No. 2 seed Alabama men’s basketball faces off in the Sweet 16 against No. 6 seed BYU on Thursday. Here are the keys to this matchup of two similar playing styles.
Offense
Alabama’s No. 4-ranked KenPom offensive efficiency will look to exploit BYU’s 140th-ranked scoring defense that allows 71.4 points per game. BYU’s No. 8-ranked KenPom offense is no slouch and will challenge the Crimson Tide defense.
“You can’t give them 3s,” Alabama head coach Nate Oats said on “Hey Coach.” “They take a lot of 3s. They make a lot of 3s. You got to get them off the 3-point line.”
The two teams average over 10 made 3-point shots per game. Alabama scores 91.1 points per game, while BYU scores 81.0.
Alabama guard and All-American Mark Sears has not been as effective in the NCAA Tournament as in the regular season, making 37.0% from the field and 11.1% from three.
This matchup could become a high-scoring affair, and Alabama will need to make its shots efficiently to keep the Cougars at bay.
Rebounding
Alabama has the height advantage coming into this matchup, with center Clifford Omoruyi, who is 6-11, going up against BYU centers Fousseyni Traore and Keba Keita, who are 6-6 and 6-8, respectively.
Alabama averages 43.1 rebounds per game, compared to the Cougars’ 37.4, and will need to crash the boards early and often to set the tone in this matchup.
“I do think we’re more athletic than them at spots, and we got to use that to our advantage,” Oats said.
Alabama struggled with rebounding in its first-round win over 15 seed Robert Morris, but bounced back to outrebound 7 seed Saint Mary’s in its 80-66 win over the Gaels on Sunday. The team was outrebounded on the offensive glass by the Gaels, however, and will need to pick up offensive rebounds if it is to keep BYU out of the game.
Tempo
Despite having similar offensive styles, Alabama runs quicker than BYU. The Crimson Tide averages 78.6 possessions per game, the highest in Division 1, while the Cougars average 70.6 possessions, the 145th-best in Division I.
Alabama faced a tempo battle against Saint Mary’s and was able to pull away, becoming the first team to score 80 points in a game against the Gaels in 105 games, according to ESPN. The Crimson Tide did this without anyone playing more than 28 minutes.
Saint Mary’s had four starters play over 34 minutes, and the Crimson Tide was able to out-hustle the Gaels to win.
“I thought we kind of wore them out,” Oats said postgame.
Alabama will need to ensure the game is played at its preferred pace if it is to defeat BYU.
Alabama continues its March run on Thursday, facing off with BYU in the Sweet 16. Tipoff is slated for 6:09 p.m. CT, and the game can be streamed on CBS.
