West Alabama Thursday Briefing

Good morning West Alabama. It is Thursday, December 5, 2024.

Thursday Morning Observations:

Over the years the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) has been the darling of college basketball, much the same as the Southeastern Conference (SEC) has been to college football. Five ACC teams have won 15 sanctioned basketball national championships. Members North Carolina, Pittsburg, Syracuse and Notre Dame claim seven more polls only titles.

The SEC has won 11 national titles over the years but only three league teams have taken home the hardware.

During year two of the Men's ACC/SEC Challenge series telecasts Tuesday and Wednesday, the ACC was running promotions hyping the league as the preeminent college basketball conference. They are still good, but the timing may have been suspect as the SEC took 14 of the 16 games played.

The preeminent basketball league must be waking up this morning with a massive headache. They were outclassed by what they like to call a football conference. Here is how it happened:

Notre Dame 48, Georgia 69

South Carolina 73, Boston College 51

Arkansas 76, Miami 73

California 93, Missouri 98

Syracuse 70, Tennessee 96

Wake Forest 44, Texas A&M 57

Ole Miss 86, Louisville 63

Georgia Tech 61, Oklahoma 76

Florida State 75, LSU 85

Kentucky 66, Clemson 70

Virginia 69, Florida 87

Alabama 94, North Carolina 79

Pittsburgh 57, Mississippi State 90

Vanderbilt 80, Virginia Tech 64

Texas 63, NC State 59

Auburn 78, Duke 84

The annual event gives teams from both conferences the chance to boost their resume and get some good competition under their belt before conference play begins in a few weeks. The outcome of the games serves as a warning to the rest of the country, the SEC is loaded.

Already fans and commentators from other conferences are whining that SEC basketball has reached the same level of quality as football.

The eyes of the college sports world may be on the final College Football Playoffs bracket to be released Sunday but lookout, the basketball season looks like it is going to be fun if you are an SEC fan.

(Opinions expressed in the Morning Briefing are not necessarily those of the ownership, management of staff of Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa.)

Weather:

A rainy start to today is giving way to decreasing cloudiness behind the front with gusting winds building in later today. Clear skies tonight will allow for much colder overnight lows ranging from the upper teens in Walker, Fayette and Lamar counties to low 20s as far south as Demopolis Wind chill readings could go as low as 4 to 10 degrees.

The Forecast:

Today

Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a temperature falling to around 40 by 5pm. North wind 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight

Mostly clear, with a low around 23. North wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Friday

Sunny, with a high near 45. North wind around 5 mph.

Friday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 25. Northeast wind around 5 mph.

Saturday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 52. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.

Saturday Night

Get our free mobile app

Topping the News:

Tuscaloosa County's only toll road may have its days numbered. The Tuscaloosa County Commission has joined the City of Tuscaloosa in passing resolutions requesting Gov. Ivey push for the state to purchase the toll bridge on the Black Warrior Parkway and remove the toll. The Northport City Council is expected to follow suit at its next meeting.

There is a precedence created when the state bought the toll bridge in south Baldwin County and remove the toll there.

The Tuscaloosa County Commission has unanimously voted to fund new bleachers for the Hillcrest High School Softball Team. District 3 Commissioner Mark Nelson led the effort to provide the $70,000 in funds.

Boosters of the girls' team have claimed the Tuscaloosa County School System did not follow through on a pledge to upgrade the facilities on the campus just south of the Tuscaloosa city limits.

The 2025-26 Academic Calendar for Tuscaloosa City Schools has been approved by the city school board. There will be 177 student class days and ten more school staff only days.

The calendar aligns with the ones approved by the Tuscaloosa County School System and the University of Alabama.

In July, Kristen Battocletti plead guilty in July to stealing $300,000 from St. Francis of Assisi University Parish. She will not serve jail time because a judge sentenced her to 60 months' probation plus restitution.

The former bookkeeper at the Tuscaloosa church admitted to buying TikTok coins and personal items with the stolen funds.

St. Francis was able to recover most of the money and did not recommend jail time.

Overnight rainfall was not enough to cut into the ongoing drought across West Alabama. However, rain over the last week or so has removed the area of Extreme Drought that covered most of Marengo County as shown in the release this morning of the Current U.S. Drought Monitor.

The potential for 2 1/2" to 3" of rain early next week is expected to considerably erode drought coverage.

Alabama Senior Republican U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville has told the podcast "Outkick" that he is not surprised that President Biden issued a pardon to his son Hunter. He told listeners he believes the Biden family is as corrupt a political family as there is, including the Clintons.

Tuberville went further alleging the Biden family has made millions of dollars from Ukraine and that is the reason for the president's backing of the country it is battle for survival against Russia.

The mother of a 16-year-old has filed a pair of lawsuits filed in the wake of an alleged DUI wreck that killed the youth and injured two others. 29-year-old Rachel Marie Robinson, who was charged with manslaughter, two-counts of felony assault and DUI is being sued along with the popular Copper Top bar for negligence. The injured 22-year-old has also filed suit.

Read More: Alleged Drunk Driver, Tuscaloosa Bar Sued for Wreck That Killed 16-Year-Old

Topping Sports News:

If the Alabama Men's Basketball Team had not had so many unforced turnovers this season, it might be undefeated right now. They were able to do that last night, and along with a total team effort easily handled #20 North Carolina 94-79 in Chapel Hill last night.

The Dean Dome is considered one of the most difficult places to play but it had little impact on the Tide as they led most of the game. It was Bama's third straight win over the Tar Heels (the other two on neutral courts).

Bama will be off until Saturday, December 14 when they host Creighton at Coleman Coliseum. The Bluejays just knocked off #1 Kansas.

Read More: Alabama Begins to Come Together in Win over UNC

On3 Sports is reporting that Alabama is one of four schools in the final mix for AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2025. His finalist list is down to four schools: Kansas, Alabama, BYU, and North Carolina.

Alabama made a haul yesterday during the early football signing period. Depending on the recruiting service, the Tide grabbed a recruiting class that was second best in the country down to the 11th best.

Due to the transfer portal and NIL the early signing period does not get the attention it once did, but it is still critical.

Click TuscaloosaTHread.com for the latest West Alabama news, sports and weather. Better yet, download the app.

Have a great Thursday!