Alabama vs. BYU: How to watch as two top-10 offenses battle for an Elite Eight berth
College basketball fans are in for a treat in the first game of the Sweet 16, as two of the 10 best offenses in the country will square off.
Keba Keita — BYU's only reliable center — is the player to watch for the Cougars. Keeping him out of foul trouble will be key, and because Alabama puts a lot of pressure on the rim, his backline defense will be crucial.
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Keita is also the third shortest center left in the field, and the Crimson Tide have four players in the rotation who are at least 6-foot-10. Alabama ranks second in the country in height at power forward and fifth at center among Sweet 16 teams.
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BYU can still score points, though. While Alabama's defense is ranked in the top 30 according to KenPom, the Tide have allowed at least 80 points in seven of their last 10 games, including at least 90 points in four. The Cougars (with a 72nd-ranked defensive rating) have only allowed 80-plus points four times in the last 10 games, and one of those contests (against Iowa State on March 4) went to double overtime.
Alabama and BYU do a lot of damage in the paint. Alabama ranks third in the country in 2-point percentage (60 percent), while BYU ranks sixth overall (58.4). From deep, BYU has the advantage, making 37.3 percent of shots behind the arc, while Alabama drills only 35 percent of them.
Offense wins games, but defense wins championships. Crucial stops in the last four minutes might decide this thriller of a matchup.
This matchup can also be streamed on the NCAA March Madness Live app and Paramount+.
Streaming and Betting/Odds links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
(Photo of Mark Sears: Nick Cammett / Getty Images)
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