Does Alabama Need Derrion Reid to Beat Kentucky? Just a Minute

Welcome to BamaCentral’s "Just a Minute," a daily video series featuring BamaCentral's Alabama beat writers. Multiple times a week, the writers will group up or film solo to provide their take on a topic concerning the Crimson Tide or the landscape of college sports.

Watch the above video as BamaCentral's recruiting writer Mason Woods and beat writer Joe Gaither discuss Alabama basketball's upcoming quarterfinal matchup with Kentucky and how freshman forward Derrion Reid's availability plays a factor in the game.

After an exciting first two rounds of the SEC tournament, the quarterfinals are officially locked in and Alabama is set to take on Kentucky in the final game of the evening on Friday, March 14th.

While the Tide is expected to be without guards Latrell Wrightsell, Jr. and Houston Mallette, freshman forward Derrion Reid is questionable for the matchup. After injuring his hamstring against Texas A&M in January, he has sporadically returned to the lineup only to be sidelined again and again.

Reid most recently took the court in Alabama's home loss to the Auburn Tigers on February 15th, but played sparingly and exited the game early. Now, with a potential trip to the semifinals of the SEC Tournament on the line, the freshman sensation could possibly be back in the lineup.

While his defensive presence and offensive prowess are certainly something Alabama has missed as of late, the Tide is taking on Kentucky which is a team it has already defeated twice this season without Reid on the floor.

A hamstring injury, while not overly gruesome or even outwardly painful looking, is an injury that can linger with an athlete for months on end. If Reid is truly dealing with what seems to be a rather serious hamstring issue, it may be in the Tide's best interest to continue to let him rest in hopes of him returning for the NCAA Tournament.

If competing for a national championship is truly the goal of this year's team, having Reid on the floor will be critical to that goal. At 6-foot-8, 220 lbs., he can guard nearly any position on the court and also slash to the basket effectively.

Not to mention, he is also a ferocious rebounder, using his athleticism to frequently outjump taller players in the paint.

Alabama has mostly maintained its status as a top team without Reid on the floor for the back half of the season, but as the competition grows and the games get a bit tougher, having a player with his skillset could be the difference between a final four run and early tournament exit.

See Also...

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'A Different Edge': Nate Oats Names Players Who Can Be X-Factors in SEC Tournament

How Alabama Basketball is Treating the SEC Tournament