Men's Basketball Falls To Florida, 61-52 - rolltide.com
"In my opinion, we've got to play with more self-confidence and more team pride in terms of the way we approach every single game, no matter what goes into the game," UA head coach Anthony Grant said. "We've got to compete every single time we step out there. We've got some young guys right now that need to learn that, in terms of the consistency of what it takes to compete at this level and be the type of players we are capable of being."
ALABAMA vs. FLORIDA POSTGAME QUOTES - rolltide.com
What he was pleased with during the game:
"I have to go back and watch the film, but it's hard to say if there was anything I did like. Obviously we shot 28 percent from the field and had 18 turnovers for the game. It's hard to find something positive in that. Obviously, we have to get a lot better as a team and understand that we've got Tennessee coming in here on Saturday. It will be another tough, challenging SEC game. Tennessee isn't walking in here saying `we don't have to give as good of an effort now' because of this. We have to understand that it's night after night after night here in the SEC. If we don't come mentally and physically ready for that, then it is going to be tough for us to get wins."
Young’s 19 points leads No. 14 Florida past Alabama, 61-52 - The Washington Post
Patric Young took advantage of the Tide’s suspension-depleted frontcourt with 19 points. However, Florida coach Billy Donovan could only give his team so much credit for surviving without the injured Will Yeguete (concussion) and Mike Rosario (bruised hip) when the Tide didn’t have its top two scorers and rebounders for the second straight games, both hard-fought losses. "It was an ugly game in a lot of respects, but let’s also realize, too, that Alabama was playing without their two leading scorers," Donovan said. "We had two guys out, they had two guys out." The impacts clearly weren’t equal.
Tide can’t stop Gators - TimesDaily.com
Florida (20-6, 8-3) made things difficult by switching to a 2-3 zone in the second half after center Patric Young picked up two first-half fouls. "I basically told them, if we get a stop in the zone in the first possession, stay zone," Florida coach Billy Donovan said. "If we don’t we’re going to switch back to man." Alabama, it turns out, went five full minutes before Charles Hankerson’s two free throws ended the slide. Momentum was fleeting after that.
#12 Florida vs. Alabama - Men's College Basketball - Watch Basketball
Florida, coming off losses to Kentucky and Tennessee, heated up for the final 20 minutes by making half its shots. Alabama finished just 4 of 16 from 3-point range and 12 of 24 from the free throw line. Yet another teaching point for Grant. "That's just a lesson that you get in the SEC, that you cannot rely on how your offense is going to provide your energy," he said.
TideSports.com - Tide caught in Gators' trap
"Our emphasis at halftime was to come out with energy and effort," UA coach Anthony Grant said. "But they made some shots, we missed some shots and we've got to learn the lesson at you can't let your offense influence your energy." Alabama played without its two top scorers, Tony Mitchell and JaMychal Green, who are suspended indefinitely. "We've got some young guys that are getting indoctrinated into the SEC, and we've just got to get better," Grant said. "When adversity hit, we didn't respond the way you have to respond against a team like Florida, or to win in this league. (Our players) have to look in the mirror and say, 'I've got to get better.'"
TideSports.com - Tide caught in Gators' trap
"Our emphasis at halftime was to come out with energy and effort," UA coach Anthony Grant said. "But they made some shots, we missed some shots and we've got to learn the lesson at you can't let your offense influence your energy." Alabama played without its two top scorers, Tony Mitchell and JaMychal Green, who are suspended indefinitely. "We've got some young guys that are getting indoctrinated into the SEC, and we've just got to get better," Grant said. "When adversity hit, we didn't respond the way you have to respond against a team like Florida, or to win in this league. (Our players) have to look in the mirror and say, 'I've got to get better.'"
Anthony Grant did what had to be done (Herndon column) | al.com
After playing the Gators to a 26-all tie through the first half at Coleman Coliseum, the youthful Crimson Tide fell apart in a flurry of turnovers and missed shots. Alabama went nine minutes without a field goal in the second half as Florida pulled away to a 61-52 win. This is what happens when you don't have your two best finishers on the floor. Guards Trevor Releford and Andrew Steele were reinstated and played Tuesday night, but the Crimson Tide's top two scorers, JaMychal Green and Tony Mitchell, remain under indefinite suspension for unspecified reasons. Without them, Alabama couldn't finish in the paint and had no answer for Gators forward Patric Young, who scored 19 points despite spending part of the second half on the bench with foul trouble.
'We're getting hit in the face with reality,' Grant says after latest Tide loss | al.com
The little picture is a team that suffered its second consecutive loss as it begins to fade from NCAA tournament contention. The big picture is a team dealing with problems. Guards Trevor Releford and Andrew Steele started after serving a one-game suspension Saturday for violating team rules. Veteran forwards JaMychal Green and Tony Mitchell did not play and remain suspended indefinitely. "I expect that we have guys that are fighters, that want to win, that want to be the best they can be," Grant said. "They're going to come out with the energy and the passion that you need to. "We've got choices that we've got to make right now. Do we hang our heads and feel sorry for ourselves, or do we respond like winners respond. That's what I expect."
and etc.
Junior guard Andrew Steele sizes up Alabama's 61-52 loss to Florida (video) | al.com