Goodman: Alabama has the recent hand, however does the Tide have the resolve?

That is an opinion column.

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Andy Hayes is the president of Alabama’s scholar part for basketball video games.

Earlier than each dwelling sport this season, Hayes has tried a long-distance shot from the group. It’s a enjoyable custom and a great way to make the scholars really feel like they’re part of the staff.

Alabama performed Mississippi State on Tuesday evening, and, like at all times, Hayes launched his customary heave throughout warmups. For the primary time this season, his trick shot went down. It was an omen of issues to come back.

The Crimson Tide took the courtroom and couldn’t miss.

There have been a variety of spectacular scoring exhibitions this season for the Crimson Tide, however Alabama’s 111-73 victory in opposition to Mississippi State stands out amongst all of them. It was Alabama’s largest factors complete of the season, and the backcourt duo of Mark Sears and Chris Youngblood accounted for 12 of the staff’s 22 3-pointers.

Andy Hayes (heart) is the president of the Alabama scholar part, Crimson Chaos. (Ben Flanagan / AL.com)Ben Flanagan

I’m not a superstitious particular person, however possibly coach Nate Oats ought to personally make sure that Hayes, the president of Crimson Chaos, sinks a bucket from the stands earlier than each single sport of the upcoming SEC and NCAA tournaments.

If Alabama could make 20 3-pointers a sport, then it’ll by no means lose once more.

The Tide has now gained two straight video games in opposition to ranked opponents since its high-profile losses to No.1 Auburn and No.15 Missouri. The SEC regular-season championship is Auburn’s to lose at this level, however Alabama will win the nationwide championship if it continues to shoot just like the Harlem Globetrotters.

And to suppose that just a few video games in the past I questioned whether or not Alabama had peaked too quickly.

Mistaken.

Fortunately wrong-wrong-wrong.

Oats challenged Sears after Alabama’s loss to Auburn. It was painful to listen to, however Oats knew what he was doing. Sears has scored a complete of 86 factors since being known as out.

Will it work, somebody requested in a column final week.

Affirmative.

Sears is taking part in with a renewed power for the reason that sport in opposition to Auburn, and the staff is following that lead. He scored 35 factors final week in opposition to Missouri after which 30 in opposition to Kentucky over the weekend. It was the primary time in his faculty profession to attain no less than 30 factors in two straight video games.

This time he went for 21, however Sears’ sharpshooting was infectious. Youngblood, Alabama’s defensive-minded guard, scored 27 factors in 26 minutes.

We’ll flip the calendar to March in a pair days, however it appears to be like like Alabama is already within the correct temper for insanity. Somebody picked Auburn to win the nationwide title earlier than the season began, however the Tide can do it, too.

The explanation for choosing Auburn was easy. In a season when the SEC has by no means been higher, I knew that the Tigers had the power to play protection at an elite stage.

However possibly I bought Alabama brief.

Offense will get the headlines, however holding Mississippi State to 73 factors is likely to be a greater signal of a wholesome staff than dropping 111 factors in 40 minutes.

Alabama finishes the common season with video games in opposition to Tennessee, Florida and Auburn. All 4 of these groups have the personnel to win the nationwide championship. However who could have the resolve?

We all know that Auburn is constructed for a rugged end, however Alabama can scrap and claw, too.

Auburn takes on Ole Miss tonight at 6 p.m. If the Tigers get the victory, then they’ll be one win away from clinching the SEC regular-season championship. The banner for successful the SEC this season ought to be twice as massive.

Alabama can nonetheless spoil the celebration, although, and we’ve seen this script earlier than.

Does anybody keep in mind the 2019 common season? LSU gained the title that yr, however it was Auburn that bought sizzling on the finish. The Tigers went into the SEC match on hearth and by no means misplaced till the Last 4.

This Alabama staff is starting to search out that type.

I’m not going to say it’s all because of Auburn, however we all know what they are saying on this state about iron sharpening iron.

BE HEARD

Joseph Goodman is the lead sports activities columnist for the Alabama Media Group, and creator of the e book “We Want Bama: A Season of Hope and the Making of Nick Saban’s Ultimate Team.”