No surprise. Alabama routs Wake Forest in exhibition game
- Thread starter Smashcat
- Start date
Alabama has the potential to be crazy good this year. As a UK fan, this gives me hope that Pope's style can not only have success, but have sustained success.
Alabama is ok, but crazy good? I’m just not buying the hype. They kind of lucked out last year in the regional final getting to play UNC, a team that runs no matter what, even when it’s not in their best interest. There’s been many years where we didn’t have particularly good teams and yet still beat UNC due to their stubborn insistence on trying to beat us at our own game.
I know most won’t agree with me. A final four is a major accomplishment, regardless of how you get there. Certainly, Bama has been much more successful than UK as of late. But something about Oats just screams Bruce Pearl to me. Aka, a gimmick.
There were a lot of secret scrimmages and exhibitions this weekend, I wish Kentucky would do one of the secret scrimmages
How do you know they haven’t secretly played a game?
I heard a rumor they scrimmaged St Johns
Because if Kentucky scrimmaged somebody with as big as our fan base is and as many media members as we have it would have leaked by now
Maybe they did...and it was "secret".
Not denying you heard that, but if that’s the case this staff/team is extremely tight lipped. And that would be a feat to pull off in this day and age.
The first rule of Secret Scrimmages is that you don't talk about Secret Scrimmages
Alabama is like Gonzaga or Houston, they will have lofty rankings and win a lot of regular season games, but will never win a title.
Is it true about Fight Club in Lexington? Is Mr. Pope building a basketball team?
Alabama has always had crazy good potential, but never quite reaches it. Yes, they have been really good, They are like they always are, loaded with athleticism and will win a lot of games. Their preseason rankings always make them better than they are. They have had this kind of talent with better coaches than Nate Oats and always seem to flame out in the NCAA tournament.
Did Alabama do this without Grant Nelson? Or did he get injured during the match? I read earlier today he is now injured
Found it. IU@ UT Sun. Oct.27 @ 3:00 ET, on SECN+. Should be an interesting match-up.
Would love to see the roof cave in on both these teams with Kansas and Lil brother in the stands waiting to play next!
They will be tough and Wake is supposed to be pretty good this year. They got Hunter Sally’s back and he is very good now, maybe a preseason AA candidate.
Maybe so, but Oats got the job done and 2 weeks before the end of the year we made them look like they didn’t belong in the tournament. That’s real coaching. Their style works and they have a good roster. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them at the top most of the year.
They just made the final 4, and the Miller year they went out earlier than they should have, but that happens.
I’ll have to watch that one. Should be a good game. I want to see how Woodson uses their new roster because this is his make or break year and they spent for a good roster.
Oats would have been a slam dunk here. He took effing Alabama to a final four.
No doubt, I wish the timing were better to make a run at him but I’m loving what Pope has done and he runs a similar style. No reason to think he can’t be as successful with better players here.
And while it could be possible, I don't think Rick and St. Johns could roll into Lexington or Kentucky into MSG without SOMEONE saying something.
Would have been a solid hire. Not sure if he would have united the fanbase as much as Pope has though.
I think Oats was interested but family issues kept him at Bama.
Hadn't heard that but I think it would be good if several exhibitions like that happens and proceeds went to Hurricane relief victims.
Same Oats that was loaded last year and got run out of Rupp by a guy that cant coach. The Oats lovers are carnival clowns 🤡
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I agree with this.
Lets compare Alabama to UK. Returnees bolded.
ALABAMA
Sears 6'1 (33.6m, 21.5p, 4.2r, 4.0a, 1.6s, 43.6% 3pt)
Holloway 6'1 Auburn (20.2m, 7.3p, 2.7a, 30.2 3pt, 31.8% fg)
Philon (6'4 4* FR)
Wrightsell 6'3 (23.7m, 8.9p, 3.0r, 44.7% 3pt)
Mallette 6'5 Pepperdine (31.5m, 14.7p, 3.2r, 2.4a, 41.5% 3pt)
Youngblood 6'4 USF *out till Jan* (30m, 15.3p, 2.5r, 2.1a, 41.6% 3pt)
Reid (6'8 5* FR)
Cunningham (6'7 4* FR)
Nelson 6'11 (25.6m, 11.9p, 5.9r, 1.6b, 27.3% 3pt)
Stephenson 6'11 (16.6m, 5.3p, 2.7r, 31.7% 3pt)
Omoruyi 6'11 Rutgers (26.9m, 10.7p, 8.3r, 2.9b)
Sherrill (6'10 5* FR)
Crazy good? No!!!
KENTUCKY
Butler 6'2 SD St (27.6m, 9.3p, 2.6r, 3.0a, 1.5s, 30.2% 3pt)
Kriisa 6'3 WV (33.5m, 11p, 2.5r, 4.7a, 42.4% 3pt)
Perry (6'1 4* FR)
Oweh 6'4 Okl (24.8m, 11.4p, 3.8r, 37.7% 3pt)
Brea 6'7 Dayton (29.1m, 11.1p, 3.8r, 49.8% 3pt)
Robinson 6'6 BYU (26.5m, 14.2p, 2.5r, 35.4% 3pt)
Chandler (6'5 4* FR)
Noah (6'5 FR)
Carr 6'11 WF (32.5m, 13.5p, 6.8r, 1.5b, 37.1% 3pt)
Almonor 6'7 FDU (32m, 16.4p, 5.1r, 39.4% 3pt)
Williams 7'0 Drexel (22.9m, 12.2p, 7.8r, 1.9a, 1.8b)
Garrison 6'10 Ok St (22.6m, 7.5p, 5.3r, 1.5a, 1.5b)
How do they compare???
PG- Sears is an AA, you can't beat that. But Butler and Kriisa are both good. Butler started for a F4 team and is an elite defender. Kriisa is a very good offensive player, with number that would match Sears except for the volume that Sears had. Holloway is NOT as good as either Sears or Kriisa. Each team has a FR 4* that if makes the court could contribute. I'd give the 3 Bama players (out of 10) an 8, 4, 3 ratings. And the 3 UK players 6.5, 6.5 & 3 ratings. Edge BAMA
SG- Bama has 3 very solid guys there once the one returns from injury in Jan, at which time they may play 2 together. The 2 transfers both came from mid-majors, so I wouldn't be shocked if 1 of them didn't meet expectations. But all 3 are good 3pt shooters. UK though has the top returning 3pt shooter in the country (Brea) although he also was a (high)-mid-major guy. Oweh compliments him with defense, while a solid 3pt shooter himself, and played in the best conference the past 2 years. I'd give the 2 healthy Bama guys 6.0 ratings and the injured one a 5 (would also be a 6 if not hurt), and I'd give Brea a 6.5 and Oweh a 6.0. I call it EVEN.
SF- Once Youngblood is healthy Bama may go with 2 SG, but until then they have 2 FR at SF. But one is a top 10 5* guy. However FR are always a mystery, so I'll rate these two as 5 & 4. UK has Robinson, the top scorer on a top 25 team in the top conference last year. Although his shooting %'s are just ok. Chandler is a mature 4*, while Noah is a future guy. I'll rate UK guys 7, 3.5, 2. Edge to UK
PF- This is half of Bama's returning players. Good size here too (both 6'10-11). Nelson had a very good NCAA-T, but on the season was just OK. Only made 27% of his 3's and <6 rpg. Stephenson didn't shoot much better (31% from 3) but was a better rebounder (I liked his game). I'll give these 2 ratings of 6 and 5.5. UK brings in Carr, also 6'10-11, and played an ACC, but shot it much better (10% better than Nelson). Almonor did come from a mid-major, and while has the thickness to make up for it, is just 6'7. But he is maybe even a better shooter than Carr. So UK gets ratings of 6.5 and 5.5 here. Slight edge to UK.
C- Both teams went for defense / shot blocking here. Bama got the P5 player (Omoruyi), who is the better shot blocker, but has less offense. While for UK Williams is a slightly better scorer and rebounder, and was defensive POY in his mid-major conf. Backing them up Bama has a 6'10 FR, while UK adds a 6'10 from another P5 school. He didn't score that well, but otherwise looks decent. Bama gets a 6.5 and a 4, while UK gets a 6 and a 5. I call it EVEN.
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I don't know how you can call these even or edge to UK. For one, Nelson, Stevenson, and Reid are a really good trio for the SF/PF spot. Reid is a top 10 freshmen. Stevenson and Nelson both came on strong at the end of the year as well.
Then at C, Omoruyi was one of the top center transfers, coming from Rutgers, and they have a top 25 freshmen in Sherrell. At best, I'd call that a slight edge to Bama.
I gave my rationale. You can agree or disagree.
I said I liked Stevenson's game. But BOTH him and Nelson are NOT good shooters (27% & 31% from 3), yet they both like to play on the outside. While Carr and Almonor made 37% & 39% from 3. Granted, I expect Almonor % to go down (like Nelson's did) going from mid-major defenders to P5 defenders, so even if Almonor drops 10%, Carr is still a much better shooter than either Bama guy. Nelson just looks awkward in everything he does on the floor. And the site I used (an Alabama site) had Reid at the 3, maybe because Youngblood is hurt and also because with Nelson and Stephenson that doesn't leave any minutes at the 4 for Reid. So I have Reid going against Robinson.
I liked and wanted Omoruyi. Williams was also one of the top C transfers, just slightly below Omoruyi. H2H, I give the slight edge to Omoruyi. But that's just 2/3 of the game. The other 1/3 is Garrison, who has a year of P5 under his belt and was a 5*, vs the thin (200 lb) FR. I do see now that Sherrill was also a 5* (the Bama site I used for reference gave the * status of the F's but not him so I assumed 3*, my bad) So I'll slightly upgrade him, but he is only 200-lbs so Garrison is much more ready and likely better, offsetting Omoruyi being a little better than Williams.
Overall, maybe Sears is enough better, or Youngblood returns sooner, that Alabama is better. But "Crazy good", No.
Appreciate the numbers compilation and work put into the post. Enjoyed reading it.
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