#17 Alabama v Ohio State Game Thread

Your undefeated and 17th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide basketball team take on their first true test of the season tonight against the Buckeyes of Ohio State. This will be the opening game of the four-team Emerald Coast Classic - with Oregon-Santa Clara to follow. Winners and losers will meet tomorrow.

The Tide is off to a red-hot start, currently ranking as the #1 offense in the country, according to Kenpom’s Adjusted Offensive Efficiency. The Emerald Coast Classic this weekend marks the start of a massive step-up in competition, however, with the likes of Clemson, soon-to-be-number-one Purdue, and a pair of top-ten road trips against Crieghton and Arizona all on the docket between now and Christmas. Tonight’s game will go a long way in showing exactly where this year’s Tide Hoops team stands going into that gauntlet.

The game will tip-off at 6:00 PM CST and will be televised on the CBS Sports Network. The Tide is listed as an 8-point favorite on the neutral court in Destin, FL.