(6-6) Mercer (RPI 165)

Another close Alabama win in a game that should have been a comfortable victory. A win is a win, but Alabama has to start putting up some type of style points against teams who are inferior.

Alabama got good performances by Sexton and Petty with Alex Reese making a surprise contribution of 10-points. However, trailing at halftime, in what was virtually a home game, and only winning by one should not be happening.

The Tide almost had a catastrophic ending to the game by blowing a six-point lead with only 11-seconds left.

What does this game mean? It means that Alabama doesn’t take all opponents seriously. This should have been an easy victory, but the Tide let Mercer stick around. It doesn’t mean anything negative against their resume because they got the victory, but a loss against a team of that caliber could really hurt.

(9-3) Texas (RPI 44)

Mohamed Bamba was simply unstoppable and was great at stopping Alabama basketball players. Texas is a pretty good team but a 16-point loss at the Legacy Arena is not good.

Braxton Key still looked out of sync with himself and other players while Collin Sexton only finished with eight points.

Alabama looked out of whack from the tip and remained that way throughout the game. They had twelve turnovers with only nine assists to go along with shooting 55-percent from the free throw line.

What does this game mean? The loss to Texas should be a reality check for Alabama basketball. Just because you have the talent doesn’t mean teams are going to lay over and hand you a victory. This game should mean a lot for the Tide because it’s a crossroad loss. Now they should be deciding on whether to recalibrate and hit the ground running in conference play or just pack it up and remain lackadaisical.

What does this ALL mean for Alabama (8-4) (RPI 28)

It means that Alabama needs to come alive during conference play. The Tide still have a non-conference game remaining against Oklahoma which should draw all eyes. The matchup between Collin Sexton and Trae Young is a can’t miss game.

Alabama is still a very good team with much to prove. However, they need a signature win this season. What better way to do it than against Oklahoma?

The Oklahoma game will be a stiff challenge. The Tide and Sooners will tip-off January 27, 2018, in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.