NCAA Tournament 2023: Ranking the 8 matchups in the Sweet 16
By Joey Loose
7. 1 Alabama vs. 5 San Diego State
This has already been a successful season for Brian Dutcher and San Diego State, winning his first two NCAA Tournament games since taking over the program back in 2017. Clearly, the Aztecs are not done quite yet, even if they face quite the uphill battle against the Crimson Tide. San Diego State plays a deep lineup with a masterful defensive approach, with none of their last six opponents scoring more than 61 points, including in wins over 12-seed Charleston and 13-seed Furman last week.
Alabama has looked far more lethal, especially on the offensive side of the ball. There have been times this season where the Crimson Tide have been literally unbeatable and they’re currently riding a five-game winning streak where the average margin of defeat is nearly 20. Alabama also boasts an All-American in Brandon Miller and has him surrounded with impressive talent at every position. The Crimson Tide are fresh off an SEC Tournament title and took care of both 16-seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and 8-seed Maryland with relative ease.
Neither team has been particularly challenged to this point and this will certainly be the biggest test for both in this year’s Tournament. The difference is that Alabama has already shown they can win big games over elite-level foes; can the Aztecs do the same after months of uneven play in the MWC? There is absolutely a blueprint to victory here for San Diego State, who will need quite the heroic defensive effort, but Alabama marching on to the Elite Eight is a likely outcome.