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CLEVELAND — Alabama's two-game stay in Cleveland featured two opponents who would love to get down and dirty, keeping the game in the 50s and 60s. That's in contrast to the Crimson Tide, who are at their best when they're getting out and pushing the pace into the 80s and 90s.
The team Alabama will see in the Sweet 16 Thursday, BYU, is going to be much more willing to play at the Crimson Tide's pace. After two games of rolling around in the mud, including Sunday's 80-66 win over No. 7-seeded St. Mary's in the second round of the NCAA Tourament, it would have to feel refreshing to at least get on the floor against someone more akin to them stylistically.
"I don't know that I want to say it's refreshing to go against somebody that plays like us because I think we're really tough to guard, and we've led the country in scoring the last two years," Alabama coach Nate Oats said after Sunday's win at Rocket Arena. "I don't think anybody is saying it's refreshing to play Alabama, whoever is running the defense for the other team. I mean, in a way, maybe it's not such a smash mouth game like playing football out there like some of these teams, but they're not easy to cover. He's running great sets. They've got shooters all over the place. They're good."
The Crimson Tide (27-8) came into Sunday's second-round game averaging 91.1 points, which led the nation. The Cougars (26-9) rank 25th after their 91-89 second-round win over Wisconsin on Saturday night.
Both teams are in the top eight nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency, according to Ken Pomeroy. Alabama is fourth, while BYU is eighth.
"Yeah, I feel like we're prepared for anything," Alabama forward Jarin Stevenson told the Beacon Journal in the postgame locker room. "Whether it's run-and-gun or slow pace team, we have the personnel for that. We're very talented. I feel like we proved that we're very physical too, on different games throughout the season too. So yeah, we're prepared for anything."
The Crimson Tide showed that again during their stay in Cleveland. Neither No. 15 Robert Morris in the first round or St. Mary's on Sunday had any desire to play at the pace Alabama wanted to play the pace at, and both did their best to try and keep the game where they wanted it played.
Despite their best efforts, however, the Crimson Tide were still able to pull away in both games. It was talent against the Colonials on Friday, it was because they were able to match the Gaels' inside on Sunday.
St. Mary's came into the game as one of the nation's preeminent offensive-rebounding teams. The Gaels grabbed more than their share against Alabama, with 16 of their 36 boards coming at the offensive end.
The part about the Crimson Tide's game, though, that goes overlooked often is their own ability to get to the glass. Alabama's 42.9 rebounds a game average ranked No. 1 in the country entering Sunday, and it was able to grab 32 defensive rebounds and hold a 41-36 overall edge.
"Yeah, I think that's a part of our game that's underlooked," said forward Mouhamed Dioubate, who was one of six to score in double figures for Alabama with 10 points while grabbig five rebounds. "You know what I'm saying? A lot of teams, a lot of schools and a lot of the media and stuff, they saying Alabama is soft. We heard that before the game and that kind of got us going. 'He soft,' that don't sound right. So we going to just try to prove all the naysayers wrong and we going to do what we got to do to keep advance."
Alabama advancing means Dioubate will be going back near his Queens, N.Y., home as well, with the East regional semifinals and finals being played in Newark, N.J. More importantly, it means a school-record third consecutive Sweet 16 appearance for the Crimson Tide, and fourth trip in the last five years.
Two more wins, though, and Alabama can book its second consecutive trip to the Final Four. The Crimson Tide has to win the next one first, though, and that means facing a team that's perfectly willing and able to run with them.
After two games in Cleveland playing against teams that didn't want to run, whether it's refreshing for it or not, Alabama's ready to put their track shoes on in Newark.
"I mean, we go against it and practice all the time," Stevenson said. "I guess we're just prepared for anything. I feel like our team could take on anything. Yeah, we're prepared."
Chris Easterling can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Alabama gets by defensive-minded St. Mary's, gets similarly-styled BYU
Continue reading...
The team Alabama will see in the Sweet 16 Thursday, BYU, is going to be much more willing to play at the Crimson Tide's pace. After two games of rolling around in the mud, including Sunday's 80-66 win over No. 7-seeded St. Mary's in the second round of the NCAA Tourament, it would have to feel refreshing to at least get on the floor against someone more akin to them stylistically.
"I don't know that I want to say it's refreshing to go against somebody that plays like us because I think we're really tough to guard, and we've led the country in scoring the last two years," Alabama coach Nate Oats said after Sunday's win at Rocket Arena. "I don't think anybody is saying it's refreshing to play Alabama, whoever is running the defense for the other team. I mean, in a way, maybe it's not such a smash mouth game like playing football out there like some of these teams, but they're not easy to cover. He's running great sets. They've got shooters all over the place. They're good."
The Crimson Tide (27-8) came into Sunday's second-round game averaging 91.1 points, which led the nation. The Cougars (26-9) rank 25th after their 91-89 second-round win over Wisconsin on Saturday night.
Both teams are in the top eight nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency, according to Ken Pomeroy. Alabama is fourth, while BYU is eighth.
"Yeah, I feel like we're prepared for anything," Alabama forward Jarin Stevenson told the Beacon Journal in the postgame locker room. "Whether it's run-and-gun or slow pace team, we have the personnel for that. We're very talented. I feel like we proved that we're very physical too, on different games throughout the season too. So yeah, we're prepared for anything."
The Crimson Tide showed that again during their stay in Cleveland. Neither No. 15 Robert Morris in the first round or St. Mary's on Sunday had any desire to play at the pace Alabama wanted to play the pace at, and both did their best to try and keep the game where they wanted it played.
Despite their best efforts, however, the Crimson Tide were still able to pull away in both games. It was talent against the Colonials on Friday, it was because they were able to match the Gaels' inside on Sunday.
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St. Mary's came into the game as one of the nation's preeminent offensive-rebounding teams. The Gaels grabbed more than their share against Alabama, with 16 of their 36 boards coming at the offensive end.
The part about the Crimson Tide's game, though, that goes overlooked often is their own ability to get to the glass. Alabama's 42.9 rebounds a game average ranked No. 1 in the country entering Sunday, and it was able to grab 32 defensive rebounds and hold a 41-36 overall edge.
"Yeah, I think that's a part of our game that's underlooked," said forward Mouhamed Dioubate, who was one of six to score in double figures for Alabama with 10 points while grabbig five rebounds. "You know what I'm saying? A lot of teams, a lot of schools and a lot of the media and stuff, they saying Alabama is soft. We heard that before the game and that kind of got us going. 'He soft,' that don't sound right. So we going to just try to prove all the naysayers wrong and we going to do what we got to do to keep advance."
Alabama advancing means Dioubate will be going back near his Queens, N.Y., home as well, with the East regional semifinals and finals being played in Newark, N.J. More importantly, it means a school-record third consecutive Sweet 16 appearance for the Crimson Tide, and fourth trip in the last five years.
Two more wins, though, and Alabama can book its second consecutive trip to the Final Four. The Crimson Tide has to win the next one first, though, and that means facing a team that's perfectly willing and able to run with them.
After two games in Cleveland playing against teams that didn't want to run, whether it's refreshing for it or not, Alabama's ready to put their track shoes on in Newark.
"I mean, we go against it and practice all the time," Stevenson said. "I guess we're just prepared for anything. I feel like our team could take on anything. Yeah, we're prepared."
Chris Easterling can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Alabama gets by defensive-minded St. Mary's, gets similarly-styled BYU
Continue reading...
