Gators have to at least slow down Alabama tonight

If it's a shootout, then Walter Clayton Jr. will need to have a big game (Photo by Chris Spears)

The secret of Alabama’s success isn’t rocket science. The Nate Oats philosophy is actually rather simple. Shoot a lot of layups and 3-pointers. It works well enough that the 8th-ranked Crimson Tide (23-6, 12-4 SEC) leads the country in scoring at 91 points per game. Alabama has scored 100 or more points seven times, most recently last week in a 111-73 blowout win over Mississippi State.

Scoring is rarely a problem for Alabama, which has been held to fewer than 80 points only four times all season. Stopping people from scoring? A problem, yes, but to the Tide’s credit, they tend to win shootouts.

Philosophically, Florida coach Todd Golden knows exactly what the 5th-ranked Gators (25-4, 12-4 SEC) need to do tonight when they take on Alabama in Tuscaloosa (7 p.m., ESPN2).

“I think you have to do what you do well or do what’s important to our program, so obviously transition defense is going to be huge in their building tomorrow night, trying to make them operate in the halfcourt,” Golden said Tuesday. “And, then they’re very efficient. They take rim shots and threes. Obviously, we’re going to try to make them operate in the mid-range, try to make them take shots they’re not comfortable with or strive to take. But it’s going to be a battle.”

On most occasions this season, the Gators have been very good defending the 3-pointers. The Gators rank seventh nationally in 3-point defense, holding opponents to 29.2 percent. In the last couple of weeks, the Gators have gone through some spells when the 3-point defense let them down. LSU hit five in a row while on a 22-2 run at the end of the first half in Baton Rouge. Georgia’s Silas Demary and Blue Cain went into shooter’s comas in the first half last week when Georgia torched the Gators for a 39-13 lead in the first half.

In both games, however, the 3-point defense kicked in, early enough for a win in Baton Rouge, not soon enough in Athens. The Gators can’t afford to go into a 3-point defensive funk against Alabama. Golden’s game plan is to make the Crimson Tide uncomfortable doing what it does best.

“Obviously, against a team like Alabama that is so explosive you’re not going to be able to stop them doing everything they want to do,” Golden said. “You have to pick some things you’re able to live with. If they beat you in those ways, you tip your cap. But transition defense is going to be important … limiting threes from their star shooters, trying to keep (Mark) Sears out of the paint to the best of our ability and trying to keep their big men from getting dunks off pick-and-rolls. Those are the main things we have to limit in order to compete tomorrow.”

The Gators, who allow 67.2 points per game, have held 21 opponents to 70 or fewer points but Alabama is the best offensive team they have faced all season. If the game evolves into a shootout, the Gators are quite capable of winning in an up and down the floor game. Florida ranks ninth in the country in scoring (83.8 per game) and the Gators are third in the country in fast break points per game (16.93). The Gators are improved defensively, but they are also a better offensive team than they were a year ago when they went 2-1 in shootout games against Alabama. The Gators lost 98-93 in overtime in Tuscaloosa then trounced the Tide 105-87 on Senior Night in Gainesville. Ten days later at the SEC Tournament in Nashville, the Gators outran Alabama again, 102-88.

No matter how this game evolves tonight, the winner will have a big advantage in the race for a second place regular season finish in the Southeastern Conference. Both teams are 12-4 in SEC play. Florida only has to win one of its two games this week to be assured of a top four finish and the double bye at next week’s SEC Tournament in Nashville. If Alabama goes 0-2 this week and both Tennessee and Missouri go 2-0, Bama would be doomed to a 5th-place finish since the Tide lost to the Vols and Mizzou.

Anticipated starting lineups

No. 5 FLORIDA (25-4, 12-4 SEC): Tommy Haugh (6-9, 215, SO); Rueben Chinyelu (6-10, 255, SO); Will Richard (6-4, 206, SR); Alijah Martin (6-2, 195, GR); Walter Clayton Jr. (6-2, 195, SR)

No. 8 Alabama (23-6, 12-4 SEC): Grant Nelson (6-11, 230, SR); Clifford Omoruyi (6-11, 250, SR); Labaron Philon (6-4, 177, FR); Chris Youngblood (6-4, 223, SR); Mark Sears (6-1, 190, SR)

SEC BASKETBALL

Tuesday’s scores

No. 22 Texas A&M (21-9, 10-7 SEC) 83, No. 1 Auburn (27-3, 15-2 SEC) 72

No. 19 Kentucky (20-10, 9-8 SEC) 95, LSU (14-16, 3-14 SEC) 64

Texas (17-13, 6-11 SEC) 87, No. 25 Mississippi State (20-10, 8-9 SEC) 82. OT

Arkansas (18-12, 7-10 SEC) 90, Vanderbilt (20-10, 8-9 SEC) 77

Georgia (19-11, 7-10 SEC) 73, South Carolina (12-18, 2-15 SEC) 64

Tonight’s games

No. 5 FLORIDA (25-4, 12-4 SEC) at No. 7 Alabama (23-6, 12-4 SEC)

No. 4 Tennessee (24-5, 11-5 SEC) at Ole Miss (20-9, 9-7 SEC)

No. 15 Missouri (21-8, 10-6 SEC) at Oklahoma (17-12, 4-12 SEC)

Saturday’s games

Ole Miss (20-9, 9-7 SEC) at No. 5 FLORIDA (25-4, 12-4 SEC)

No. 7 Alabama (23-6, 12-4 SEC) at No. 1 Auburn (27-3, 15-2 SEC)

South Carolina (12-18, 2-15 SEC) at No. 4 Tennessee (24-5, 11-5 SEC)

No. 22 Texas A&M (21-9, 10-7 SEC) at LSU (14-16, 3-14 SEC)

No. 19 Kentucky (20-10, 9-8 SEC) at No. 15 Missouri (21-8, 10-6 SEC)

No. 25 Mississippi State (20-10, 8-9 SEC) at Arkansas (18-12, 7-10 SEC)

Vanderbilt (20-10, 8-9 SEC) at Georgia (19-11, 7-10 SEC)

Oklahoma (17-12, 4-12 SEC) at Texas (17-13, 6-11 SEC)

BRACKET BUSTING IN THE SEC

No. 8 Alabama (23-6, 12-4 SEC): A 2-0 finish this week will keep Bama on the No. 2 line and could get the Tide a No. 1 seed. Currently, Alabama is 10-6 in Quad 1 games.

Arkansas (18-12, 7-10 SEC): Saturday’s loss to South Carolina is a thing of the past. The Razorbacks beat Vanderbilt in Nashville for their seventh SEC win which should put them squarely in the NCAA Tournament.

No. 1 Auburn (27-3, 15-2 SEC): The Tigers have already won the SEC regular season so the loss to the Aggies in College Station won’t hurt them. Most experts say they could lose to Alabama and still be the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.

No. 5 FLORIDA (25-4, 12-4 SEC): The Gators are a lock as a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Win two and then a couple of games in Nashville and the Gators might bump someone off the No. 1 line.

Georgia (19-11, 7-10 SEC): Georgia has gone from an NIT lock to a lock for the NCAA Tournament. Win Saturday against Vandy and they may move up to a No. 9 seed.

No. 19 Kentucky (20-10, 9-8 SEC): The Wildcats are assured of at least a .500 record in the SEC. Lunardi still has them as a No. 3 seed. If they lose at Missouri Saturday they could fall to a No. 4, but the NCAA won’t let them fall farther than that since Kentucky guarantees sellouts no matter where they go in the NCAA.

No. 25 Mississippi State (20-10, 8-9 SEC): The loss to Texas will drop the Bulldogs down a notch or two in the NCAA seeding, but they’re in no matter what happens Saturday.

No. 15 Missouri (21-8, 10-6 SEC): The Tigers need to go 2-0 and hope Alabama or Florida loses twice to get the double bye in Nashville. Mizzou could get a top four seed with two wins.

Oklahoma (17-12, 4-12 SEC): The Sooners need a couple of wins this week and at least one in Nashville to get in the NCAA Tournament.

Ole Miss (20-9, 9-7 SEC): Whether the Rebels win one, win two or go 0-2 this week they’re in the NCAA Tournament, most likely a six or seven seed.

No. 5 Tennessee (23-6, 11-5 SEC): Lunardi and Palm have the Vols as a No. 1. Two very winnable games this week should keep them there.

Texas (17-13, 6-11 SEC): The Longhorns beat Mississippi State on the road to revive their NCAA hopes. If they beat Oklahoma they could not only knock the Sooners out, but get them in the NCAA.

No. 22 Texas A&M (21-9, 10-7 SEC): Beating No. 1 Auburn stopped a 4-game slide while reviving the Aggies’ hopes of a top four NCAA seed. They get LSU in Baton Rouge Saturday, which should get them to 22 regular season wins.

Vanderbilt (20-10, 8-9 SEC): The Commodores are as good as in the NCAA, but they have a tough road game Saturday at Georgia. Win and they probably avoid a No. 11 for what amounts to a play-in game.