#18 Alabama v #1 North Carolina Game Thread

It’s the third-place game of the Phil Knight Invitational, as the Alabama Crimson Tide take on the top-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels. Although neither team had the showing they were hoping for in the semifinal round, this is a fantastic bounce-back opportunity for both teams. For Alabama, this is a rare chance to take on the #1 team in the country and should provide an incredible opportunity to build up the ole NCAA Tournament resume. The Tide actually matches up well with the Tar Heels. In fact, Vegas has Alabama installed as a 1.5-point favorite going into the matchup.

It may not be the path we wanted to take, but Alabama’s best case scenario strength of schedule wise has come to fruition. Can they bounce back from the loss to UConn, snag a major victory, and leave Portland with a pair of wins over top-15 teams? The game tips-off at 2:35 PM CST and will be televised on ESPN.