Day One of the 2026 NCAA Tournament is formally within the books, and boy was it a doozy of a day. A trio of groups seeded 11 or worse pulled off outright upsets – highlighted by High Point’s electrical win over Wisconsin – and we got here awfully shut to seeing our third ever 16-seed advance to the Second Round, because the Siena Saints got here up simply shy of knocking off the #1 general seeded Duke Blue Devils. One of these 11-seeds – VCU – pulled off the biggest First Round comeback within the historical past of the Big Dance as North Carolina utterly collapsed within the final ten minutes of the sport.
It was a traditional March day of insanity, and we get to do it another time at present. Even higher, our beloved Alabama Crimson Tide will take part on the motion this afternoon, as Nate Oats leads the Tide onto the court docket for the sixth straight yr within the NCAA Tournament – tied for essentially the most consecutive appearances in program historical past (1982-87). The opponent for the 4th-seeded Tide would be the thirteenth-seeded Hofstra Pride of the Coastal Athletic Association (previously the Colonial Athletic Association).
The Pride will likely be making its fifth ever look within the Big Dance, the final coming again in 2001 when Jay Wright was teaching them. Wright really took them to again-to-again appearances earlier than getting the job at Villanova, the place he led the Wildcats to a quartet of Final Fours and a pair of National Championships over twenty years of a Hall of Fame profession. Hofstra has by no means even gained an NCAA Tournament recreation.
What: #4 seed Alabama Crimson Tide (23-9, 13-5 SEC) vs #13 seed Hofstra Pride (24-10, CAA Champs)
Where: Benchmark International Arena, Tampa, FL
Line: Alabama -11.5 (According to FanDuel)
Hofstra is at the moment coached by Speedy Claxton, who really performed for Wright for the primary of these two NCAA Tournament groups on the flip of the century. Claxton went on to be drafted twentieth general within the 2000 NBA Draft and spent the whole thing of the 2000s enjoying within the league, even successful a championship in 2003 with the San Antonio Spurs. The former level guard has bestowed his information of the place effectively on his present Pride workforce, as Hofstra is led by a pair of dynamic guards in Cruz Davis (20.2 PPG, 4.6 APG, 3.7 RPG) and Preston Edmead (15.9 PPG, 4.4 APG, 3.5 RPG).
Both guards can actually rating (Cruz: 44.3%/39.9%/82.9%; Edmead: 40.4%/38.3%/83.3%) they usually each took turns hitting large-time photographs throughout their CAA Tournament run. Edmead was notably clutch for Hofstra within the semifinal additional time win towards Towson. Alabama’s backcourt can have their palms full with these guys. The Pride has a pair of close to seven-footers from throughout the pond, and each have REB% hovering round 20%.
The Crimson Tide is a substantial favourite on this recreation, and if historical past is any indicator, Nate Oats actually hasn’t had many points with low-to-mid main groups throughout his time in Tuscaloosa, so it’s exhausting to challenge that can change at present. Still, Hofstra is a harmful workforce with an apparent path to an upset victory – management the tempo, hit large photographs, maintain Philon out of the paint, and benefit from Holloway’s absence – so the fellows higher be prepared to exit and carry out.
Where will the journey find yourself for the 2026 version of the Tide? It’s been a little bit of a curler coaster this season to this point, so hopefully issues shut out on a excessive word. Roll Tide, people, and Hope for the Best.
