“We’re going to beat them anyways. If he plays, we’ll beat them.”
That was what Florida head coach, Todd Golden, said when he was asked about the Charles Bediako situation a couple of weeks ago when the news of his eligibility first broke. Well, now he’ll have the chance to back that up, as the 23rd-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide heads to Gainesville to take on the Gators in the O-Dome on Sunday. Chuck will be making the trip, and the Tide will need him, as they will do battle with the best frontcourt in the country. Golden has won four straight over Oats including a sweep of the Tide last season on his way to both an SEC Tournament title and a National Championship.
As for the Tide, Oats’ squad is coming off of a dominant win over a solid Missouri team in a major bounce-back spot Tuesday night in Tuscaloosa. The big developments in that game were Aden Holloway’s return to the court and Latrell Wrightsell’s return to form – Trelly had really been struggling to get his shot going consistently prior to the other night. And of course, Bediako having another strong game.
I’ve been preaching patience on behalf of this year’s team, which has been plagued by injuries. Amari Allen is considered a game time decision for Sunday’s game as of this writing, but as soon as he can get back and the Tide can have a fully healthy roster – and assuming Chuck is able to win his legal case – this team has a higher ceiling than any in the SEC. Imagine Labaron Philon running PnR with Bediako while Trelly, Allen, and Aiden Sherrill space out the defense, as Holloway waits to check in and take his turn running the offense. That’s a beautiful image. But it’s also a group that can rebound quite well and play solid defense, too.
Let’s just hope we get to see it.
What: #23 Alabama (14-6, 4-3 SEC) at #19 Florida (15-6, 6-2 SEC)
Where: O’Connell Center, Gainesville, FL
The Gators, of course, are coming off a season where they caught fire late and turned into an absolute wagon on their way to a National Championship. They returned the entire frontcourt from that team – 6’9 Thomas Haugh, 6’11 Alex Condon, 6’11 Rueben Chinyelu, and 7’1 Micah Handlogten. On the flipside, they lost their entire backcourt – superstar point guard Walter Clayton, lethal scorer Alijah Martin, 3&D specialist Will Richard, and the lengthy Denzel Aberdeen, who transferred to Kentucky.
The results are about what you would expect. This year’s squad has the best frontcourt in college hoops, but the guard play has been really spotty. Arkansas transfer – and former five star – Boogie Fland has really struggled to shoot the ball (41.3%/19.3%/72.3%). As has point guard Xaivian Lee (37.9%/26.2%/79.6%), who transferred in from Princeton. The one returning guard from last year’s roster, Urban Klavzar, has been the lone shooting threat in the backcourt (41.5%/37.1%/90.7%).
Haugh has honestly provided more offensive playmaking than any of the guards, as he’s averaging 17.4 PPG on 47.3%/34.8%/73.9% with 2.0 APG and 2.3 ORPG. Whether Allen plays or not, either he or Taylor Bol Bowen will be tasked with the most important role on the team on Sunday – defending Haugh.
This is a huge opportunity for Alabama to make a statement in a primetime Sunday hoops spot on ABC. Florida has not been the machine they were last year, but they are still arguably the best in the SEC, and a road win in Gainesville will show that the Tide can absolutely still compete for an SEC regular season title, as the conference feels wide-open a month into league play.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
