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Steve Victory JOURNAL – Post-season 2012-13
Alas, there are no SEC tournament miracles from Alabama this season. The Tide gets knocked out in the first round by Mississippi State 83-72. Not bad considering the Bulldogs spent most of the season ranked in the top 5 in the nation. ‘Bama roared back from a 47-29 halftime deficit to at least keep things interesting. Waitari Condill led the way for the Tide with 23 points, including 4-for-7 from three-point land. He's a gamer.
So, Victory’s fourth season at Alabama again ends with a losing record. But his 12-18 mark is his best yet in Tuscaloosa and the school’s best record in close to a decade. With everyone coming back except senior PF/C John Jordan, the future looks bright. The school trustees, while still grumbling over the losing record, seem placated for now.
Victory finally feels confident enough to go back to the Final Four to hobnob with his coaching buddies (he was a no-show the past two seasons because of Alabama’s crappy records). What he sees this time is SEC rival Mississippi State cutting down the nets and enjoying their One Shining NCT Moment in front of tens of thousands.
The Bulldogs beat another SEC foe, Kentucky, in the semifinals 73-47, then clipped Indiana in the title game 80-60. It was the second time in three years IU failed to win the big one (maybe the Hoosiers need dynasty master Johnny93g to help coach them all the way over the top).
Victory takes great pleasure from the fact that his ‘Bama squad nearly beat MSU once this season (falling 67-65) and only lost by 11 in the other two meetings.
“We’re right there, boys,” he says during a summer training session. “We are so close to putting the Crimson Tide back among the elite programs in college basketball. Let’s just keep believing and keep getting better.”
Maybe Victory CAN reach his 15-year goal of winning the NCT after all… Time sure is getting short, though… Only five seasons left...
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