By Chris DePew
TideFans.com staff
March 10, 2017
Where to watch: No. 5 Alabama (18-13) vs. No. 4 South Carolina (22-9) – Today 2:30 p.m. Central, Bridgestone Arena (Nashville), SEC Network
Who to watch: Braxton Key. His five assists and five rebounds against Mississippi State were a welcome contribution, but the Crimson Tide can’t afford for him to be held to three points again if it wants to advance in the SEC tournament. And in addition to matching or exceeding his usual dozen points per game, Key has to find a way to hold SEC player of the year Sindarius Thornwell in check. That didn’t go well last time, when Key fouled out in the second half as Thornwell ran wild with 44 points and 21 rebounds to keep the Gamecocks alive through four overtimes before Bama stole a 90-86 win in Columbia.
What to watch for: Can Bama match yesterday’s energy level? This will be the first time the Tide has played on consecutive days this season, and the Gamecocks are the SEC team most similar to its physical, grinding style. And the closest precedents are not comforting. In two games the season played after a single day’s rest, Bama eked out a lethargic 62-57 win against Saint Louis and collapsed offensively in a 56-53 loss at Texas A&M. The one saving grace is that no player logged more than 28 minutes in the MSU blowout. At this time of year, that’s as much rest as a team can hope for.
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