Maryland vs. Alabama: 2021 NCAA Tournament preview, TV schedule, predictions
No. 10 Maryland basketball took down the No. 7 Connecticut Huskies Saturday, and No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide stand in the way of another Sweet Sixteen berth for the Terps.
TV Schedule: Monday, March 22, 8:45 p.m. ET, TNT
Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN
A spot in the Sweet Sixteen is on the line. Maryland basketball has been there before but had hopes of a Final Four run come to a crashing halt against the LSU Tigers during the 2019 NCAA Tournament.
The Crimson Tide haven’t been to the Sweet Sixteen since 2003-04 when Mark Gottfried coached the team. The Terps will have their work cut out for them defensively once again.
Expect Galin Smith to be a factor in this matchup with his former team. During his time with the Terps, he has done an excellent job scoring the basketball, rebounding, and being a defensive stopper.
Maryland coach Mark Turgeon said Galin Smith will be "fired up" to play his former team, Alabama. Maryland ran into Alabama while they were taking group photos and Turgeon said Smith's ex-teammates love him.
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) March 21, 2021
Maryland basketball has to be ready for a Crimson Tide team that has four guys who put up points in a hurry. Jaden Shackelford leads the team in scoring with 14.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game.
Herb Jones is the guy that makes this team go. He had 20 points, six assists, and three steals in the 68-55 win over the Iona Gaels. Something worth noting is that they went back and forth with Iona for the majority of the game until Alex Reese drained the Crimson Tide’s first three-pointer, giving them a 45-42 lead.
Alabama is also a team that likes to run and play fast. The Terps have done a good job the last few games of getting back on defense to prevent opposing teams’ fast-break opportunities.
They shut down James Bouknight, and Connecticut’s other scorers didn’t fare much better either. Despite being destroyed on the glass, the Terps managed to beat them because they focused on pressuring the ball handlers.
They can’t afford to have the same performance on the boards against Alabama. They have to be more physical and prevent second-chance points from piling up.
Eric Ayala was huge for the Terps. He got everything he wanted in the paint because he drove to the basket with purpose, and it worked to Maryland’s advantage. Darryl Morsell had a quiet seven points, seven rebounds, and four assists. He needs to score in double figures if the Terps are going to have a chance.
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This game will be one of many excellent second-round matchups on Monday. For the Terps to keep dancing, they have to keep the turnovers to a minimum, be physical on the boards and make shots. If they struggle with those things, Alabama wins.
Prediction: Alabama 69, Maryland 65