Is Alabama On A Roll To Shock No.23 Florida?

Both No.23 Florida (12-3, 3-0) and Alabama (10-5, 2-0) are currently riding hot streaks going into tonight’s SEC matchup, but these teams are getting it done in two completely different ways.

Alabama has won four consecutive games and five of their last six—sounds like a team that knows how to get to the basket. Actually, that’s not the case. There’s only two Crimson Tide players on the roster that are averaging over nine points a game this season. The top-two scorers for Alabama are freshmen—Guard Dazon Ingram and Forward Braxton Key. Dazon Ingram is averaging only 9.9 points a game compared to Braxton Key’s 9.4 points per game.

So How Exactly Have The Tide Been Rolling?

If the team isn’t scoring, then how has Alabama been getting by their opponents? Defense.

Crimson Tide head coach Avery Johnson elected for a shorter roster this season. He has 11 of his players averaging double-digits minutes, despite not reaching double-digits in the scoring category. The young team has found a way to make things happen even when the offense is almost non-existent.

Defensively and in the paint, the team has something to boast about. Over the last three games, Alabama has out-rebounded their opponent by 19.3 rebounds per game. The Tide is leading in the SEC in the rebounding. They seem to be making the right moves and taking the right shots as they are ranked 13th nationally in scoring defense.

Barry Passink credits the defense for this team still being relevant

Alabama gets hot when they keep teams under 62 points. The Crimson Tide are 9-0 when the defense prevents their opponents from finding the basket, but on the other hand, they fall to 5-0 when a team scores more than 62 points.

So if this Alabama team wants to keep their streak alive and start 3-0 in SEC play for the first time since the 1986-87 season, they are going to need to keep a hot Florida team under 62 points.