In some ways, the University of Alabama men's basketball team -- which came into the season with little fanfare, as evidenced by a 13th-place prediction in the preseason SEC poll -- has already overachieved. But if the Crimson Tide is going to shock the world by going even further, a critical stretch of games begins tonight.
The Crimson Tide brings a two-game winning streak into tonight's 6 p.m. game against No. 15 Texas A&M, looking to make big noise against a big opponent. UA coach Avery Johnson, though, cautions that Alabama can't start thinking ahead.
"The challenge is today's practice," Johnson said on Tuesday afternoon. "If we have a good intense practice, it will carry over. If we don't, then we'll have problems. The first five minutes of the game, we've got to execute, not throw the ball all around the gym. We have to just stay in the moment, enjoy it and the rest of it will take care of itself."
Texas A&M remains the highest-ranked SEC team in The Associated Press poll, but has fallen out first place in the league standings after consecutive losses to Vanderbilt and South Carolina.
"They are still one of top two teams in our conference." Johnson said. "They have outstanding players. Alex Caruso (the Aggie point guard and SEC assist leader) is like John Stockton out there. Bully Kennedy has done a great job of building a program, not taking a microwave approach. They've been patient but it has paid off."
Johnson and Kennedy, the Aggie coach, have a relationship that goes back to their high school days in the New Orleans Catholic League.
"He was one of the first coaches to approach me about Avery Jr.," Johnson said, noting that his son played a year in College Station before joining his father at Alabama as a transfer. "Billy took good care of him. He still calls Avery Jr and checks on him, texts him from time to time, and I am still close to a couple of their players who played with Junior in high school."
Familiarity isn't automatically an advantage, Johnson said.
"Players like (Danuel) House and (Jalen) Jones are so good that even if you plan to play them a certain way, they can play a different way," Johnson said.
Alabama forward Shannon Hale, who has missed the last two UA games with a recurring foot injury, is expected to be available tonight.
"Shannon continued to progress," Johnson said. "I plan to push him a little more in practice so I can see if he recovers properly and I can get him some minutes tomorrow. If he doesn't recover the way we'd like, it'll be a game time decision."
Reach Cecil Hurt at cecil@tidesports.com or 205-722-0225.
