Busting Brackets
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Projecting Alabama Basketball’s path to a 2021 National Championship

By Matthew Travis

Alabama celebrates their 80 to 79 win against LSU as they raise the championship trophy after the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament Championship game at Bridgestone Arena Sunday, March 14, 2021 in Nashville, Tenn.Nas Sec Lsu Ala 053
Alabama celebrates their 80 to 79 win against LSU as they raise the championship trophy after the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament Championship game at Bridgestone Arena Sunday, March 14, 2021 in Nashville, Tenn.Nas Sec Lsu Ala 053 /
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Iona College men’s basketball head coach Rick Pitino Iona Vs Morgan State
Iona College men’s basketball head coach Rick Pitino Iona Vs Morgan State /

Alabama vs Iona

Alabama’s first-round matchup is against Rick Pitino and the Iona Gaels, champions of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. It is Rick Pitino’s first season with the Gaels, and he has managed to bring them to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth consecutive tournament.

Oddly enough, Iona has played only 17 games this season, finishing those 17 games with a record of 12-5. In the end, the Gaels come in at 138th in the NET Rankings with an 0-1 record against quadrant one teams, with their lone game being against Seton Hall, who they lost to by 22.

With that in mind, I wouldn’t imagine the Crimson Tide would have any problems with Iona as they haven’t proven to be a team that could make much noise. Alabama should easily win this game unless for some reason they just can’t make any shots and Iona is shooting 75% or better from the field.

The Crimson Tide enter Saturday’s game at Hinkle Fieldhouse as -16.5 point favorites according to Bovada, and in all honesty, I find that to be a little low. Alabama has played 19 total games against teams that failed to make the NCAA Tournament (many/all of whom would likely beat Iona) and in those 19 total games, they hold a record of 17-2 with an average margin of victory of 15.8 points.

That being said, Alabama should have absolutely no issues as they face off with the Gaels on Saturday as they haven’t lost to a non-tournament team since December 19th, when they lost by two to Western Kentucky, which also happened to be Alabama’s only home loss of the season.

If I was a betting man, my advice would be to take Alabama -16.5, and also to take the over for Alabama’s team total which is currently set at 82.5, but that’s up to you.

Prediction: Alabama 93 Iona 67

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