I'm going through a severe hopium withdrawal. Only remedy (as @glv98 and I have agreed even when we differed) is Quality Wins. Despite this being the SEC Tournament, this would be a W, not a QW. It doesn't give any momentum to end the season on. A loss, on the other hand...
From ChatGPT:
Alabama vs (6) Tennessee — SEC Tournament (2nd Round)[/b][/size]
Thursday, March 5, 2026 | 8:30 PM ET (7:30 CT) | SEC Network
Bon Secours Wellness Arena (Greenville, SC)
ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARY
Tennessee got the bye because its SEC record earned it—not because it’s “better” right now—and Alabama just showed it can turn a tight game into a fourth-quarter blowout.
WHERE THIS ONE SITS
• Tennessee: 16–12 (8–8 SEC), No. 6 seed
• Alabama: 22–9 (7–9 regular-season SEC), No. 11 seed
• Why Tennessee got the bye (even with Alabama getting more national attention): SEC Tournament seeding is driven by conference results/tiebreakers—UT’s 8–8 finished above Alabama’s 7–9, even though Alabama had been ranked recently and Tennessee wasn’t.
• NET (updated through March 4): Tennessee #21, Alabama #27
• AP poll context (Mar. 2 update): Alabama dropped from the Top 25; both teams are in “others receiving votes.”
WHY IT MATTERS
• Texas[/b] Friday night.
• Tennessee: You can’t limp into Selection Sunday on a six-game skid and expect a friendly seed line. Reports have UT at six straight losses and nine losses in its last 11.
• Alabama: You’re sitting right on the “solid at-large / improve your line” zone—recent bracket projections have Alabama around a 6 seed and Tennessee around a 7 seed, meaning this game is literally seed-line leverage.
RECENT FORM (LAST 5 GAMES)
• Alabama: W vs Missouri 65–48 (neutral, SEC Tourney) • L vs Texas 72–65 • L @ Vanderbilt 85–60 • W @ Florida 76–71 • L vs South Carolina 76–57
• Tennessee: L vs Vanderbilt 87–77 • L @ LSU 89–73 • L @ Oklahoma 100–93 • L vs Texas A&M 82–74 • L @ Ole Miss 94–81
ALABAMA “LAST GAME” TELL (vs Missouri, Wednesday night)
• Alabama didn’t just win—it buried Missouri in the 4th, 24–11.
• Ace Austin: 14 points, all in the 4th quarter (including four 3s).
• Karly Weathers: career-high 16 rebounds + 6 assists (even while shooting 1-of-9).
• Missouri shot 29% FG; Alabama won the boards 48–36.
TENNESSEE “LAST GAME” TELL (vs Vanderbilt, Sunday)
• Tennessee led by as many as 7 in the 3rd… then Vanderbilt shredded them with 69% shooting in that quarter.
• Cooper 23, Barker 17, Robertson 12, Spearman 10.
• Mia Pauldo: 7 points in 18 minutes (back in the starting group).
AVAILABILITY / ROTATION WATCH
• Tennessee: Freshman Deniya Prawl listed inactive on the availability report for today.
• Tennessee off-court: Reports say reserve guard Kaiya Wynn left the program this week.
LIKELY STARTING LINEUPS (MOST RECENT STARTERS)
ALABAMA (vs Missouri)
• G Jessica Timmons — primary scorer (but went 3-of-16 vs Missouri)
• G Ta’Mia Scott — downhill guard; plays through contact
• G/F Karly Weathers — rebound/playmaking wing (16 boards vs Missouri)
• F Diana Collins — perimeter pop (13 points vs Missouri)
• F Essence Cody — inside finisher/physical presence
TENNESSEE (vs Vanderbilt)
• G Mia Pauldo — ball-handler/spacing
• G Nya Robertson — secondary scoring
• F Janiah Barker — physical mismatch + boards
• F Zee Spearman — spacing big
• F/G Alyssa Latham — connector/defense
(And yes: Cooper will play starter minutes in a “starter off the bench” role.)
MATCHUP THEMES (THE REAL BATTLEFIELDS)
• 1) Rebounding and second chances
Alabama just put up 48 rebounds and won on volume; Weathers alone grabbed 16. Tennessee has to finish possessions—because a neutral-court game with a tired Alabama becomes dangerous if Alabama keeps getting extra shots.
• 2) Can Tennessee create chaos without self-destructing?
Tennessee’s identity is pressure/steals. But if UT’s pressure turns into fouls + broken-floor runouts, Alabama’s guards will take the free points.
• 3) The Timmons problem (and the “don’t let her bounce-back” rule)
Timmons is Alabama’s season scoring leader, and she’s coming off a rough shooting night (3-of-16, 0-of-8 from three) in a win. That’s the classic “due” spot—Tennessee can’t let her find rhythm early.
Also: she dropped 34 at Florida on Feb. 22—she can absolutely torch you.
KEYS TO THE GAME
Tennessee MUST:
1. Rebound with violence. If Weathers is vacuuming 50/50 balls again, this becomes a long night.
2. Win the guard shot-making minutes. Cooper’s been the heater lately. You need that—plus one more guard to show up.
3. Make Alabama’s legs matter. Bama played Wednesday night; Tennessee didn’t. Push pace early and see who still has lift late.
Tennessee AVOID:
• Letting Ace Austin get loose. She just flipped a game in six minutes with four straight threes.
• A flat first quarter. Alabama led Missouri 31–20 at half after Missouri’s ugly first half—if UT sleepwalks, Alabama will happily bank an early lead.
X-FACTOR:
Mia Pauldo vs. Karly Weathers.
Pauldo’s return to real minutes changes Tennessee’s ball movement and spacing; Weathers is the “board + assist + disrupt” glue that can steal possessions in bulk.
BOTTOM LINE
On paper, Tennessee is the higher seed and the predictor leans UT.
In reality, this is “who stops bleeding first”: Tennessee is fighting a skid and roster turbulence; Alabama is playing with fresh momentum and a guard who just detonated Missouri in the 4th. If UT doesn’t control the glass and the early shot quality, the bye won’t matter.
From ChatGPT:
Alabama vs (6) Tennessee — SEC Tournament (2nd Round)[/b][/size]
Thursday, March 5, 2026 | 8:30 PM ET (7:30 CT) | SEC Network
Bon Secours Wellness Arena (Greenville, SC)
ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARY
Tennessee got the bye because its SEC record earned it—not because it’s “better” right now—and Alabama just showed it can turn a tight game into a fourth-quarter blowout.
WHERE THIS ONE SITS
• Tennessee: 16–12 (8–8 SEC), No. 6 seed
• Alabama: 22–9 (7–9 regular-season SEC), No. 11 seed
• Why Tennessee got the bye (even with Alabama getting more national attention): SEC Tournament seeding is driven by conference results/tiebreakers—UT’s 8–8 finished above Alabama’s 7–9, even though Alabama had been ranked recently and Tennessee wasn’t.
• NET (updated through March 4): Tennessee #21, Alabama #27
• AP poll context (Mar. 2 update): Alabama dropped from the Top 25; both teams are in “others receiving votes.”
WHY IT MATTERS
• Texas[/b] Friday night.
• Tennessee: You can’t limp into Selection Sunday on a six-game skid and expect a friendly seed line. Reports have UT at six straight losses and nine losses in its last 11.
• Alabama: You’re sitting right on the “solid at-large / improve your line” zone—recent bracket projections have Alabama around a 6 seed and Tennessee around a 7 seed, meaning this game is literally seed-line leverage.
RECENT FORM (LAST 5 GAMES)
• Alabama: W vs Missouri 65–48 (neutral, SEC Tourney) • L vs Texas 72–65 • L @ Vanderbilt 85–60 • W @ Florida 76–71 • L vs South Carolina 76–57
• Tennessee: L vs Vanderbilt 87–77 • L @ LSU 89–73 • L @ Oklahoma 100–93 • L vs Texas A&M 82–74 • L @ Ole Miss 94–81
ALABAMA “LAST GAME” TELL (vs Missouri, Wednesday night)
• Alabama didn’t just win—it buried Missouri in the 4th, 24–11.
• Ace Austin: 14 points, all in the 4th quarter (including four 3s).
• Karly Weathers: career-high 16 rebounds + 6 assists (even while shooting 1-of-9).
• Missouri shot 29% FG; Alabama won the boards 48–36.
TENNESSEE “LAST GAME” TELL (vs Vanderbilt, Sunday)
• Tennessee led by as many as 7 in the 3rd… then Vanderbilt shredded them with 69% shooting in that quarter.
• Cooper 23, Barker 17, Robertson 12, Spearman 10.
• Mia Pauldo: 7 points in 18 minutes (back in the starting group).
AVAILABILITY / ROTATION WATCH
• Tennessee: Freshman Deniya Prawl listed inactive on the availability report for today.
• Tennessee off-court: Reports say reserve guard Kaiya Wynn left the program this week.
LIKELY STARTING LINEUPS (MOST RECENT STARTERS)
ALABAMA (vs Missouri)
• G Jessica Timmons — primary scorer (but went 3-of-16 vs Missouri)
• G Ta’Mia Scott — downhill guard; plays through contact
• G/F Karly Weathers — rebound/playmaking wing (16 boards vs Missouri)
• F Diana Collins — perimeter pop (13 points vs Missouri)
• F Essence Cody — inside finisher/physical presence
TENNESSEE (vs Vanderbilt)
• G Mia Pauldo — ball-handler/spacing
• G Nya Robertson — secondary scoring
• F Janiah Barker — physical mismatch + boards
• F Zee Spearman — spacing big
• F/G Alyssa Latham — connector/defense
(And yes: Cooper will play starter minutes in a “starter off the bench” role.)
MATCHUP THEMES (THE REAL BATTLEFIELDS)
• 1) Rebounding and second chances
Alabama just put up 48 rebounds and won on volume; Weathers alone grabbed 16. Tennessee has to finish possessions—because a neutral-court game with a tired Alabama becomes dangerous if Alabama keeps getting extra shots.
• 2) Can Tennessee create chaos without self-destructing?
Tennessee’s identity is pressure/steals. But if UT’s pressure turns into fouls + broken-floor runouts, Alabama’s guards will take the free points.
• 3) The Timmons problem (and the “don’t let her bounce-back” rule)
Timmons is Alabama’s season scoring leader, and she’s coming off a rough shooting night (3-of-16, 0-of-8 from three) in a win. That’s the classic “due” spot—Tennessee can’t let her find rhythm early.
Also: she dropped 34 at Florida on Feb. 22—she can absolutely torch you.
KEYS TO THE GAME
Tennessee MUST:
1. Rebound with violence. If Weathers is vacuuming 50/50 balls again, this becomes a long night.
2. Win the guard shot-making minutes. Cooper’s been the heater lately. You need that—plus one more guard to show up.
3. Make Alabama’s legs matter. Bama played Wednesday night; Tennessee didn’t. Push pace early and see who still has lift late.
Tennessee AVOID:
• Letting Ace Austin get loose. She just flipped a game in six minutes with four straight threes.
• A flat first quarter. Alabama led Missouri 31–20 at half after Missouri’s ugly first half—if UT sleepwalks, Alabama will happily bank an early lead.
X-FACTOR:
Mia Pauldo vs. Karly Weathers.
Pauldo’s return to real minutes changes Tennessee’s ball movement and spacing; Weathers is the “board + assist + disrupt” glue that can steal possessions in bulk.
BOTTOM LINE
On paper, Tennessee is the higher seed and the predictor leans UT.
In reality, this is “who stops bleeding first”: Tennessee is fighting a skid and roster turbulence; Alabama is playing with fresh momentum and a guard who just detonated Missouri in the 4th. If UT doesn’t control the glass and the early shot quality, the bye won’t matter.
