Points in the Paint: Alabama Basketball adds Baylor to an already-brutal slate

I have no idea how Nate Oats walks around without a wheelbarrow. He surely needs one to haul around his giant balls.

Alabama Basketball was already facing a rugged schedule last month when it added the National Runner-Up Gonzaga Bulldogs to its schedule in the Battle for Seattle. To this, Alabama was already facing Preseason Top 25 Memphis and the Final Four Houston Cougars. You think that’s it? Hardly. On top of a brutal SEC schedule, Alabama is also competing in a tournament with midmajor powers Belmont, Iona and Dayton. Did we mention that the bluest of Bluebloods, Kansas, will be there? How about a Top 10 Miami team too!

By any calculus, that is a devastatingly-nasty schedule.

Really, what else could Alabama do to make its schedule any more difficult?

How about add not just one, but both, of the NCAA tournament finalists, by scheduling reigning National Champion Baylor in the SEC / Big 12 Challenge?

Because that just happened.

Alabama’s upcoming basketball won’t be light on competition. The Crimson Tide added another high-profile opponent to its non-conference slate Wednesday as it was announced Alabama will host defending national champions, Baylor, on Jan. 29 as part of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.

I’m not sure how Alabama’s 2021-2022 season will shake out just yet. But I do know that if this team has any sort of success, it will not have gotten there by taking the easy road...and that’s before Alabama even begins SEC play.