NCAA Basketball: Key early-season tourney games for 2021-22 season

NCAA Basketball: Key early-season tournament games for 2021-22 season

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 20: Jahvon Quinerly #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts in the first round game against the Iona Gaels in the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Hinkle Fieldhouse on March 20, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

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NCAA Basketball Alabama Crimson Tide Jahvon Quinerly Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

Alabama versus Iona

The ESPN Events Invitational has a fabulous final nicely set up, with Kansas seemingly set up to face Iona, Drake, or Alabama in the finals. With keeping an exciting final in mind, the quarterfinals matchup between a “new look” Alabama Razorbacks and the Rick Pitino-led Iona Gaels should not be overlooked.

The added interest is that these two squads met in the first round of the NCAA Tournament which Alabama came out on top with a 68-55 victory. A victory in which Herbert Jones scored twenty points, a feat he will not repeat this season as Jaden Shackelford and Jordan Bruner are the only two starters returning.

To fill out the Razorbacks’ starting line-up head coach Nate Oats has Furman transfer Noah Gurley (15.5 ppg) and No. 30 ranked freshman 7’0 Charles Bediako and No. 9 ranked JD Davison to run the point. Transfers will play an important part in the success of the Gaels this season as they have lost their starting backcourt and top two scorers in Isaiah Ross and Asante Gist.

6’3 guard Elijah Joiner who averaged over 11 points with Tulsa will look to occupy one of the spots as forward Quinn Slazinski will vie for a starting role after transferring from Louisville, and will at least contribute to their depth as Coach Pitino hopes to at least maintain the nine-man rotation he had last season.

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