BOL Round Table

...even in a year when the league is bad. Still, that doesn't change the fact that this Alabama men's basketball team has issues, many of which Bob Knight accurately -- and without regard for feelings -- outlined ("Alabama spends a lot of time not getting anything done on offense.") during tonight's broadcast.

Carelessness with the basketball, an anemic halfcourt offense, energy that seems to come and go ... take your pick and it was on display at various points in the game. Knight calling for more screening and cutting from UA late in the game was the equivalent of Manti Te'o asking Lennay Kekua to pickup some takeout on her way over. It isn't happening.

Again, a win is a win. If there was a category for those, Joe Lunardi would have the Crimson Tide penciled in as a one seed. Sitting at 5-2 in the conference, this team can't afford to look past Saturday's game at Vanderbilt, a team that, fortunately for UA, isn't last year's Vanderbilt. Then again, worse Commodore clubs have beaten better UA teams than this one at Memorial Gymnasium.

Right now, the best thing Alabama has going for it is that the rest of the league is anything but at its best. But as last weekend proved, the difference between third place Alabama and a team in the bottom third of the standings is almost negligible. Wins at Vanderbilt and Auburn next week won't be enough to earn UA an at-large bid, but losses to either or both would almost certainly end any hopes of landing one.

TR