Moultrie doing it for MSU. But a well balanced, mature team will stay in their offense and not "panick shoot". Work the ball around, find the open man, follow his shot to the boards. Find the hot hand and then ride that horse to victory. 8-10 guys do not all have cold days,-- find the guys that are shooting.