The Starting Five: Jackson State

Five stats, facts and people you need to know about the Tide's matchup with the Tigers.

1. Where was Mikhail Torrance? After starting both the exhibition games and being the new face, it seemed, of the Anthony Grant system this year, Torrance was not one of the starters against Cornell. Torrance still tallied 24 minutes in the game against the Big Red, but wasn't quickly taken out in the first half with two fouls. He played the entire second half without fouling, and the Crimson Tide's offensive production definitely improved. There is no doubt that Torrance will stay on the floor for most of the game, but the biggest puzzle is trying to figure out why he was not a starter.
2. From one conference favorite to another. After Cornell came in as the two-time defending Ivy League champ, and the favorite for a three-peat, Alabama welcomes in Jackson State, the preseason favorites in the SWAC. The Tigers finished just one game behind last year's conference winner Alabama State and are expected to have this season's player of the year in the SWAC on their team. Grant Maxey returns for his senior season after averaging 17 points and seven rebounds last year. The Tigers, just like Cornell, return the best rookie in the SWAC from last year in guard Rod Melvin. The SWAC is not on the same level as the Ivy League, and the experience is not as high as it was for the Big Red, so the chemistry will not be as prominent with Jackson State.
3. Perimeter defense is once again at a minimum for Alabama. After struggling all season last year against the three, Alabama once again struggled against a well-shooting squad in defending downtown. Cornell finished with a 55% clip from beyond the arc, including three straight to open up the second half. It was nothing new to see another team start off on a huge run to begin the second half, either. Both of these are cultural changes that Anthony Grant seems to still be up against and may not be able to change until late this year if at all. Grant will surely put a focus tonight on coming out strong out of the half as well as defending the outside as the Crimson Tide are still looking to find their groove from that range.
4. Turnovers worth the watch again. Alabama managed to only turn the ball over 13 times against Cornell, a huge improvement from the exhibition games, but tonight is worth watching to know if the first game was an aberration or if Alabama is getting better on that front. Conversely, the Crimson Tide scored 17 points off of the 14 turnovers they caused, including seven steals. Anthony Grant has already stated he wants to play 94 feet, and if the Crimson Tide can play in the press against an experienced team like Cornell, things bode well for Alabama down the road. Alabama changed it up between a man and a zone press, finding most success with the zone trap and hands up.
5. Another beatdown coming for the Tigers. The Crimson Tide and these set of Tigers have only played once before, a 2005 beating to the tune of 101-66. Alabama will probably not reach a hundred tonight, or this season, but a significant difference in the final scores should be expected. Alabama needs to have a strong defensive effort as they showed in the exhibition games in order to achieve this beatdown tonight. Giving up 45 points in the second half to Cornell was not a great accomplishment for this team, and it will not be something Alabama can afford to do this season after having a horrific track record these past three seasons in games in which they give up 40 points in one half. It will almost certainly spell doom if it comes in the first half, but the second half is still no better. Nonetheless, 40-point halves should not be an issue tonight for the Crimson Tide in what looks to be Anthony Grant's first victory as Tide coach.