While the single-elimination format of March Madness and the conference tournaments breeds chaos in college basketball, the sport is still a war of attrition. Oftentimes, the healthiest team in March, of the top contenders, is the one that cuts down the nets. Lucky for Alabama, in the Midwest Region, that might be the Tide.
Alabama has depth issues, especially in the front court. That’s why Nate Oats fought so hard to bring Charles Bediako back, but aside from the former G-Leaguer, the Tide are entering the NCAA Tournament at full strength. As the No. 4 seed, they’re one of the only teams in the Midwest Region that can make that claim.
Michigan, Texas Tech, Tennessee, and Kentucky are all short of 100 percent
Alabama will face the CAA Champion, Hofstra, in the first round on Friday, and assuming the Tide avoid an upset, they will face either Akron or Texas Tech in the Round of 32. Akron is riding high off a MAC Tournament title, but Texas Tech is limping into the postseason with All-American JT Toppin out for the year with a season-ending knee injury he suffered in February. To make matters worse, star point guard Christian Anderson’s status is in doubt after he slipped on the LED glass court that the Big 12 debuted for its conference tournament.
Anderson has a chance to return for the NCAA Tournament and told reporters that he was “feeling good” after the injury scare, but even with him, the Red Raiders aren’t expected to compete for a spot in the Final Four without Toppin.
Beyond Texas Tech, the rest of the region is banged up as well. No. 1 seed Michigan lost backup point guard LJ Cason to a torn ACL late in the regular season and missed him in Chicago as the Wolverines fell short of repeating as Big Ten Tournament champions.
The No. 6 seed Tennessee finally got star freshman Nate Ament back in the SEC Tournament after he missed the final two games of the regular season. Ament will be good to go, but he is coming off a concerning 1-13 shooting performance against Vanderbilt in the SEC quarterfinals.
Kentucky, the No. 7 seed, has played most of the year without Jaland Lowe and Jayden Quaintance, its projected starting point guard and center, and lost starting wing Kam Williams in January. Williams, like Ament, returned in Nashville, playing three games before Kentucky was bounced in the quarterfinals, but he played a limited role off the bench.
The No. 2 and 3 seeds, Iowa State and Virginia, look like real Final Four threats and aren’t carrying the same injury concerns. Even without Cason, Michigan will be a tough out. Still, this draw should give Tide fans a bit of optimism that Nate Oats can capitalize on his opponents’ misfortune and win the war of attrition in March.