Happy Wednesday, everyone. Alabama basketball has a big game tonight at Mizzou, and there is unfortunately a surprise on the injury report as center Cliff Omoruyi is listed as questionable.
Fresh off a tough rivalry loss to Auburn in Tuscaloosa, Alabama is set to hit the road once again. A top-15 opponent will be waiting for them on the other side, going up against Missouri. Just around 24 hours before the game is set to tip-off, there is some injury news.
Alabama center Cliff Omoruyi is questionable for the game, according to the SEC injury report. Omoruyi was not discussed by head coach Nate Oats earlier on Tuesday. His addition is a bit of a surprise and now something to watch for ahead of Wednesday night.
Derrion Reid is also included, being slated as doubtful. Reid returned to action against Auburn but Oats revealed the hamstring injury flared up. An MRI is once again scheduled, meaning he is unlikely to play against Missouri and maybe further down the road.
Cliff may have played his best defensive game against Auburn, essentially shutting Johni Broome down at the rim. Broome is a great player and managed to get his points shooting the ball from the perimeter, but the interior defense was strong. Freshman Aiden Sherrell will be the likely beneficiary if Cliff is unable to go. Aiden was a coach’s decision DNP on Saturday.
“It had nothing to do with the way Aiden’s been playing because I think he’s been playing much better basketball,” Alabama head coach Nate Oats said during Tuesday’s press conference. “I did feel bad. We tried to win the game, and I thought we went with guys who were working. I would anticipate Aiden getting minutes in the first half here against Missouri and seeing where that goes from there.
“I felt bad. I love the kid. I actually praised him a lot in a video this morning because for a kid to not play in a game for the first time all year––and [forward Mouhamed Dioubate] had multiple games where he didn’t play last year, and I thought his attitude stayed great. It’s well known, everybody in here would agree, we don’t make a Final Four run without what [Dioubate] did in the NCAA Tournament.”
Mizzou is a tough team that is surging after whipping Oklahoma and Georgia by a combined 37 points in the last two outings. Alabama will need everyone’s best effort tonight, and Nate Oats seems confident that he will get it.
Oats recalled being “disappointed with the leadership” going into what would eventually be a 105-87 loss at Florida, and wondered if the players who experienced that loss had “grown up and matured,” or if the freshest members of the roster would step up to the challenge.
“Based on yesterday’s practice and today’s practice, I think the answer is yes,” Oats said.
After the eventual Final Four team took its first loss to Tennessee last January, Alabama returned to Coleman to defeat Auburn by four points.
“Some of the guys that were on last year’s team that kind of wallowed in self pity, if you will, after the Tennessee loss and going into Florida looked a lot better yesterday in practice than they had last year,” Oats said.
Hope for the best.
Oats sees opportunity in the late season gauntlet, easily the toughest remaining schedule in the nation featuring five AP top 20 opponents including three of the top six and both of the top two.
“Instead of looking at what we have to do, it’s more like what we get to do,” Oats said during Tuesday’s press conference. “We get to play against some of the best competition in the country and test ourselves. If we bring it and are fortunate enough to get the win, we get to rattle off quality wins to get our NCAA Tournament seeding up.
“I saw the committee came out with their [initial top 16 seeds], I think we were a 1-seed but I didn’t look too close at it. I was trying to figure out what went wrong in the Auburn game. But it did take a minute to look at that.
“Can we keep our No. 1 seed where it’s at, which gives us the best chance to make a run to the Final Four? Well, we’ve got plenty of opportunities to do that. And we’ve also got plenty of opportunity to prep ourselves for the SEC tournament and the NCAA Tournament, both with playing pretty good teams.”
Last, the Alabama documentary opens today. You have to download and pay for a subscription to Fox Nation in order to watch it.
“Alabama football’s legacy is unparalleled, and this partnership allows fans to see what goes into wearing the crimson and white,” said DeBoer. “This is more than just a football story – it is a look at the passion and culture that surrounds this program. It also gives viewers a look inside the team and what we embody, including the discipline and resilience that define this program.”
From preseason workouts to the high-stakes moments of the 2024 season, The Tides That Bind brings viewers into the heart of Alabama football, capturing the passion and commitment that fuel the team’s continued success. Through exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes access, and never-before-seen footage, the series honors the rich tradition and future of the program.
“Alabama football is one of the most storied programs in all of sports, with a legacy of success that transcends any single player or era,” said director and producer John Henion. “Its winning tradition is built on a culture that has endured for generations. With the support of the Athletics Department and Coach DeBoer, we wanted to embrace present-tense storytelling while exploring the fundamental tenets that have made this program so successful.”
According to Nick Kelly, Jamarcus Shephard kind of steals the show in the first episode, which mostly highlights the prep for Georgia.
“The fire is coming,” Shephard yelled. “And guess what? We are firemen.”
The episode also features Shephard working with his receivers in practice before the Georgia game and him instructing them in a meeting room. He didn’t hold back in his address featured in the meeting room.
“I’m tired of sugar coating s*** for people in this room anymore,” Shephard said. “I’m not sugar coating. It’s a tell-tale sign our two receivers who have the most production in the room are the two taking notes right now. It’s a tell-tale sign that’s how it is. I’m sick of this s***. The ball goes in the air, we’ve got to want it. Everybody wanna be cute. All these weak-ass haircuts y’all got. S*** all pristine and s***. Ain’t nobody got no dog in them.”
We definitely need more dogs.
That’s about it for now. Have a great day.
Roll Tide.
