The UConn men’s basketball team has faced their fair share of competition this NCAA Tournament. From one of the most dangerous offenses in the country with Illinois, to one of the strongest defenses in San Diego State, — the Huskies have plowed through it all. All their hard work has carved a path straight to Phoenix for their biggest challenge yet: the Final Four.
Connecticut’s first test in the West? A dance with the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday at 8:49 p.m.
Like the Huskies, the Crimson Tide have had their fair share of challenges to make it to this matchup. They’ve had to take down an extremely tough North Carolina team that featured both Armando Bacot and R.J. Davis, along with another ACC foe in the Clemson Tigers. Both of those single digit wins set up this battle, and with the way that Alabama has played up until this point, UConn should certainly have their hands full.
One of the biggest things that makes the Crimson Tide team so tough to play against is their offensive efficiency, a mark that currently sits third in all of college basketball according to KenPom. They’re not really like any team that UConn has played throughout the Tournament, as Alabama not only commands a very fast-paced offense, but also shoots plenty of three-point shots. The worst part is that this lineup is very gifted at hitting their shots from beyond the arc, 37.1% of them in fact. His eFG% jumps all the way up to 60% when you take into effect how great of a shooter he is in that department.
Of course, you have to carry the weapons to secure impressive stats, but no one is more dangerous on this team than senior guard Mark Sears. If the lefty shooter being ranked 10th on KenPom’s Player of the Year ranking doesn’t impress you enough, then perhaps his 21.5 points per game on 50.4% from the field may just do the trick. As their team ranking also says, the senior is lethal from beyond the arc, draining 43.4% of his shots on about four attempts per game.
However, one of the bigger things to touch upon with this roster is their defense. Throughout this season, the Tide have played outside the top 100 in terms of their defensive efficiency, yet that’s stepped-up big time. Sears has been a big help in that department after leading his team in steals during the regular season, and he is currently averaging 1.75 steals during March Madness.
For Alabama to pull off what many are calling a David vs. Goliath battle on Saturday, they’ll need to be able to stop the size of Donovan Clingan in the paint. It’s a task that both Coleman Hawkins and Jaedon LeDee have failed to accomplish, and that matchup for the Tide will be given to 6-11 big man Grant Nelson.
The former North Dakota State transfer has played a pivotal role in the frontcourt for his squad, averaging 11.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and blocking 1.6 shots per contest. But will his defense be enough to contain the impact of a projected NBA lottery pick? That remains to be seen, but it will nonetheless be one of the tougher challenges of the season for the senior.
Along with Sears, the Tide also has another weapon in the backcourt with Aaron Estrada, another impressive scorer for this unit. His 19 points on 52.9% shooting against UNC were critical in keeping this team alive, and with how this Connecticut defensive lineup has been known to silence the best of scorers, he’ll need to be prepared for the worst.
Similar to Clingan vs. Nelson, all eyes will be on the Stephon Castle v. Sears matchup. The current Huskies freshman has had to guard some tough names in the Tournament, including Terrance Shannon Jr. and Boo Buie. Both times, he’s played a brand of defense that this Connecticut team has needed from him, and they’ll once again need some relentless play from him on that end of the floor. The Georgia native has been one of the keys to why opponents haven’t been able to score above 60 against Connecticut throughout March Madness. While it’s certainly going to be tough for the Huskies to reach that level of defensive play against such a gifted offensive unit, they have the players to make it happen.
On top of all the positives I listed above for the Tide, their team is embracing that underdog mentality ahead of the matchup.
“We were an underdog. Nobody expected us here,” said coach Nate Oats. “We had to sell our guys that we can make the run before the Tournament. Now that we’ve made run to get to the Final Four, I want our guys playing loose and free, but I want them thinking we have the chance to win. If you guys know me, I’m not going into this game just happy to be here.”
The key here for UConn to win this game goes back to how they defend opposing three pointers. Alabama is 7-1 this season when hitting more than 15 triples, with their one loss of the season coming to fellow Final Four team Purdue. Of course, the matchup with Sears remains the most important, but one of the biggest weapons for the Tide, Latrell Wrightsell, could be back in time for Saturday’s matchup. As a 44.3% shooter from beyond the arc and a player that operates at 23.5 minutes per contest, that’s another weapon that Dan Hurley and his coaching staff will have to gameplan for. He may have been out since the Round of 32 but considering his offensive rating of 135.1 ranks fifth in college basketball, that’s always something you need to be wary about.
Ultimately, it’s time for Connecticut to play their best basketball of the entire season. To deliver a second straight NCAA Championship, an improbable task for many schools across the nation, their mistakes must be minimal, and effort must be 110%.
Tipoff is slated for 8:49 p.m. ET and will be televised on TBS.