As March Madness heats up, it's all about the matchups. Nate Oats deserves credit for steering Alabama to the Sweet 16 despite missing one of their key players.
But now, the Michigan Wolverines stand in their path, posing a significant challenge for the Crimson Tide. Alabama's strategy of inserting London Jemison into the lineup, with Aden Holloway out, has paid off so far.
In their opening weekend, Alabama wasn't truly tested. They dominated Hofstra, cruising to a 90-70 victory by going big.
Texas Tech fared even worse, falling 90-65 in the Round of 32. The question now is whether Alabama can hit the 90-point mark again against Michigan.
Here's the lineup Oats is currently rolling with:
- London Jemison
- Amari Allen
- Aiden Sherrell
- Labaron Philon Jr.
- Latrell Wrightsell Jr.
Labaron Philon Jr. and Aiden Sherrell are the stalwarts, each with over 30 starts this season. Holloway, before his absence, had 27 starts in 28 games.
Amari Allen and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. have also been regular contributors, with Jemison stepping up recently. Taylor Bol Bowen and Houston Mallette have chipped in with 10-plus starts each.
While this big lineup has been effective, facing Michigan presents a new challenge.
Alabama will need to bring their A-game to upset Michigan.
FanDuel Sportsbook has Michigan as a 9.5-point favorite in this neutral-site showdown. The moneylines are Michigan -480 and Alabama +360, with a projected point total of 174.5. This suggests a potential final score around Michigan 92, Alabama 82.5-a tough draw indeed.
Michigan's strength lies in their frontcourt, led by forward Yaxel Lendeborg. Alongside Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr., they excel at rim running. Under Dusty May's guidance, Michigan's consistent lineup has developed strong chemistry, particularly in the frontcourt.
Key stats to note: Michigan is proficient in scoring and attacking the paint. They boast the fourth-best field-goal percentage nationally, are fifth in field goal attempts, and excel in 2-pointers. This will test Jemison and Alabama's frontcourt significantly.
So, what's Alabama's game plan? They'll need to capitalize on their 3-point shooting.
With Michigan's physical play, Alabama must make their shots from distance count. The good news?
Alabama leads the nation in 3-point attempts. They can hit them, but they will certainly take them.
To pull off the upset, Alabama needs to exceed their season average of 36.1% from beyond the arc. It's a tall order, but in March Madness, anything can happen.