| MBB/WBB 🏀 🏆: SWEET 16! Alabama Advances to Second Consecutive NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 with 72-61 Win over No. 12 Grand Canyon

No. 4 Alabama Turns Focus to NCAA Tournament Round of 32 Matchup with No. 12 Seed Grand Canyon - Alabama Athletics

SPOKANE, Wash. – The No. 4 seed Alabama men's basketball team has turned its full focus toward Sunday's NCAA Tournament second round matchup against No. 12...

rolltide.com

The Crimson Tide and Lopes will tip off inside the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena

SPOKANE, Wash. – The No. 4 seed Alabama men's basketball team has turned its full focus toward Sunday's NCAA Tournament second round matchup against No. 12 seed Grand Canyon. The Crimson Tide spent most of Saturday afternoon making final preparations and meeting with local and national media prior to the contest, which will tip off at 6:10 p.m. CT (4:10 p.m. PT) on TBS.

Alabama advanced to Sunday's contest thanks toa 109-96 victory over 13-seed College of Charleston Friday night. It marked a NCAA Tournament school scoring record for the Crimson Tide, which entered this year's tournament leading the nation in scoring offense.

Grand Canyon enters the second round with a 30-4 overall mark and finished 17-3 in the WAC on its way to sweeping the regular season and tournament championships. The Lopes advanced to the second round via a 75-66 victory No. 5 seed St. Mary's.

 

[mando]

No game will be easy now. Bama needs to find a way to play defense as good as they did in game 1 at least 3/4 of that game.

 

[Justneedme81]

Grand Canyon is playing with little to no depth on bench. Run, run, and run at face pace. Wear them out in 2nd half. Empty bench to save our starter some rest.

 

[Bammerboy321]

Force them to play at our pace and they will get worn our. Charleston could not keep up at all in the second half.

Also, rebound. I would prefer to see Dioubate over Nelson.

 

[RTB Twitter Bot]

 

[50+yeartidefan]

No game will be easy now. Bama needs to find a way to play defense as good as they did in game 1 at least 3/4 of that game.

Keep things moving fast. Saw how charleston wore down.....
Hopefully 3s will fall....
And maybe officials let em play...

 

[mando]

Keep things moving fast. Saw how charleston wore down.....
Hopefully 3s will fall....
And maybe officials let em play...

They have to find a way for the offense to not impact the defense. They are going to either be off or the other teams D is going to be good. They have to just accept that and hunker down defensively. Easer said than done I guess. Been chasing that all year so not sure at this point it is going to change. Still hold out hope a healthy Griffen and Wrightsell really does help them find they way back to playing like they did in January offensively. Only path I see for them getting into the 2nd weekend.

 

[mando]

Seeing more playing time for some of the support players in the middle I believe helped Friday. Since Dioubate was mentioned in an earlier post or thread as a young Herb Jones I watched him closer when he was in the game. Did seem to play better D inside than most we have already.

 

[#80]

Dioubate is a dog does not back down and plays bigger than 6'7". Will Nelson show up today that is the question he only played 15 min against CC.

 

[Bammerboy321]

Dioubate is a dog does not back down and plays bigger than 6'7". Will Nelson show up today that is the question he only played 15 min against CC.

I've said it before but I think Dioubate plays a lot like Juwan Gary right now but has potential to grow into a Herb Jones. Oats preaches blue collar play and I think he fits sort of play the best. Lot of selfless and max effort plays.

 

[#80]

For anyone who hasn't watched GC play they are a problem fast, extremely athletic and long. They block shots and rebound well their inside play will be concerning they have rim protection.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

IMO, a Sweet 16 ticket would be a huge accomplishment for this squad... hope they play well again and make it happen...

 

[#80]

Kellogg, Smith and Barkley picked the Lopes maybe they will be a jinx.

 

[TerryP]

IMO, a Sweet 16 ticket would be a huge accomplishment for this squad... hope they play well again and make it happen...

You are right.

I want more.

 

[TerryP]

Kellogg, Smith and Barkley picked the Lopes maybe they will be a jinx.

They don't think Bama can play at its pace.

 

[#80]

They don't think Bama can play at its pace.

To physical on the inside and Grant-Foster is a stud.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

This doesn't always bode well, but Oats is confident pregame (radio interview). He doesn't hide it usually, and didn't today.

 

[#80]

This will be like a home game for the Lopes.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Feels like Bama is like 0-14 at the rim already...

 

[Bammerboy321]

We are getting such good looks at the rim, but Estrada and Nelson are god awful