Alabama Basketball NCAA Tournament Tampa Practice Report

TAMPA, Fla.–– Alabama basketball held an open practice inside Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida on Thursday afternoon for about 40 minutes. The team held its official practices on the campus of USF, but Thursday provided fans the first look at the team since the loss to Ole Miss in the SEC tournament.

The Crimson Tide will face 13-seed Hofstra in the Round of 64 of the NCAA tournament on Friday at 2:15 p.m. CT.

Here are some of BamaCentral's observations from the practice period:

Practice report:

• The practice period was filled with lots of 3-point attempts, and more 3-point attempts... and even more 3-point attempts. There were times where the team was split up with the frontcourt on one side and backcourt on the other. Even during some of those sessions, both sides were working on 3-pointers.
• During one drill, the players were encouraged to "follow your shot" and go grab the rebounds on their missed 3-point attempts.
• As expected, Aden Holloway was not with the team during practice after getting arrested earlier in the week.
• Taylor Bol Bowen appeared very comfortable from beyond the arc and was encouraged by a manager at one point to, "stay hot."
• Keitenn Bristow and Collins Onyejiaka were both dressed in the same practice attire as the rest of the team despite not appearing in a game in months. Bristow was a little more active than Onejika. I did not spot Davion Hannah out there, but it does not mean that he wasn't. None of the three players was made available during the pre-practice locker room access.
• Freshman Amari Allen can play guard or forward. Head coach Nate Oats would prefer that he can play at the 3, especially without Aden Holloway this weekend. Allen spent practice with the guards instead of the frontcourt.
• Alabama worked on free throws during the portion of the practice.
• Multiple players talked about how good of a week of practice the Tide has had this week, and the team seemed loose and energetic during Thursday's open pratice.
• One of the very last things the team did before huddling up for the team photo was have multiple players and staff members attempt half-court shots. Jalil Bethea and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. swished half-court shots in back to back attempts, but they were the only two to make them.
• Alabama ended the session with the traditional NCAA team photo including all members of the support staff.

Practice footage: