From the Sideline — Alabama Gaining Depth on the Hardwood

It is way too early to punch Alabama's ticket to the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, b but it is not too early to be excited about this team.

Anthony Grant's team went almost 700 days between road wins. That's a long time.

I know - I've described all but a couple of them.

But this is a new year, and a new team. Grant has been saying that since November, and if you can't see that it is true - you're not paying close enough attention.

Saturday's win came against a rival that likely isn't good enough to finish in the top-half of the SEC, but still - like Alabama - carried a five-game win streak coming in to the game. On a night when Levi Randolph had his lowest offensive output of the year, the Tide still owned Tennessee in the last 13 minutes (outscoring them 21-2), and routed the Vols by 18.

I point out Randolph's point total - not as a shot at the senior captain, because he filled up the stat sheet (nine points, five boards, four assists, and three steals) - but in order to point out how deep this team has become.

The other senior starter, Rodney Cooper, was huge. He went for 17 points, five boards, and five assists - becoming the second Bama athlete named Cooper to cut up the Big Orange in Knoxville in the last three months. Jimmy Taylor was a beast inside, and Ricky Tarrant continues to show he is every bit as good as advertised.

It was a great win for Grant's team, but it was just one win. Tuesday will be tough for the Tide, as they will face a desperate South Carolina squad in Columbia. Saturday will be even tougher, when Bama hosts the Big Blue of Kentucky.

But it's fun to be relevant in January again. It will be more fun to be relevant in March.