Jumbo Package: Tide to enter SEC tournament as 6 seed

Happy Monday, everyone. It was a great weekend everywhere but the basketball court, as the Gym Tide scored consecutive 198s to win both meets, softball swept their two opponents and baseball took care of Murray State.

Unfortunately the women’s basketball team was smoked by Tennessee in the SEC tournament while the men lost a close one in Baton Rouge. The latter didn’t hurt too badly where SEC seeding is concerned.

Entering the week with a shot at the No. 5 seed, the Crimson Tide settled on the 6-seed after dropping games to Texas A&M and LSU.

Alabama (19-12) will face the winner of the No. 14 Georgia-No. 11 Vanderbilt game in the final game Thursday night in Tampa. It will tip after the conclusion of the Mississippi State-South Carolina game that tips at 5 p.m. CT.

Should Alabama advance past the first game, hardly a given being that they were outscored by four points in two games against the two potential opponents, they will have their seemingly annual second round tilt with Kentucky. Jerry Palm still has the Tide down as a five seed.

Chase Goodbread notes that the team still needs leaders to emerge.

Jahvon Quinerly is Alabama’s most gifted offensive talent, and he’ll have to light up the scoreboard if the Crimson Tide is to do anything more in the postseason than be marked present for roll call. But points and assists aren’t leadership qualities, and it’s tough for a guy who was benched for a lack of defensive effort as recently as late February to establish a rally point in March. Freshman guard J.D. Davison plainly has a bright future at Alabama, but he’s a complementary player on this team.

That leaves Shackelford and Ellis, two seniors who have proven they can fill up the stat sheet. But March is here, and now they must prove they can fill a void, as well.

Hope for the best.

Christian Harris made himself some extra cheddar at the Combine.

Four Crimson Tide stars ran the 40-yard dash in cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis, wide receiver Slade Bolden, linebacker Christian Harris and running back Brian Robinson. Armour-Davis ran an official 4.39-second 40, while Harris posted an official 4.44. Armour-Davis was tied for the sixth-fastest among corners in Indianapolis, and Harris was second among linebackers.

Most players will do more at Alabama’s Pro Day at its indoor practice facility later this month, specifically the team’s top prospect Neal, who said he will wait until Pro Day on March 30.

Only three linebackers managed a sub-4.5. Christian is doing everything he can to make his first round case.

Bryce Young got a German luxury car NIL deal, but probably not the one you expected.

That should make for some interesting conversation in the Mal Moore building.

A running back from Georgia is loving the Tide.

“They have many great running backs, and I just want to be a part of that,” Braswell said. “I have the speed, and I’m going get to bigger, so I know I could help them. They have a good line to run behind, and I like that too.”

Braswell also feels comfortable choosing Alabama in the event football isn’t in his professional future.

“I like the coaching staff, and I feel like [Alabama] is one of the most successful places I could get an education and a life outside of football,” Braswell said. “It’s one of the places that is going to best help me in case I don’t make it to the NFL.”

Last, check out this buzzer beater from Tulsa senior Jeriah Horne, on Senior Day no less.

That they were down two points makes it even more impressive. What a play.

That’s about it for today. Have a great week.

Roll Tide.