Bubble Watch: Alabama Crimson Tide Have Not Done Enough to Dance

As we enter the final stretch of the 2012-2013 NCAA Basketball season, the Bubble Watch for teams gets even smaller. Teams that started strong or finished strong are then judged on a short term and long term basis. Alabama, one of those teams that started strong, finds itself off the bubble with an unimpressive resume.

The Crimson Tide began the season with a 6-0 record. Three straight losses followed that streak and sent the team the wrong direction in a crazy college basketball season. The team now sits tied for second place in a weaker than usual SEC Conference. An overall record of 19-11 and a conference record of 11-6 look okay on paper, but are not worth an at-large bid.

Alabama has not beaten a single ranked team (0-3), holds a 1-2 record against the teams it is tied with in the conference, and has a 4-8 road record that should give them no benefit for the NCAA Tournament. The team’s overall rankings also seem troubling for anyone wondering if the team can match up with other tournament teams. Here is how the team ranks with one game left:

• Points per game 63.8 (266^th in NCAA)
• Rebounds per game 32.8 (252^nd in NCAA)
• Assists per game 11.1 (292^nd in NCAA)
• Field goal percentage .430 (192^nd in NCAA)

Alabama lacks the offense to keep up with many teams. The team has only three players that average in double digits. More harmful is the fact that the team’s leading rebounder fails to bring in five boards per game (4.8).

The only impressive things on Alabama’s resume are wins over Villanova and Kentucky. The team also has a chance to finish in a tie for second place in the SEC and could end up advancing a few rounds in the SEC Tournament. A RPI of 62^nd overall is noteworthy, but in my mind the team isn’t good enough.

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