| | By Andy Katz
ESPN.com
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Auburn shocked the nation out of the SEC West two years ago behind Chris Porter.
LSU did the same thing using Stromile Swift as a front man last year.
Both got to the Sweet 16.
Can Alabama do the same with Gerald Wallace, the class of 2000 top incoming freshman?
Maybe.
It might depend on whether or not Jeremy Hays can contribute, or for that matter, simply play.
|  | | Jeremy Hays, center, can only wonder during SEC media day if he'll contribute to the Tide's success. |
The 6-foot-10 fifth-year senior center is ailing again, this time from a stress fracture, which included a benign growth, on his right shin. Hays missed all but four games last year with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
But Hays favored his right leg so much that he suffered another debilitating injury. During practice, Hays can barely do much more than some shooting drills. He spends most of his time on the side, watching the quickest, but physically thin Tide, run drills and apply full-court pressure.
The Tide is multi-dimensional and well balanced with Hays' 15-18 foot jumper and his overall size in the lineup. But take Hays off the floor and the Tide become guard-oriented, leaving Wallace open for even more scrutiny every time he touches the ball.
"We don't have a healthy Jeremy Hays, period," said Alabama coach Mark Gottfried Monday during ESPN.com's preseason tour. "That should change the expectation level, knowing the guy isn't going to be 100 percent. Hopefully he can give us a contribution. But we always felt we were still a year away."
Gottfried said having Hays is akin to when UCLA had George Zidek in the middle for its 1995 title run. Zidek was a strong physical presence, who could muscle with Oklahoma State's Bryant "Big Country" Reeves, but also finish with a soft jumper to extend the defense.
"We don't have that physical presence that can win at the highest level," Gottfried said.
Hays averaged 12 points and eight rebounds two years ago. He would likely be a lock for nearly a double-double this season. But the reality is he's ineffective.
"It's frustrating," Hays said.
Hays, who has already earned his degree, is married and plans on going to a seminary in two years, isn't about to give up on the season.
"We're still 10 deep and this is the most talented team I've ever been on," Hays said. "We've got great team chemistry with everyone sharing the ball and making sure the open man gets the shot. If we didn't make the NCAA Tournament, our season would be a total failure."
The Tide is probably going to start the 6-9 Wallace at small forward next to 6-8 sophomore Erwin Dudley (10.3 ppg, 8.1 rpg) and 6-8 sophomore Rod Grizzard (13.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg). Gottfried can bring 6-9 sophomore Kenny Walker (6.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg) off the bench with either the lanky 6-8 senior Alfred Moss or the beefy 6-8 junior Sam Haginas for some size.
Dudley and Walker are active around the basket, with both having a chance to be factors on the offensive backboard. Walker doesn't have the best hands for a perimeter game, while Dudley is probably a more efficient scorer. Grizzard can play either big guard or small forward.
"We have interchangeable parts," Gottfried said. "We want to be more of an up-tempo team and this is the closest I've been to that in my three years at Alabama. We'll have to force the tempo without Jeremy, but this team could be one of the top scoring teams I've had."
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“ |
We're still 10 deep and this is the
most talented team I've ever been on. We've got great team chemistry ... If we didn't
make the NCAA Tournament, our season would be a total failure. ” |
|
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— Jeremy Hays |
The backcourt has the right pieces with senior Tarik London the staple at the point and a decent shooter in Terrance Meade on the wing. Doc Martin is a solid backup who could easily start.
"We have enough talent to go deep into the tournament," London said. "We had a lot of freshmen who were hurt last year, but none were all-SEC and we felt that they were overlooked."
But without Hays the attention will all be on the perimeter. Grizzard said Dudley wore down later in the year without a rest. The same could occur.
"We'll have to take advantages of the mismatches we'll have," Wallace said.
But none of that will matter if the Tide doesn't get tougher later in games. Grizzard said the team, made up mostly of underclassmen last year, faded down the stretch. Gottfried put together a schedule that is conducive to building confidence. While Gottfried disputes the favorable schedule, it should allow the Tide a chance to do what LSU did a year ago and go undefeated into the SEC.
Alabama's toughest game could be against Cincinnati in the Puerto Rico Holiday Classic. The Tide plays Louisville, which is rebuilding, at home in November and don't leave the state outside of the Puerto Rico tournament before the SEC. They could be 11-1 heading into the SEC. But Alabama has to prove it can move ahead of Arkansas, Auburn, Mississippi and Mississippi State -- let alone a depleted LSU -- in the SEC West.
The Tide ended the season losing to South Carolina in the first round of the SEC tournament. Now they're picked to potentially make the Sweet 16.
"Everyone is more excited here this year," London said. "But to do what Auburn and LSU did, we need a great atmosphere here (Coleman Coliseum). We need it to be intimidating. We got a sense that it could be at Midnight Madness. We had more people there then at a lot of our games last year (six times).
"It was crazy when we went to Auburn and LSU. It could be like that here. It's the most excitement we've seen from the students and they were saying it before the football team was losing."
If that's the case, then the Tide has definitely turned to hoops.
Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.
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