Alabama Makes First Final Four In School's History
Updated: Apr 3
If you had told anyone that the Alabama Crimson Tide would make it to the Final Four in college basketball this year, they would have probably laughed at you. Before the season, I had high hopes for the team.
However, after terrible non-conference play from the Tide and a cold streak toward the end of the season, all hopes seemed to be gone. However, the team managed to get healthy and play well in March when it mattered the most. Now, they have to play against the best team in the country – UConn.
Crimson Tide's March Madness
The beginning of March was tough, but Coach Nate Oats has led Alabama to win four consecutive games in the tournament. In their latest victory against Clemson, Nick Pringle had a great game with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists in 32 minutes.
Another player who played exceptionally well against Clemson was Jarin Stevenson, a Freshman power forward who averaged 5.4 points per game during the season. However, Stevenson shot 62.5% from three-point range and scored 19 points in just 25 minutes.
In the previous game against the University of North Carolina, Grant Nelson dominated with 24 points, 66.7% shooting accuracy, 12 rebounds, and 5 blocks. However, the real standout player of the team is Mark Sears, who hails from Muscle Shoals. His impressive performance in recent matches has earned him the nickname "Mark Madness".
In the last four games, Mark Sears has been averaging 24 points per game, shooting 44.7% from three and 50.85% from the field. Without Mark Sears, the Alabama team wouldn't have gone far, but with him, they have become one of the best teams in the country.
David verse Goliath
Alabama's next game is against the University of Connecticut, the defending champions and many predict they will repeat their success this year. UConn is one of the two teams that have a better offensive efficiency than Alabama, but they are also in the top five in defensive efficiency, while Alabama ranks 262nd in defensive efficiency.
To win against the dominant UConn Huskies, Alabama will have to play their best defensive game of the year. Additionally, Alabama needs to maintain its offensive momentum because UConn has previously gone on a 30-0 run against Illinois, which is not a predicament the Tide can afford to be in the Final Four.
A Look At The Spread
The point spread for Alabama opened at +11.5 and has remained unchanged at the time of writing. As someone who enjoys gambling, my advice is to wait and see if the spread decreases if you plan to place a bet on Alabama. However, if the spread increases, it might be better to sit back and enjoy the game, considering how far we've come. It's particularly noteworthy since no one thought we could make it this far, especially the Auburn fanbase, who is currently in shambles since this was meant to be their year.
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