There are some low rumbles of conversation around Tuscaloosa these days that the university’s basketball program might just be at the dawn of a successful era. For a program that’s made the NTT once in the last 70 years, success can have a pretty wide definition. But the current regime has landed two legitimately good recruiting classes in three seasons, and word is this next one has a high ceiling with a chance to land a blue chipper. With the two good classes having just earned a PTT Sweet 16 berth thus far for postseason success, there is an expectation that they will take a leap next season when that first class, led by Nolan Conaty and Taylon Smith, will be seniors.
The other part of the equation is this year’s freshmen, who have performed well in big roles this season. If they can take their own leap next season, with a year of college ball under their belt, that will also go a long way in their very tough division that includes a Final Four participant this year and 4-time national champion in New Orleans.
Two freshmen in the class were named to the Conference All-Freshman First Team, and center Moshe Moore earned Conference Freshman of the Year honors.
Moore, seen above, has scored 14 points and grabbed 8 rebounds per game. He’s already taken major strides in his development, earning higher grades from scouts for his athleticism and his hands. Though the hands part of things is questioned by people who aren’t stat nerds but can simply point out that he’s been credited with a total of three assists all season. It’s also true, however, that he doesn’t turn the ball over much. He’s a versatile offensive forward who is 14/33 from three on the season.
Fans are tickled that he played high school ball in Augusta, home of another division rival and past national champion, yet chose to come play in Alabama instead.
Mervin Lippert’s shorts have made him a cult figure on campus already. But his game helped in that regard too, and he was not just awarded a spot on the First Team All-Freshman team for the conference, but also the second place vote-getter for Freshman of the Year, to his teammate. He was, not surprisingly, just not quite as productive as Moore at 11 points and 7 rebounds per game.
It was something of a mystery that he didn’t lead the team in rebounds, as he was an absolute monster in preseason scrimmages. It didn’t translate to games, which is why he and Moore swapped spots in the lineup, with Moore going to center and he to power forward, after seven games this year. Moore was being more productive on the glass and it stayed that way.
The team would like Lippert to shoot more frequently and that will be a thing to watch in his sophomore season. He’s the second or third best shooter on the team but took the fewest FGA of any starter.
In 36 hours, this season will have wrapped up with the team’s last game of the season and the program will learn which recruits they’ve brought in to try and push things to the next level in Season 108.
The NTT is the goal.
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