By Chris DePew
TideFans.com Staff
Nov. 11, 2018
Where to watch: Appalachian State (1-0 – #181 Pomeroy Rating) at Alabama (1-0 – #52) – Today 6 p.m. Central, Coleman Coliseum, SEC Network
Who to watch: Kira Lewis. If Dazon Ingram (ankle) is out again today, the freshman from Meridianville will get his second start. But Lewis figures to see lots of minutes either way after an impressive debut against Southern, when he dished out seven assists and played like a poised veteran instead of a 17-year-old point guard. His biggest challenge, and Bama’s, may come on defense. The Mountaineers run a motion offense designed to generate as many 3-point chances as possible, so discipline and proper positioning are crucial for slowing them down.
What to watch for: Are two posts really better than one? The Crimson Tide never got the production it was hoping for last year when pairing Donta Hall with either Daniel Giddens or Galin Smith on the floor at the same time. The timing seemed off, the spacing was poor and responsibilities ill-defined. But Bama tried again in the season opener, putting Hall and Smith both in the starting five, only to have the same issues reappear. Once separated, both had strong showings, combining for 30 points and nine rebounds. But Avery Johnson seems determined to make this combination work, and with Appalachian State short on low-post scoring it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Johnson try and press his inside advantage.
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