NCAA Basketball: Ranking the 8 teams in 2021 ESPN Events Invitational

NCAA Basketball: Ranking the 8 teams in the 2021 ESPN Events Invitational

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 27: Kevin Obanor #0 of the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles and Jaylin Williams #10 of the Arkansas Razorbacks jump for the opening tip off in the Sweet Sixteen round of the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on March 27, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /

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ESPN Events Invitational NCAA Basketball Jahvon Quinerly Alabama Crimson Tide (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

2. Alabama Crimson Tide

Nate Oats has changed the narrative about Alabama sports. Bama is no longer just a football school. Yes, football will always be more dominant and will be the primary focus for Tide fans, but the tide (no pun intended) has started to shift over the last few seasons. Next year won’t be any different as coach Oats has another star-studded roster filled with returning players, recruits, and some impactful transfers.

The Tide will be leaning on Jaden Shackelford and Jahvon Quinerly to make up the majority of the scoring. Jaden Shackelford was the teams leading scorer a year ago averaging over 14 points per contest. He is a 34% three-point shooter and really looks to push the pace as most of coach Oats players do. Quinerly averaged over 12 points a contest off the bench last season, giving the Tide a jolt off the bench. From the looks of it, Quinerly will be starting come next season.

JD Davidson will be the team’s true point guard, a top 15 prospect according to 247sports. The 6’2 Alabama native is a super athletic guard who will mesh perfectly in coach Oats face-paced get-out in transition style of play. Noah Gurley comes over from Furman after a phenomenal junior season.

The 6’8 forward will be center on this positionless team something he was accustomed to during his time at Furman. Gurley won’t have to be the “guy” like he was last season. If he can give the team 10 points and 6 board and provide some excellent defense, this team could be even more successful than last year.

Alabama will be Kansas’s biggest threat in this tournament. We will be assuming both will be on the opposite side of the bracket. The potential matchup between these would be one of the most viewed early games in the season. I will say Bama does live and die by the three. There is a potential for an earlier round of upset if they go cold from outside (which isn’t that often.)

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