Tired Legs Shouldn't Be A Problem For Alabama Soccer

Coach Wes Hart likes what he's seen from his team physically leading up to NCAA Tournament play.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - It was a tough stretch for Alabama soccer during the SEC Tournament. 

The Crimson Tide had to play three games in six days during its run in Pensacola, first against Mississippi State, followed by a challenging 2-1 victory in the semifinals against Vanderbilt, then a dogfight against South Carolina where the Tide ultimately lost in the championship game.

Coach Wes Hart gave all the credit to South Carolina, and when he spoke to BamaCentral after the game, he felt that his team was simply out of gas. 

It's a fair point: before losing to South Carolina, Alabama hadn't lost since August, and while the success is great, it can also be draining. Now that the team has had a chance to recover since the tournament, Hart likes how his team looks physically.

"We look good," Hart said during Thursday's media availability. "We took Monday off from training, and we didn't see them at all on Tuesday. We trained yesterday and spirits were high. There was a good energy and a good buzz about the group."

The team did gather on Monday for the selection show, where the team witnessed becoming a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and though the team has returned to the field since then, recovery is still key.

"You finish a game, you start recovery the next day or that night, and get ready for the next one," goalkeeper McKinley Crone said. "Obviously the SEC Tournament takes a lot on your body, so now it's been about recovery and being ready to take on Jackson State."

The Crimson Tide will face the Lady Tigers tomorrow in Tuscaloosa. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT on ESPN+.

This story will be updated with video from today's media availability.