Nate Oats crew needed to overcome the loss of guard Aden Holloway and sloppy early play from the Tide — in addition to ridiculous officiating from the referees — within the first spherical of the NCAAM Tournament to high 13-seed Hofstra on Friday afternoon. Despite the problems for Alabama, the 4th seeded Crimson Tide led your complete sport and at last took cost with just below 5 minutes to play once they outscored the Pride 19-5 down the stretch to show a tight sport into a 20 level win. Up subsequent for Alabama is a harder foe in fifth seeded Texas Tech and Bama can’t afford to attend till the final minutes to show up the warmth.
According to the FanDuel sportsbook, the Tide opens up as a -1.5 level favourite over the Red Raiders — a razor-thin margin that would waver between now and Sunday’s sport at 8:45pm CT. The over/beneath is set at 164.5 as of publish.
Texas Tech had a comparable opening sport within the Big Dance as they led the 12-seed Akron by 5 on the half and by a comparable margin with 6:25 remaining earlier than outscoring the Zips 22-7 down the stretch to win by 20.
Tech is additionally lacking a key participant. However not like Holloway, their loss is a consensus second-team All-American in ahead JT Toppin who suffered a season-ending harm after tearing his ACL in his proper knee in a February sport at Arizona State. At the time of his harm, Toppin led his workforce with 21.8 factors, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per sport.
Texas Tech would lose that sport to the Sun Devils, who didn’t make the post-season. They would rebound for a blowout win over a dangerous Kansas State and also-ran Cincinnati, adopted by a large upset of Iowa State — now a 2-seed — on the street. But the nice instances didn’t final because the Red Raiders misplaced their ultimate three video games previous to the NCAA Tournament. Those opponents — TCU, BYU, and Iowa State — are all NCAA Tournament members.
In the three sport win streak, the oddsmakers possible had their doubts about Texas Tech with out their star participant. In the three sport setback that adopted, the alternative was possible true. The unfold and over/beneath in opposition to Akron had been shockingly low (except you might be impressed by a workforce that dominated the MAC, a convention that put solely two groups within the Big Dance).
Donovan Atwell and Christian Anderson have stepped up their video games in Toppin’s absence, and LeJuan Watts has emerged as a key contributor. But is it sufficient? Which Texas Tech workforce will we see on Sunday?
After a show-stopping double additional time win over Arkansas, Alabama defeated poor LSU and MSU groups after which bought revenge over Tennessee. Then got here a disappointing loss to UGA and a hammering of Auburn. The Tide made an early exit from the SEC Tournament earlier than getting into the NCAA Tournament. The Crimson Tide loses some scoring contributions from Holloway, however produce other guards able to stepping up. But will they?
The Tide is nonetheless the nation’s high scoring workforce at 91.7 factors per sport. The Red Raiders common 80.7 which is seventieth highest. Tech permits 72.6 ppg and Bama is at 70.1.
The actual determinant appears to be if the Tide may be motivated to play onerous and play protection. Sometimes, you by no means know what you’ll get out of this squad. The hope is that Oats has saved up a good motivation speech for the crimson and white.
The odds may fluctuate between now and Sunday’s tipoff. Check in with FanDuel for updates.
This second spherical sport is set for 8:45pm/9:45pm on Sunday, March 22, and will probably be broadcast on TBS.
