Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland put his team's loss to Alabama on his failure. He said he did not have his players prepared for the challenge brought by the Crimson Tide.
One reporter's post-game question defined that during the game, nothing McCasland could have done would have stopped the Alabama Crimson Tide. The reporter asked, "How frustrating is it for you sitting there and this tsunami just keeps coming at you, and there's nothing you can do to stop it?
Again McCasland shouldered all the blame when he answered the tsunami question. In responding to other questions, McCasland provided more insight into the Crimson Tide: "... once they saw the ball go in, you can just tell, their pace and attack really grows when those offensive toughness plays happen on offensive rebounds. We just couldn't grab the ball in a stretch there. And it was impressive. It really was. You look at them and you know you're going to have a tough time on your hands. But the way they did it tonight was different."
Alabama Basketball - 'Different'
More about Alabama from the Texas Tech coach: " Man, Alabama was awesome. I thought they were so much more aggressive on both ends of the floor. They got after us defensively. They disrupted us, and then they were downhill on every action, and I just thought they were in attack mode."
When the Crimson Tide is that 'different' team it is capable of being, Alabama can compete with and beat any team in college basketball. But sustaining being different in multiple games is a huge challenge. Betting odds opened for Alabama vs. Michigan with the Wolverines favored by 10.5 points.
Texas Tech is a good team. Michigan is potentially a great one. It will be harder for the Crimson Tide to be 'different' against the Wolverines. Don't tell Nate Oats that, and don't tell his players that they can't beat Michigan. They have collectively experienced their better basketball selves. What minimal vulnerability that Michigan has is giving up threes by opponents.
Michigan easily beat Howard in their First Round game, but at one point, the Bison made 10 of 11 three-point shots. Though it is often and wrongly said that Alabama lives and dies by shooting threes, the Sweet 16 game will likely come down to Alabama's three-point proficiency.
For Alabama basketball fans, it should be great fun to watch.