They call it the Bama bubble.

It may not be tangible, but it’s certainly real to members of the University of Alabama gymnastics team. This safe haven is what keeps the Crimson Tide composed during meets.

“We don’t need to look at the scores,” freshman Wynter Childers said. “We just need to stay in the moment and stay doing our stuff. So, at first, it’s kind of goofy, but it’s a good saying to go by.”

The concept especially comes in handy when Alabama competes on another team’s stomping grounds, as it will Friday at Kentucky.

After coming off such a high note – upsetting Florida in Alabama’s annual Power of Pink meet – the Crimson Tide wants to carry that momentum. All four events finally came together to produce a season-high score, which the team is convinced wasn’t a fluke.

“It’s a great reminder of what we’re capable of,” freshman Maddie Desch said. “I think we really need to keep that in mind. We are capable of this. We can do it on the road as well.”

In order to do that, Alabama plans to eliminate any outside factors – remain in its Bama bubble and create its own energy. That starts during practice.

There was an extra level of intensity in the gym that UA head coach Dana Duckworth and the gymnasts noticed before their last meet. That carried over into Sunday, marking the start of the team’s preparation for Kentucky.

The focus to detail remained.

“I preach a lot: Don’t make it about quality. Make it about quality,” Duckworth said. “I want you to get to a place where you know you do this few reps to know you can go out there and score a 9.9 or better.

“Now that they have a couple competitions under their belt, I feel like they can figure it out.”

In fact, the Crimson Tide just passed the halfway mark of its regular season. After Kentucky, it has four meets left – three home, one away.

Apart from sophomore Angelina Giancroce and junior Mackenzie Brannan, who are recovering from surgeries, every gymnast is geared up to compete.

“If you aren’t a little sore, you probably aren’t doing anything,” Duckworth said. “They all realize that it’s part of the season, it’s part of the process.”

That also means taking everything one meet at a time.

Although Alabama is ranked higher than Kentucky on each individual event, some of the margins are close. UA is a solid 13 spots above UK on the vault and seven on the balance beam, but it’s just three higher on the floor exercise and one on the uneven bars.

Overall, the Crimson Tide is No. 6 in the nation and the Wildcats are No. 10.

Even if it didn’t waver in the rankings, Alabama knows last weekend was a big confidence boost. It expects a repeat performance.

“We set the thermostat in Coleman Coliseum,” Duckworth said. “Now we got to take and set the thermostat on the road.”