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Cobbservations 003: Tennessee’s loss to Alabama one of 18 losses suffered by ranked teams last week

Alabama forward Donta Hall defends against Tennessee guard Lamonte Turner, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) Alabama forward Donta Hall defends against Tennessee guard Lamonte Turner, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

By David Cobb February 12, 2018 4 min read

Tennessee’s 28-point loss at Alabama on Saturday was the the most lopsided defeat for a ranked team last week.

However, it was just one of 18 losses suffered by ranked teams in another wild week of college basketball. Those 18 losses included a combined seven losses by teams in the AP top 10.

There’s no way to sugarcoat Tennessee losing 78-50 – Rick Barnes sure didn’t try – but the fact is that the loss did not keep Tennessee out of the selection committee’s bracket preview.

One prevailing narrative from the lopsided game in Tuscaloosa among analysts is simply that Alabama solidified itself as a postseason threat. The Crimson Tide had already beaten Auburn, Oklahoma and Florida in recent weeks. Knocking off Tennessee just further bolstered the Tide’s resume.

ESPN and SEC Network basketball analyst Jimmy Dykes was not on the call for the Tennessee-Alabama game, but he offered a strong take on the type of team the Crimson Tide can be.