By Chris DePew
TideFans.com Staff
Dec. 30, 2017
Where to watch: No. 5 Texas A&M (11-1) at Alabama (8-4) – Today 5 p.m. Central, Coleman Coliseum, ESPN2
Who to watch: Dazon Ingram. It feels like the 20-year-old Theodore product has been around the program half a decade, but in reality he’s still a sophomore and going through a patented sophomore slump. He’s playing more minutes and taking more shots this year, but making fewer of them, including just 22.2 percent of his 3-pointers. In five December games he has made just 11 of his 40 field goal attempts, and is still committing too many fouls and turnovers. Worst of all, neither he nor his coaches seem to know what his role should be. Should he be an off guard whenever Collin Sexton is on the floor to run the point? Should they share point guard duties? Should Ingram try to assert himself more or let the freshmen set the pace? These are the questions that ideally should have been answered by the time SEC play started, but remain an open mystery.
What to watch for: Can Bama get creative to avoid bogging down in the paint? The Crimson Tide has struggled in halfcourt offense and against elite big men, so naturally the Aggies have two 6-foot-10 NBA prospects to worry about in Robert Williams and Tyler Davis, who form the core of the nation’s best rebounding team. Alabama needs to push the tempo and generate easy buckets, and this might be a game where Avery Johnson breaks out the press for more than just a couple of possessions. A&M can be prone to turnovers and it is playing shorthanded, with Admon Gilder injured and DJ Hogg suspended.
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