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Mississippi forward Sebastian Saiz (11) and guard Marshall Henderson (22) react after making a three-point basket by Henderson during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Missouri in Oxford, Miss., Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014. Mississippi won 91-88. (AP Photo/Thomas Graning)
TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- A question about the threat Marshall Henderson poses on an opposing defense elicited an understandable response from Alabama coach Anthony Grant.
Of course the polarizing Henderson is a threat. Anyone who can hit eight 3-pointers in a single game the way Henderson did in Saturday's win over Missouri deserves some special recognition.
"The way he can score the basketball," Grant said, "gives them a different dimension than most teams."
But when Grant was pressed for more, he took it in a different direction.
Yes, Henderson is one of the SEC's most dynamic players, especially when he gets hot from beyond the arc. But there's so much more to an Ole Miss squad that's been among the best in the conference and playing well enough to make the NCAA Tournament.
That was Grant's message Monday as the Crimson Tide prepared for Tuesday's 8 p.m. showdown with Ole Miss at Coleman Coliseum.
"I think you're mistaken if you look at Ole Miss as a one-man team," Grant said. "
"Summers is as good as any guard in our league," Grant said. "He's really, really talented."
Ole Miss' size in the paint is also a strength. Forwards
Aaron Jones
,
Sebastian Saiz
and
Anthony Perez
all top out at 6-foot-9 and "
Losers of four straight and six of its past seven, Alabama (9-14, 3-7) is running out of time to right a season that's gone mostly wrong since SEC play started. The two most recent losses certainly stung, but there were encouraging signs not seen in blowouts against Auburn and Tennessee.
The Crimson Tide held a first-half lead and took a tie into halftime on the road Saturday at No. 3 Florida. Junior guard Rodney Cooper played well against Arkansas and freshman forward Jimmie Taylor looked much more assertive Saturday with the ball in his hands, as he finished with 6 points on 3-for-3 shooting off the bench.
"He's a young man that's learning basketball, really learning his game and what he's able to do," Grant said. "I was really encouraged to see him be as aggressive as he was offensively. We're going to need more out of that in him. I think the more confident he gets, the more comfortable he gets, the more he continues to develop, I think the sky's the limit for him."
Grant stopped short of declaring any moral victories during one of the worst stretches in his five-year tenure as Alabama's coach.
"In terms of what we prepare for, we prepare to win every game and that's going to require great effort and great energy no matter who we're playing," he said. "E
Ole Miss
F Sebastian Saiz (5.2 ppg, 6.3 rpg)
F Anthony Perez (6.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
F Aaron Jones (6.7 ppg, 7.1 rpg)
G Jarvis Summers (17.4 ppg, 3.8 apg)
G Marshall Henderson (19.6 ppg, 2.0 rpg)
Alabama
F Shannon Hale (7.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg)
F Nick Jacobs (8.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg)
G Rodney Cooper (8.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg)
G Retin Obasohan (11.2, 3.1 rpg)
G Trevor Releford (18.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg)