By Grant Wahl, SI.com
One shining moment
Why was Alabama point guard Antoine Pettway punching all of his teammates like a madman after Thursday's 65-64 Tide win? Well, it certainly had something to do with his gutsy, high-arching runner in the lane with five seconds left to send 'Bama to Round Two. (Perhaps it had to do with some other aggression issues that Mr. Pettway has, but we'll try not to be an armchair psychologist here.) Pettway only shot 2-for-8 in this game, but it's a measure of the respect he has on this team that Kennedy Winston didn't hesitate to dish it to Pettway for the winner. I didn't come away very impressed with either SIU or Alabama today (how did the Tide beat Mississippi State on the road?), but Pettway's SEC-tested cojones made the difference. If 'Bama finds itself in another tight game, don't be surprised who takes the big shot.
Player who impressed me
Leaving aside the obvious point-producers -- like SIU's Darren Brooks, who had a marvelous 25 in a losing cause, and Alabama's Earnest Shelton, whose 18 led the Tide -- the guy for me was 'Bama swingman Chuck Davis. Apparently Kentucky's Chuck Hayes isn't the only undersized, do-everything big guy named Chuck in the SEC. Though just 6-foot-7, Davis plays taller thanks to his Plastic Man arms, and he does all the little things right. Against the Salukis, Davis continually beat his man downcourt on the break; showed strongly on the perimeter after recognizing screens (how many big men create steals in that position?); and ever-so-smartly fouled at halfcourt on SIU's final mad dash, knowing the stop-start (the Salukis weren't in the bonus yet) would throw them out of their rhythm. Sure enough, it did. Davis could get stronger on his finishing inside, but the fact is that he puts himself in ideal positions to catch and score the ball.
Courtside confidential
Alabama coach Mark Gottfried tried to sell his team's win as an upset, which may work when you're attempting to motivate your players but doesn't wash when held up to closer inspection. ... Alabama got whistled for one foul in the first half. One foul. The entire team. And the Tide was called for just seven in the entire game. Don't think it didn't have a huge impact, either, when Alabama was able to foul SIU on its dash upcourt to end the game. ... All credit to Southern Illinois for earning a third straight at-large bid from the Missouri Valley conference, which is no small feat. But after SIU's first-round exits the past two years, you have to wonder if the tournament committee will be more hesitant to call the Salukis' name in the same situation the next time around. ... Would 3-point shooters please stop taking pratfalls to draw fouls? This is the latest annoying trend to join calling time-outs while falling out of bounds and drawing charges while standing directly beneath the basket. Twice in this game a 3-point shooter fell flat on his back without anyone touching him ... and the refs bought it both times. ... SIU's dance team appears to have cornered the market on belly-button piercings.
Long-term prospects
If Alabama beats Stanford in Round Two, I'll shave my head. (Oh, wait, my head's already shaved.) Anyway, you get my point: the Tide has absolutely no chance. Stanford's big men will be way too much for Alabama's undersized post guys, and while I like Chuck Davis I can't say I'm very impressed with the way 'Bama plays together. It says here the Cardinal's Josh Childress will tear up the Crimson Tide D, which has nobody who can guard the man with the greatest afro in college hoops.
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