Five-out Friday: Examining Alabama basketball following loss to Arkansas

Welcome to the first edition of Five-out Friday where Hunter Cruse will break down five topics surrounding Alabama basketball. Today we’ll be taking a look at where No. 6 Alabama stands following its frustrating 81-66 loss at No. 20 Arkansas.

Since Jan. 30, Alabama forward Herb Jones has struggled to stay afloat, scoring less than 10 points in six of his last seven games. Despite the low scoring output, the senior has still managed to provide a larger impact than his stats might show. However, over the past month, he’s struggled with staying out of foul trouble, making several ill-advised plays while fouling out in three of the past four outings.

While some of the fouls called on Jones have been questionable, that doesn’t excuse his current play. In recent games, he has appeared tunnel-visioned when attacking the basket, using his body to create separation from defenders. Usually, this has resulted in an offensive foul. While Jones is typically complimented for his high effort, there’s a fine line between playing hard and playing out of control.

Jones only fouled out once over his first 17 games. Alabama will need him to return to that level of discipline as his impact can’t be stated enough to this point. During Wednesday’s game against Arkansas, the Razorbacks were able to turn the table on Alabama when the senior was forced to bench with foul trouble.

Alabama struggled to adapt to the inconsistent officiating against Arkansas.

Senior guard, John Petty Jr., showed his frustration several times before being ejected after picking up two technical fouls for dissent. Following the game, Nate Oats was brief with his thoughts to avoid a potential fine for criticizing officials, stating “I’m not trying to give any money back to anybody but I’m not going to talk too much about it.”

Throughout the night, Arkansas looked to initiate contact and was generally rewarded with two shots at the charity stripe, holding a 43-8 advantage in free throws, the largest differential in the SEC over the past decade. The Razorbacks aren’t known for their ability to draw fouls, ranking No. 155 nationally in free-throw rate, so it’s easy to see Alabama’s frustration.

Although officiating is not the sole reason Alabama lost, it’s important to control what you can control and stay focused on the task at hand. The Crimson Tide struggled to do that in the second half, falling beyond reach.

Juwan Gary was reinstated into the lineup against Arkansas after missing two straight games with a shoulder injury. He helped spark Alabama early on, giving the Tide the energy it needed to keep the game within striking distance in the first half. In 17 minutes of play, Gary recorded 9 points and nine rebounds on 50 percent (4 of 8) shooting.

In this play, you can see Gary’s ability to be a difference-maker on both ends. Justin Smith (No. 0) cuts to the rim on a fastbreak while Gary puts himself in a position to create a tough attempt and ultimately come away with a chase-down block. That’s not all. After Shackelford grabs the rebound and pushes the ball in transition, Gary hustles back up court for the put-back dunk.

This play also speaks to the impact of Alabama’s transition offense. It might have been a better decision for Shackelford to hit Ellis in the weak-side corner, rather than attempting a contested layup. However, his drive to the basket caused both defenders to become unbalanced on the recovery attempt from Gary.

Against Arkansas, Alabama continued its struggles within the opening 10 minutes of games, a common occurrence for the Tide against ranked opponents on the road. When Alabama’s defense is out of sync early, it generally carries on throughout the game. In the second half, Alabama gave Arkansas open looks and struggled with communication against switches and movement shooters.

Notice in the possession above, Bruner is the initial matchup against JD Notae (No. 1). When Notae cut across the lane, Bruner should’ve signaled to Jones or Gary for the switch, but instead, they both dropped to defend a congested paint. This allowed Notae to slip past the defense and connect on an uncontested 3 — a perfectly executed set from head coach Eric Musselman and the Razorbacks.

Our first prospect discussion is centered around four-star forward Gradey Dick, the No. 33 ranked recruit in the 2022 class. Last month, Alabama was included in his list of eight schools with the likes of Kansas, Baylor, and Florida. He plans to announce his college decision next week.

Kansas is the current favorite, holding all four FutureCast predictions. Playing for Sunrise Christian (Kan.), one of the most well-known programs in the nation, Dick is the third or fourth option in his offense. That’s what allows him to excel in a catch-and-shoot role as one of the most prolific shooters. He’s a nightmare for defenders, providing the floor-spacing needed as a 6-foot-7 wing.

On the other hand, Dick lacks the aggressiveness to take enough shots on a nightly basis and can be an unreliable option at times. For someone who doesn’t initiate the offense or provide bursty athleticism, it’s important for Dick to take advantage of his matchups and look to pull the trigger on open 3. He’s a gifted finisher around the basket and is willing to fight for second-chance shots.

Dick is a skilled passer with excellent court vision. On film, that’s something that quickly catches the eye. He has excellent size to make difficult reads over the defense. Although, Dick will often look to make these plays unfold himself, usually attacking the basket as a cutter or even through a dribble handoff initiated by Sunrise’s motion-offense.

As a defender, he brings an active, blue-collar approach, diving for loose balls, taking charges and crashing the boards. Adding more muscle to his frame could increase his defensive role at the next level while allowing more interior matchups against bigger forwards.