Alabama didn’t leave much to the imagination in its second-round rout of Texas Tech. The 4th-seeded Crimson Tide sent quite the message, in fact.
They walloped the 5th-seeded Red Raiders, conspicuously flexing their offensive firepower in a 90-65 exhibition. With the win, Alabama earned itself a date with top-seeded Michigan in the Sweet 16.
The Wolverines and Crimson Tide have become well-acquainted on the gridiron in recent years, but they haven’t met many times on the hardwood. This will mark just their second meeting all time, with Alabama winning the first.
Here’s five things to keep an eye on when Michigan takes on Alabama in the Sweet 16 Friday night…
Defending The 3-point Line
Alabama attempts 3-pointers at the highest rate in the country, and it makes plenty of them too. That’s what it wants to do, and that’s what it’s good at. So, given the nature of this Crimson Tide squad, there’s no doubt that Michigan’s top priority will be to make shooters uncomfortable.
The Wolverines have done a solid job all season at defending the three, but as good as they’ve been, it still is one of the more effective ways to attack this defense. Michigan’s frontcourt offers elite rim protection, so Alabama will be content to simply shoot from the outside and not deal with meeting junior center Aday Mara at the rim.
If the Crimson Tide are feeling it from deep like they were against Texas Tech, they’re a difficult offense to stop.
Alabama’s Defense Is Shoddy
While Alabama’s offense is one of the best in the country, its defense is what holds it back.
It really struggles at forcing turnovers, which is good for Michigan. One of the Wolverines’ biggest vices this season has been the occasional flurries of turnovers, but against the Crimson Tide, the likelihood of turning the ball over too much is much lower than usual.
Even if Alabama is running smoothly on offense, its wishy-washy defense could allow Michigan to keep up.
Labaron Philon Jr.
Alabama sophomore guard Labaron Philon Jr. is the head of the snake. On the season, he is averaging 21.6 points and five rebounds per game, and most of the offense runs through his hands.
In the first round of the NCAA Tournament against Hofstra, Philon poured in 29 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and three steals, leading his team to a comfortable 90-70 victory. He was less prolific against Texas Tech, struggling from the field and only scoring nine points. But he had good peripherals, racking up 12 assists and six rebounds.
The Crimson Tide run through Philon. If the Wolverines can slow him down, they put themselves in a good position to win.
Can Michigan Stick To Its Identity?
Alabama is going to want to get into a track meet with Michigan and mold the game into a 3-point contest. It’s in the Wolverines’ best interest to avoid that fate.
The Wolverines should be able to slow the game down, play at their own pace, and feed the post. Michigan can shoot the three-ball well, yes, but its identity remains in the paint.
Whichever squad controls the pace and playstyle gains an immediate advantage.
Aden Holloway Likely Absent
The Crimson Tide’s second-leading scorer, guard Aden Holloway, will likely not play on Friday. Holloway, who was arrested on felony drugs charges last week, reportedly did not travel to Chicago with the team.
Holloway is Alabama’s best 3-point shooter, and he averaged 16.8 points per game on the season. His absence leaves a fairly large hole in the Crimson Tide’s guard rotation, and against a team like Michigan, the hole might grow larger.
With Holloway or without, Alabama is playing as well as any other team in the country, but Michigan stands in its way.
