In Midst of BCS Title Talk, Alabama Schools Making Noise with Round Ball Too

Alabama is a football-crazed state, in case you were not aware.

Half of the state is living and dying right now awaiting the Jan. 7 date in Pasadena with the Texas Longhorns.

Take notice, however, football fanatics. The state of Alabama might just be becoming a basketball state!

Last night saw two of the state's elite basketball teams upend two of the nation's elite basketball teams.

Does that mean that the state's elite belong among the nations elite? In a word, yes.

UAB and South Alabama have pulled some big wins out of their hats already this season. UAB has knocked off Cincinnati and now Butler at Bartow Arena this season.

South Alabama went to the O-Dome and handed Florida its first home loss in December since 2004 when the Louisville Cardinals gained a win over Billy Donovan's crew.

The Jaguars have now beaten two SEC teams this season. USA also knocked off Arkansas on the road earlier this season.

The Blazers and Jaguars have been doing it all season long. UAB has a way of gaining notice from the rest of the country with its upsets of bigger foes.

South Alabama has not been known as much for its upsets of ranked opponents, but you will find them regularly in the NCAA field of 65.

This season's lone blemish on the UAB schedule is a seven-point setback at Kent State in the team's second game.

Since then, the Blazers have won nine in a row, including wins over Georgia, Cincinnati, Butler, and South Alabama.

Mike Davis and crew have not ventured outside the friendly confines of Bartow Arena but three times this season, however. And a meeting with ACC foe Virginia will be a major factor in where the Blazers stand.

Other state teams are playing good basketball as well. Alabama took Purdue to the wire as well as beating Baylor and Michigan and playing Florida State close this season.

Samford has been to the NCAA tournament numerous times and Jacksonville State has kept their team respectable this season, losing five of their six games (excluding the loss to UAB) by a total of 21 points.

Alabama, the football team, may be playing for a national championship this coming January, but if the state would take notice of the emerging basketball prowess, maybe Alabama, the state, could celebrate a championship in early April one day.