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Alabama Basketball opens the NIT against Richmond

By Kirk Franklin

Mar 9, 2017; Nashville, TN, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide players celebrate after a basket during the second half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the SEC Conference Tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Alabama won 75-55. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 9, 2017; Nashville, TN, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide players celebrate after a basket during the second half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the SEC Conference Tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Alabama won 75-55. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Alabama Crimson Tide are headed to the NIT for the third straight season, and they will take on the Richmond Spiders in the first round.

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Avery Johnson is in his second year as the head coach of the Alabama basketball team and they will be the 3-seed in the Iowa region. The Crimson Tide and Spiders will face-off at the Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa tonight at 8:15 pm CT.

Richmond brings with them a 20-12 overall regular season record and the 6-seed in their portion of the NIT bracket.

Mar 11, 2017; Nashville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard De’Aaron Fox (0) is fouled by Alabama Crimson Tide forward Braxton Key (25) during the second half during the SEC Conference Tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Kentucky won 79-74. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2017; Nashville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard De’Aaron Fox (0) is fouled by Alabama Crimson Tide forward Braxton Key (25) during the second half during the SEC Conference Tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Kentucky won 79-74. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /

Alabama enters the game with a 19-14 record and the memory of a first round loss in the NIT last year to Creighton fresh on their mind.

The Tide has momentum  after a surprising run to the semifinals in last week’s SEC tournament. They gave eventual SEC tournament champion Kentucky all they could handle in a 5-point loss. Alabama beat Mississippi State and South Carolina on back-to-back days before losing to the Wildcats.

Richmond and Alabama are almost mirror images of each other this season, as their very similar win/loss records show. Alabama enters with an RPI of 78, while Richmond is only slightly worse at 80.

Alabama’s best regular season win was over then no. 19 South Carolina on the road in a 4-OT thriller, which was Bama’s first road win over a Top 25 team since 2004.

Richmond’s best win came at the expense of an 11-seed in the NCAA Tournament, Rhode Island, who was the Atlantic10 conference champion.

Richmond’s T.J. Cline, was voted A-10 player of year, averaging 18.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game. They are led by head coach Chris Mooney.

While this is a home game for the Tide, it will likely be a tight one. Alabama has been consistently inconsistent all season and Richmond comes in with confidence and experience.

For coach Avery Johnson and Alabama, a win would show continued progress towards the goal of an every year NCAA tournament bid.

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