The 2018-19 college basketball season is getting closer and closer, which means that schedules are being released all throughout the country.
We’re going to take an in-depth look at non-conference schedules for every SEC team, and we start with Alabama, who once again has a challenging slate to navigate.
vs. Southern
Date: Nov. 6
2017-18 Record: 15-18
Season Outlook:
Avery Johnson will lead the Tide into a matchup with his alma mater to open up the season.
The Jaguars have a new head coach in Sean Woods, but there are a lot of unknowns with the team needing to replace four of its top six scorers.
vs. Appalachian State
Date: Nov. 11
2017-18 Record: 15-18
Season Outlook:
It’s been eight years since the Mountaineers have won more than 15 games in a season, and they’ve only hit the 20-win mark twice since 2000.
However, Jim Fox returns five of his top six scorers, including versatile playmaker Ronshad Shabazz (18.5 ppg).
vs. Northeastern (Charleston Classic in Charleston, SC)
Date: Nov. 15
2017-18 Record: 23-10
Season Outlook:
This is a game that Alabama fans need to keep an eye on.
The Huskies averaged 74.9 points per game last season and return 68.5 of those points on this year’s roster. Bill Coen’s squad finished third nationally in 3-point field goal defense (29.9 percent) and 24th nationally in field-goal percentage (48.6 percent).
The first game on a neutral court can usually be a little tricky, but there’s little room for error for the Tide in this spot.
vs. Ball State/Virginia Tech (Charleston Classic)
Date: Nov. 16
2017-18 Record: Ball State (19-13), VA Tech (21-12)
Season Outlook:
The Tide obviously have familiarity with the Hokies after scoring an 86-83 win over Buzz Williams’ team in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
Virginia Tech will be even better this year, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see this team finish in the top four in the powerful ACC.
As for Ball State, it’s another case of a team returning the bulk of its scoring from a year ago, as James Whitford will bring back four players that averaged between 9.6 and 15.0 points per game.
vs. Purdue/Appalachian State/Wichita State/Davidson (Charleston Classic)
Date: Nov. 18
Season Outlook:
Purdue would likely be the most prominent matchup in this spot, with Carsen Edwards entering the year as one of the top players in the game.
Wichita State loses a lot of production, but that rarely stops Gregg Marshall from reloading in a hurry.
Davidson gets back two high-level scorers in Kellan Grady (18.0 ppg) and Jon Axel Gudmundsson (13.2 ppg).
vs. Murray State
Date: Nov. 26
2017-18 Record: 26-6
Season Outlook:
Things are going to look a little different for the Racers this season after losing a prolific scorer in Jonathan Starks (21.4 ppg) and a double-double machine in Terrell Miller Jr. (15.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg).
Matt McMahon should still have an OVC title contender on his hands with Ja Morant (12.7 ppg) and Shaq Buchanan (9.1 ppg) set to take on larger roles, while also adding several JUCO talents to the mix.
at UCF
Date: Nov. 29
2017-18 Record: 19-13
Season Outlook:
The Knights have been tremendous on the defensive end of the floor since Johnny Dawkins took over in 2016.
They finished third in scoring defense (61.7 ppg) and 10th in field-goal percentage defense last season (40.1 percent), but there’s enough offense now as well to make this team a legit AAC title contender.
The trio of BJ Taylor, Aubrey Dawkins, and Tacko Fall will be very fun to watch.
vs. Georgia State
Date: Dec. 4
2017-18 Record: 24-11
Season Outlook:
Don’t look now, but here’s yet another team that returns all its top scorers after an NCAA Tournament berth last season.
D’Marcus Simonds (21.2 ppg) can score in bunches, as evidenced by him scoring Georgia State’s first 16 points in the first round tournament game against Cincinnati.
The Panthers were 36th nationally in 3-point field-goal percentage (38.5 percent), and that’s a trend that should continue with the majority of their offensive weapons back.
vs. Arizona
Date: Dec. 9
2017-18 Record: 27-8
Season Outlook:
It wouldn’t be all that surprising to see Sean Miller’s team take a step back this year, which sets up nicely for the Tide in what will still be one of the most highly-anticipated matchups on the schedule.
The Wildcats’ top five scorers are gone, but Duke transfer Chase Jeter and former Alabama point guard Justin Coleman will be difference makers right away.
Of course, Miller has also compiled a top 25 recruiting class, which will make the roster transition a bit easier.
vs. Liberty (Rocket City Classic in Huntsville, AL)
Date: Dec. 18
2017-18 Record: 22-15
Season Outlook:
The Flames had just two seniors on the roster last season, so there’s a lot of experience returning for Ritchie McKay.
The main aspect worth watching in this game will be tempo, as Liberty does a great job controlling the pace and making defenders work late into the shot clock. McKay’s teams have ranked 339th or lower in average possession length since he took over in 2015.
vs. Penn State
Date: Dec. 21
2017-18 Record: 26-13
Season Outlook:
The defending NIT champions will take a significant hit after Tony Carr’s exit, but three of the five double-digit scorers on the roster are set to return – Lamar Stevens (15.5 ppg), Mike Watkins (12.1 ppg), and Josh Reaves (10.6 ppg).
There’s going to be a lot of youth in the backcourt, so consistent guard play will be important for the Nittany Lions as they march toward trying to secure the school’s first NCAA Tournament bid since 2011.
at Stephen F. Austin
Date: Dec. 30
2017-18 Record: 28-7
Season Outlook:
I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that Stephen F. Austin might be the most difficult matchup on Alabama’s non-conference schedule.
For starters, Kyle Keller – one of the nation’s most underrated coaches – brings back his top three playmakers in Shannon Bogues (15.4 ppg), Kevon Harris (14.5 ppg), and TJ Holyfield (12.9 ppg). Keller also adds Minnesota transfer, who will add experience and scoring ability to the lineup.
On the other side of the court, the Jacks are coming off a monster season that saw them lead the country in total steals (360) and turnovers forced (19.8 per game).
Something else to keep in mind: Stephen F. Austin played three SEC road games last year, and none of those games were decided by more than five points. The Jacks lost at Mississippi State by five, won at LSU by a point, and lost at Missouri by a point.
at Baylor
Date: Jan. 26
2017-18 Record: 19-15
Season Outlook:
Scott Drew has a very intriguing roster this season, but losing senior guard Jake Lindsey to injury isn’t ideal.
However, the good news for the Bears is that they’ve got several new options to work with, one of which will be very familiar to Alabama fans. Freshman point guard Jared Butler surprisingly joined Baylor this offseason after signing with the Tide, and he’ll be joined by two experienced newcomers in Yale grad transfer Makai Mason and Mississippi State transfer Mario Kegler.
Playing the Bears is never easy due to the physical style and aggressive on the glass, with Drew’s team ranking in the top 10 in KenPom’s offensive rebounding percentage category in each of the past five seasons.
Overall Schedule Analysis
Just like last season, there are very few guaranteed wins on the Tide’s non-conference schedule.
The known games against Arizona, UCF, Penn State, and Baylor will garner the most attention, as will potential games against Purdue or Virginia Tech.
However, focusing solely on the big-named teas would be a mistake, and Alabama can’t afford to enter with that mindset.
I’d feel good about Stephen F. Austin’s chances against many teams around the country in a one-game setting due to the experience and playing style. Then there’s a team like Northeastern, who returns everyone and is extremely efficient in several important areas on both sides of the court. And Murray State and Georgia State could present similar challenges as well.
Johnson and company understand the value of playing a tough non-conference slate, and this should be one that throws lots of different styles at the Tide ahead of SEC play.