With Alabama getting bounced in the SEC Tournament quarterfinal against Florida, all eyes have been on the NCA tournament for a few days. Questions about who the team would play, when the game would be, and importantly: where the game would be played.
Those questions were answered Sunday, with Alabama seeded against The College of Charleston Cougars. Fresh off of winning the Colonial Athletic Conference (CAA) Title, the Cougars are red hot coming into the tournament. The team has not lost a game since Feb. 1, rattling off 12 straight wins.
The streak has been highlighted by the offensive efficiency. In eight of the 12 games, Charleston scored 80 or more points. Junior guard Reyne Smith leads the Cougars in points, averaging 12 per game, and he scored 23 in the CAA Championship game.
With the Cougars coming into the tournament on a roll, Alabama will have their hands full against a confident squad. The Crimson Tide have won just one of their last four, a 92-88 comeback over Arkansas on Senior Day. The biggest problem for the team has been the defensive effort. When the offense has gone cold, the defense has gone colder.
Giving up 100 points three times this season, and an 0-3 record in those games, shows just how Alabama’s season has gone. An elite offense tied to one of the nations worst defenses. Those are the traits of a team destine for March failure. But this Alabama team could be different.
The Crimson Tide are lead by upperclassmen. Mark Sears, Aaron Estrada, Latrell Wrightsell Jr., and Grant Nelson are all seniors in their starting five. Experience is a key factor in March, and Alabama has lots of it. The likes of Rylan Griffen and Sam Walters can provide sparks with their shooting, whether starting the game or coming off the bench.
To make the popular comparison to Alabama’s 2021 team that was one-and-done in the tournament would do this squad a disservice. The 2021 Crimson Tide crashed and burned hard, and finished the year 19-14 and 9-9 in SEC play. This years edition has just gone cold, and it has the ability to still turn things around, even in March.
What Alabama will look to do against Charleston will be a familiar sight. Pushing the pace, shooting threes, and putting up as many points as possible. The Cougars will have to play their game perfectly to pull out a win, and Alabama knows it.
Confidence will be key for Alabama as it tries to make a run, and if that confidence leads to any sort of defense, the Crimson Tide should be just fine.
