Happy Monday, everyone. The Gym Tide finished a respectable fifth at the SEC Championships this weekend, and now look forward to hosting a NCAA Regional. It was a tough weekend on the diamonds against good competition, as baseball dropped two of three to Tennessee and softball did the same at Texas A&M.
The men’s basketball team advanced to the Sweet Sixteen with a convincing win over Saint Mary’s, and the women will try to match that feat tonight.
Alabama women’s basketball is taking on Maryland in the NCAA Tournament second round on Monday.
The game will tip off at 4 p.m. CT from Xfinity Center in College Park, Md. The game will be on ESPN 2, with the Crimson Tide getting another national TV game.
The Crimson Tide advanced to the second round after an 81-67 win over No. 12-seed Green Bay in the first game of the College Park Regional on Saturday. Alabama was led by 23 points from Aaliyah Nye and 22 from Zaay Green.
It won’t be easy knocking Maryland off on their home court. Not too long ago, both Alabama basketball teams still playing meaningful games on March 24th would have been a dream.
In football news, rumor has it that Austin Mack has been making a move in the quarterback battle. Parker Brailsford and Ryan Williams seem to be comfortable with all of the competitors.
“Each of these guys has their own thing that makes them go,” Brailsford said. “So far, it’s been a good battle between, honestly, all three of them. It doesn’t really change depending on who I work with. It feels all the same. Everything moves the same. The offense moves the same.”
After starting all 13 games last year, Brailsford will once again by Alabama’s starting center for the 2025 season. He snaps to whichever quarterback is receiving first-team reps. Ryan Williams will be one of the Tide’s top receivers in his second year, and the coaching staff is moving the pass-catchers around to insure they get work with all three quarterbacks.
“I feel like our coaches do an amazing job of getting us in different places,” Williams said. “Like before we even come out here, I may end up with the three group just so I can run with a different quarterback. Two group, one group, it doesn’t really matter. Just to get a feel for each quarterback because at the end of the day, it’s about football.
“We’re just leaning on our guy in the backfield and getting to hear each one vocally.”
Getting back to the team of the moment, Nate Oats and company will be playing in prime time on Thursday.
No. 2 seed Alabama men’s basketball will face No. 6 seed BYU in the Sweet 16 at 6:10 p.m. CT on Thursday in Newark, New Jersey, CBS announced for the upcoming March Madness slate.
The game will be broadcast on CBS. Brian Anderson, Jim Jackson and Allie LaForce will be on the call.
The Crimson Tide is fresh off a win over No. 7 seed Saint Mary’s in the Round of 32. Meanwhile, the Cougars upset No. 3 seed Wisconsin.
Nate Oats announced that the team would be flying straight to Newark rather than returning to Alabama between the games. It sounds like New York native Mo Dioubate plans to play host.
“Chopped cheese,” Dioubate said. “Everything, I’m gonna get it when I go back home man. I can’t wait for that. Mark (Sears is) gonna try one too. He’s been wanting to try one all year, so I’m gonna get him right.”
The chopped cheese is a popular sandwich in New York City bodegas. It’s something of a cross between a cheeseburger and Philly cheesesteak, featuring ground beef chopped up on a flat-top grill, with cheese and other toppings.
Sears Facetime called Dioubate during the offseason while the forward was enjoying one of the sandwiches.
“I was like, ‘Yo, what you eating?’” Sears said in the locker room. “He said, ‘I’m eating a chopped cheese.’ I’ve been making jokes about it every time, calling him chopped. So now I get the opportunity to try the chopped cheese.”
Y’all don’t eat too many of those sandwiches, aight?
The Deseret News has a preview of the game from behind enemy lines.
Alabama and BYU have a few common opponents this year. The Tide edged Houston 85-80 on Nov. 26 at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas; Houston smoked BYU twice, once at Fertitta Center and once in the Big 12 semifinals in Kansas City.
Additionally, Alabama lost at home to Ole Miss 74-64 on Jan. 14; BYU lost to Ole Miss 96-85 in overtime in San Diego on Thanksgiving Day.
Kenpom.com gives Bama, which is No. 6 in its rankings, a 66% chance to beat BYU, predicting an 89-84 win for the team from Tuscaloosa.
BYU’s Kenpom.com ranking is 22.
Last, DeVonta Smith was asked if he’s the GOAT among college football WRs.
The former Alabama standout was asked that question during an appearance on Thursday’s episode of the podcast “7 PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony.”
“I’d say yeah,” Smith said. “But then again, the receiver in me that kind of watched other receivers, like, guys that didn’t get the opportunities that I had. Like, you had Julio (Jones) in a run-first offense, was the only option in the pass game, doing the things that he did. You had (Amari) Coop(er), who was just like cooking everybody. You had guys like that. Of course, you got Justin Blackmon, he won the Biletnikoff back-to-back. It’s guys like that.
“I know I was cooking, but they was cooking, too. You got to have respect for them. Those guys kind of made me do what I did, like, take my receiver stuff to another level.”
The Slim Reaper has never lacked confidence.
That’s about it for today. Have a great weekend.
Roll Tide.
