Jumbo Package: Tide depth shows out in NCAA tournament opener

Happy Friday, everyone. Gymnastics will compete in the SEC Championships tomorrow, which will be covered on SEC Network. Softball has a tough series at Arkansas this weekend, with game one tomorrow at 4:30 CT, also on SEC Network. Baseball dropped a 3-0 decision to Florida in the first game of that series last night.

Alabama basketball managed to take care of the overmatched Islanders from Corpus Christi despite zero points from star Brandon Miller. The depth really showed out.

“Feels great,” Burnett said after the game. “That’s what work does. Staying with it throughout the course of the season. Staying positive, and mentally ready at all times. Good first game, and can’t wait for the next one.”

Head coach Nate Oats supported that statement, saying “Nimari’s shot the ball really well in practice the last couple days, he studied a lot of videos, I thought he got himself really ready.”

For Pringle, the challenge was knowing when and how much he would play. As the third center, his minutes and opportunities have been up and down throughout the season. But early foul trouble by Charles Bediako and Noah Clowney gave Pringle a chance to play more, and the rest is history.

It was great to see Sears and Burnett get going. Both had been scuffling, but if we can get that kind of shooting from them, look out.

Kai Spears wants no part of being placed at the scene of the shooting on Jamea Harris, and Alabama is standing behind him.

“Last night, an inaccurate report was published about Kai Spears, one of our student-athletes, being present at the time of the incident. This is untrue,” Byrne said in his statement. “As law enforcement previously shared, Brandon Miller and Jaden Bradley were present. Both are fully cooperating witnesses. Neither have been charged with any offense nor did they violate University policy.

“Some inaccurate narratives have been reported about the involvement of Alabama student-athletes that display an unfortunate disregard of the facts. We ask all to exercise careful due diligence before reporting on this sensitive situation.”

Unfortunately those narratives have, as usual, reached the slack-jawed, knuckle dragging, mouth breathing types who patronize Outkick and their ilk who for very transparent reasons want an excuse to call Brandon a “thug” among other unsavory things. Guess what? They aren’t stopping. To this day many media types are still reporting that Miller “delivered” the gun. It has to be exhausting for the team, but they have managed to play through it. Hopefully they can keep it going tomorrow vs. Maryland.

Tony Mitchell didn’t start his college career off very well.

Asked if there was marijuana in the vehicle, Mitchell allegedly produced a bag from from the passenger floorboard.

Mitchell’s passenger, identified as Christopher Lewis, was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell and/or deliver as well as carrying a concealed firearm without a permit.

A “large amount of cash” was also found in the vehicle, police said.

Saban has been had more of a rehabilitative than punitive philosophy in recent years regarding off the field stuff, but Mitchell has caught felony charges before ever playing a snap. We’ll see if the charges get pled down, but his roster spot is likely tenuous at this point.

Last, Alabama has a swimming national champion.

Congrats, Kensey!

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

Roll Tide.