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Points in the Paint: Sweet 16 link dump!

Curated sweet-ass links for your perusal.

Don’t feel like typing much today, folks. Got that ‘Rona vaccine today, and I feel like Daniel Wright with a halfback barreling towards him: outmatched, and ran slap-over. But, fear not. I’ve spent all week curating curiosities for the casual consumer. So, it’s Sweet 16 link dump time.

Let’s do this!

  • Andy Katz knows UCLA has nothing in the tank for what they’re gonna’ see on Sunday.
  • ‘Bama knows they’re deep, and at this point, they’ve bought-in to advancing over P/T.

Loser: Alabama’s doubters

Are there still people out there decrying Alabama’s 3-point heavy style as a flukish operation that won’t hold up in a single-elimination tournament? By surviving primarily off their defense on the way to an SEC Tournament title and in a first round victory over Iona on Saturday, the No. 2 seed Crimson Tide proved there is more to their mojo than just outside shooting. And No. 10 seed Maryland learned the hard way just how lethal Alabama can be when it is, in fact, hitting outside shots. The Crimson Tide hit 16-of-33 attempts from deep against the Terrapins in a dominant 96-77 victory. Next up for the Crimson Tide is a game with No. 11 seed UCLA. The Bruins have struggled to defend the 3-point line all season.

....The Crimson Tide play fast but not reckless. They’re big and strong. They’re playing top-three defense too. Jahvon Quinerly, a former five-star recruit who began his career at Villanova, finished Monday’s contest with 14 points and 11 assists off the bench; John Petty Jr. and Jaden Shackelford combined to score 41 points. You won’t find a team in the Sweet 16 that Alabama can’t beat right now.

  • Speaking of Q, he almost set an Alabama NCAA Tournament record with his 11 assists.

If you’re like me, it’s been hard to just do a quick google search for an updated bracket with TV times and coverage, including streaming options. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered.

At the same time, it’s also a chalk-heavy one: Michigan, Gonzaga, Baylor, Houston, Arkansas, and Alabama are still standing. So, it’s primarily those 4-9 seeds — the quality teams that should be winning — that are not getting Ws.

Poll

Does Alabama make its first-ever Final Four this year?

This poll is closed

  • 29%
    Yes, by advancing over a long, athletic FSU team that can give ‘Bama trouble.
    (83 votes)
  • 56%
    Yes, by beating a very good Michigan team with their superior depth and athleticism. Alabama is Final Four ready.
    (158 votes)
  • 3%
    No, FSU is like Mizzou — when they are on, they are very tough to beat in the post. And the ‘Noles are just too much in the paint.
    (11 votes)
  • 5%
    No. Even with Livers absent, Juwan Howard has done an amazing job with this UM team — they were mentioned alongside Gonzaga and Baylor all year for a reason.
    (15 votes)
  • 3%
    No. Asking ‘Bama to win nine games in a row was just too much. The Crimson Tide run out of gas against Mick Cronin’s well-coached UCLA team.
    (11 votes)
278 votes total Vote Now

That’s it for this week’s edition. Two games is all we need folks: Beat UCLA and the winner of FSU/Michigan, and Alabama can advance to its first ever Final Four. Just one win would tie ‘Bama for its best finish ever — another Elite 8 appearance. And I believe in this team.

#BlueCollarBasketball can get it done. We’ll see you next week, win or lose.

Roll Tide.