Second-seeded Alabama and its East Area second spherical opponent, No. 7 seed Saint Mary’s, come into Sunday’s matchup in Cleveland every having obtained a dose of high-stakes basketball.
The Crimson Tide (26-8) held off a stiff problem from Horizon League champion and No. 15 seed Robert Morris, 90-81, behind 22 factors and 10 assists from Mark Sears — and with an unanticipated contribution from Grant Nelson.
Nelson, who sustained a knee harm in final week’s Southeastern Convention event, suited up on Friday however was questionable to play. With Robert Morris remaining inside one or two possessions of Alabama, Nelson performed seven minutes down the stretch.
“We did not play in addition to we had hoped, and Grant was like, ‘We’re not going residence, put me in,'” Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats mentioned.
Sears and Nelson led Alabama’s run to the 2024 Closing 4, and the duo are once more the Tide’s high scorers. Sears leads the best way with 18.8 factors per sport, whereas Nelson is second at 11.6. Sears additionally leads Alabama with 5.1 assists per sport, and Nelson is the staff’s high rebounder at 7.5 boards per sport.
“I believe he’ll be all proper,” Oats mentioned of Nelson’s standing for Sunday. “We have got to get him a bunch of rehab as a result of we’ll for certain want him… (Saint Mary’s has) received rather a lot greater entrance courtroom (than Robert Morris).”
The Gaels (29-5) leveraged their frontcourt size for a 41-28 rebounding edge of their come-from-behind, 59-56 win over Vanderbilt.
Saint Mary’s grabbed 9 of its 10 offensive boards within the second half, together with Mitchell Saxen coming down with one among his 11 rebounds in whole within the last minute to earn a visit to the free-throw line.
The play proved vital, forcing Vanderbilt to take a contested 3-pointer on its last possession.
“A giant a part of the rebounding for us is attrition,” Gaels coach Randy Bennett mentioned. “We simply preserve coming, preserve coming, preserve coming.”
Saint Mary’s heads into the second spherical ranked second nationally in offensive rebounding proportion. The Gaels frontcourt dimension helps: Saxen is 6-foot-10 and 250 kilos, whereas Harry Wesseis is 7-foot-1, 275 kilos.
However Saint Mary’s guards additionally crash the boards successfully, evident on Friday with wings Luke Barrett grabbing 10 rebounds, Augustas Marciulionis developing with eight, and Jordan Ross’ three together with a victory-sealing snare.
Alabama has dimension of its personal, significantly if the 6-foot-11 Nelson is ready to contribute extensively. Nelson is ready to stretch flooring, shifting out to the perimeter, when 6-foot-11 Clifford Omoruyi is on the courtroom with him.
In any other case, the Crimson Tide may make use of a smaller, quicker lineup emphasizing efficient perimeter scorers Labaron Philon and Aden Holloway, who’ve averaged 10.6 and 11.2 factors per sport.
Saint Mary’s is unlikely to waver from its sport plan no matter the kind of lineups it sees on Sunday.
“It is only a distinction in types. (Opponents will) go down (in) dimension and play with one massive and…simply form of stretch you out,” Bennett mentioned of groups seeking to neutralize the Gaels inside size this season. “As a result of we now have Saxen, we will guard that stuff higher than folks assume. We have now two 5s on the market, Mitchell can guard 4s.”
–Discipline Stage Media
