Bracketology 2023: 5 key matchups to watch on opening week
No. 20 Alabama vs. Liberty, Nov 11, 8:00 pm ET, Tuscaloosa, AL
The final game of a quartet to look at on Friday is Alabama playing host to one of the winningest mid-major programs in the country, the Liberty Flames. This game might look like a potential first-round matchup in the NCAA tournament and would be a good win for either team, while the loser will have what could be considered a good loss on their resume.
Liberty has dominated the Atlantic sun since their arrival and for the last four years, Ritchie McKay’s teams have been about two things, defense, and Darius McGhee. That combination has led to a lot of winning, to the tune of the fourth most victories in the sport over that span. Using Tony Bennett’s pack line defensive principles, the flames should once again be one of the better teams in the country on the defensive end. McGhee is the linchpin but behind him, the flames are deep and experienced.
A couple of sophomores, Brody Peebles and Joseph Venzant help McGhee man the backcourt. In the frontcourt, a couple of seniors will try to lessen McGhee’s burden. Kyle Rode and Shiloh Robinson put up nearly identical stat lines last season of odds nine points and four rebounds.
Liberty is the odds-on favorite in the Atlantic sun, but this game and a good showing in the Cancun Challenge will be the key to any at-large conversation for the flames.
A torn ACL to Jahvon Quinerly and Notre Dame derailed Alabama’s NCAA Tournament and ended the Tide’s up-and-down season. The hope is that Quinerly is back by mid-December, but with Nate Oats’ style he loves his guards, and Alabama is loaded with them this season.
With Quinrely out we are likely to see three new faces in the backcourt, headlined by two of the biggest names in the transfer portal this summer, Mark Sears from Ohio and Nimari Burnett from Texas Tech who is also returning from an ACL injury of his own. With Quinerly out expect freshman Jaden Bradley, an electric playmaker to push for starting minutes. The frontcourt has the chance to have just as much depth as the backcourt.
With sophomore center Charles Bediako and star freshman Brandon Miller the Tide will have some serious youth in the starting lineup. Freshman Noah Clowney should back up Bediako and Darius Miles and Noah Gurley will be counted on to have improved seasons, with Gurley being looked at to be more of the guy who transferred from Furman and not the guy who struggled to adjust last season.
Alabama’s schedule is loaded with games against Michigan State, Oregon, UConn, Houston, and Gonzaga. So, while this game with Liberty might not seem like a big one, a slip-up here could have seeding implications down the road.