The Alabama men’s basketball team will look to stay perfect on the season as it hosts the Lamar Cardinals Tuesday, Nov. 27, at 7 p.m. in Coleman Coliseum.
The Crimson Tide has jumped out to a 5-0 record, and head coach Anthony Grant has watched his team improve with every game it has played.
“I feel like we are getting better with every game,” Grant said. “We have a lot of youth on our team and have guys with different roles and different responsibilities on this team. Right now, in the month of November, the focus is to try and get better every day and to learn about what we need to do to put ourselves in the position to be successful. I feel like our guys are doing that.”
At this point last season, a lot of the Tide’s key players were freshmen, and they struggled to find a groove during games. Now, Alabama has more experience on its side, and it is using that experience to play with more consistency.
“I think there is a comfort level with the guys that are now sophomores when they are on the floor,” Grant said. “There is a little more stability in terms of their understanding both offensively and defensively in terms of what they need to do.”
Much of that understanding came from watching veteran players like junior guard Trevor Releford. Releford is averaging 18.6 points per game and shooting 55 percent from the three-point line.
“Trevor is our most experienced guy in terms of minutes played,” Grant said. “He has seen a lot and has grown a lot in terms of his understanding of our identity and his impact on the team. I am very happy for him to be selected the [SEC] Player of the Week and the success he enjoyed individually. I think he would be the first to say that his teammates are the ones who made a lot of those things happen.”
Releford will have to play like he has thus far in the matchup against the Cardinals on Tuesday. Lamar made it to the NCAA Tournament last year, and it will try to steal a victory during its trip to Tuscaloosa.
The Cardinals will try to out rebound Alabama on the glass, as the Tide has struggled with rebounding this season. Lamar averages almost six more rebounds per game more than Alabama.
Grant may not be happy about his team’s rebounding efforts, but he is pleased with the success his players have had with their perimeter shooting.
“My whole thing is that we get quality shots, and I think we are doing that,” Grant said. “I’ve been pleased with how we are sharing the basketball. Our ball movement every game so far is getting to the point that they enjoy sharing it, which has led to us getting quality shots.”
