UNC basketball vs Alabama prediction: March Madness, NCAA Sweet 16 pick is in
UNC basketball, the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament’s West Region, continues its March Madness run on Thursday (9:39 p.m. ET, CBS) against fourth-seeded Alabama in the Sweet 16.
The Tar Heels (29-7) and the Crimson Tide (23-11) play at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles for a spot in the Elite Eight. UNC is coming off wins against Wagner and Michigan State, and Alabama earned victories against Charleston and Grand Canyon.
Overall, the Heels are 8-5 in the all-time series against the Tide, including 2-1 in the NCAA Tournament. But Alabama won the last meeting in the series, securing a 103-101 quadruple-overtime win last season.
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Here are some things to know and a score prediction for UNC’s Sweet 16 matchup with the Tide in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The winner will face second-seeded Arizona (27-8) or sixth-seeded Clemson (23-11) on Saturday with a spot in the Final Four up for grabs.
UNC basketball’s defense vs Alabama’s offense
The Tar Heels have a top-10 defense and the Crimson Tide has a top-10 offense, according to KenPom.com. There’s your key matchup. UNC gave up 80 or more points in six of its seven losses this season, so that’s the magic number for Alabama. Alabama has struggled against top-tier defenses, losing four of its five games against teams with a top-10 efficiency.
UNC’s Cormac Ryan, Alabama’s Mark Sears in the spotlight
Alabama has memories of Cormac Ryan and UNC has memories of Mark Sears. At Notre Dame, Ryan had 29 points – including seven 3s – to help the Irish knock the Tide out of the 2022 NCAA Tournament. Mark Sears, Alabama’s lead guard, was among the stars in the Tide’s quadruple-overtime win against UNC last season in Portland. Sears had 24 points, including seven 3s. Because of their history, both Ryan and Sears will likely have plenty of confidence entering Thursday’s matchup.
RJ Davis, Armando Bacot aren’t slowing down for Tar Heels
UNC guard RJ Davis has scored 20 or more points in four straight games, his longest streak since reeling off eight in a row earlier this season. Fellow veteran Armando Bacot saw his double-double streak in the NCAA Tournament end against Michigan State, but Bacot is averaging 17.8 points and 11 rebounds across the last five games. The Tar Heels’ top duo continues to set the tone.
UNC vs Alabama prediction in March Madness Sweet 16
UNC 85, Alabama 79: The Crimson Tide’s offense is capable of running teams out of the gym, and UNC’s defense has displayed the ability to make teams miserable. In what should be a fun, back-and-forth game, the Tar Heels’ comfort offensively will be the difference.
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Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.
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This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: UNC vs Alabama prediction: March Madness, NCAA Sweet 16 pick is in
