Three Things to Watch For in Alabama's Road Matchup at Missouri

Most years, in every college basketball conference there's a team that opponents will walk into the arena and know that they will win. The Missouri Tigers were on the wrong end of this fact last season as they didn't win a single game in SEC play.

Nevertheless, Missouri head coach Dennis Gates was able to bring in highly touted recruiting and transfer classes in the offseason and it's absolutely panned out as the Tigers are 8-4 against the SEC and were 11-2 prior to conference play.

Here are three things to watch for as No. 4 Alabama aims to defeat No. 15 Missouri on the road:

1. Road Warriors vs. Home Protectors

Alabama is undefeated in road games during SEC play, including winning at Kentucky following a loss, a phenomenon which useful is not a strong enough adjective to describe considering the conference teams' strength of schedule this season. Oats' Crimson Tide teams are 1-3 in Columbia through his five-plus seasons as head coach.

"We've gone on the road at Kentucky when I thought maybe they were playing their best basketball," Alabama head coach Nate Oats said during Tuesday's press conference. "We went to [Texas] A&M when they were playing as good as anybody in the country and got a win. Went to Mississippi State. They were playing as good as they had been playing all year, I thought. Got a win. Arkansas was maybe playing as good as they'd been playing."

Missouri has defended home court virtually as well as one can at this point in the season (16-1, with a three-point loss against Texas A&M the only defeat). Stopping Grill, one of multiple dynamic Tigers guards, is part of the puzzle in terms of what Alabama needs to do to win and limit another explosive game from one of the opposing team's stars.

2. Who Steps Up for Derrion Reid?

Reid was out for the Arkansas and Texas matchups before making a return for the then-No. 2 Crimson Tide's home loss to No. 1 Auburn. However, he only played for four minutes. He's been dealing with a hamstring injury and it'll sideline Reid for yet another game this season.

"It's one of those things you don't want to bring back too early," Oats said. "We thought we rested him well enough but it kind of flared up again. He played limited minutes against Auburn. He's been out of practice and being checked with MRIs. He had his third one in the last few weeks again this morning.

Forwards like Jarin Stevenson and Mouhamed Dioubate have seen an increase in minutes throughout Reid's absences on the floor. The Tigers are 20th in the country in points per game this season with 82.6 and its 19.7 free throws made per contest is good for the second-most in the nation. One of these two, or someone else like Aiden Sherrell will have to step up for the athletic defender.

3. Is it Aiden Sherrell's Time to Shine?

Speaking of Aiden Sherrell, the Crimson Tide freshman forward warmed up and was dressed in uniform against Auburn this past Saturday, but never took off the long-sleeve shirt for the duration of the game.

“It had nothing to do with the way Aiden’s been playing because I think he’s been playing much better basketball," Oats said. "I did feel bad. We tried to win the game, and I thought we went with guys who were working. I would anticipate Aiden getting minutes in the first half here against Missouri and seeing where that goes from there.

In the first practice following the Auburn loss, Sherrell and starting forward Grant Nelson were the only two players who received votes for practice MVP. It's clear that Sherrell has a great attitude regardless of his playing time and he could be an X-factor against Missouri.

No. 2 Alabama men's basketball is set to face No. 15 Missouri on the road tonight at 8 p.m. CT on SEC Network.

1. Road Warriors vs. Home Protectors

2. Who Steps Up for Derrion Reid?

3. Is it Aiden Sherrell's Time to Shine?

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