The top two seeds in the East Regional are set to face off in the Prudential Center with a trip to the Final Four on the line. Alabama and Duke are the only two teams to score 100 or more points in an NCAA Tournament game this year.
If the Sweet Sixteen is any indication, the East Regional Final in Newark will be one of the best games of the tournament.
Game information
Teams: (2) Alabama (28-8) and (1) Duke (34-3)
Tip-off: 8:49 p.m. EST
Watch: TBS/truTV
Latest on Alabama basketball:
Alabama basketball advanced to the East Regional Final after a dominant performance against BYU. In the 113-88 win, the Crimson Tide connected on 25 three-pointers. This set a new NCAA Tournament record. Loyola Marymount previously held that for their second-round performance in the 1990 tournament, where the Lions made 21 triples.
While the three-point shooting was incredible, the Tide praised their preparation for the Sweet Sixteen game. In their preparation, head coach Nate Oats noticed that BYU goes under nearly every screen, which leaves the three-point line uncovered.
While the Crimson Tide had open looks, they were not one of the high-level three-point shooting teams in the NCAA. On the season, the Tide ranked outside the top 75 in three-point percentage at 35%. However, Alabama basketball puts up just short of 30 triples a game, so the sheer quantity makes that percentage look much better in the end.
While it was three-point shooting that propelled the Tide into the Elite Eight, the Tide can dominate the painted area. Across 31 regular-season games, the Crimson Tide averaged 38 points in the paint and outscored their opponents around the basket 15 times. However, Duke is one of the tallest teams in the country and have proven that they can control the paint so this will be a challenge for Alabama.
If Alabama makes its way to the final four, it will most likely be because of the pace. The Crimson Tide has the fastest tempo in the country at 75 possessions per 40 minutes. Along with this, they have the best scoring offense in the country with over 90 points per game. The scoring offense does not just come from the fast pace, but from the offensive efficiency. In this category, the Tide ranks fourth in the country according to KenPom.
If Alabama controls the pace in this game, getting ahead of Duke’s set defense, look for the Tide to keep their run going.
Latest on Duke basketball:
Duke basketball enters the East Regional Final following a win over Arizona that was much closer than it could have been. With 13 minutes remaining, the Blue Devils led by 19 points, but Caleb Love put the Wildcats on his back and brought his team within six points with a few minutes remaining.
But even with Love’s 35 points, the Blue Devils hung on for a chance to head to the Final Four. Duke dominated their first two rounds against Mount St. Mary’s and Baylor, but the Sweet Sixteen game may have shown a small weakness. The Blue Devils got in foul trouble, and while they are relatively deep, an injury to Malik Brown earlier in the season has limited the Syracuse transfer’s ability to play.
Khaman Maluach picked up four personal fouls in the win, while Patrick Ngongba fouled out with a few minutes remaining. The Blue Devils have shown that they can be a successful defensive team, especially in the painted area. Maluach is the guardian of the basket for Duke. The 7-foot-2 freshman has a 9-foot-8 standing reach and will force the Tide to shoot from the perimeter.
Duke has been dominant on both sides of the ball this year. They are the best team in the country in offensive efficiency and fifth in the defensive category. They are led by the Maine event, Cooper Flagg, who is averaging 19 points per game. In the Sweet Sixteen win, Flagg had 30 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds, and was the catalyst for the Blue Devils.
But the main difference in this game will be the tempo. Duke ranks outside the top 270 in the country in tempo. They average 10 fewer possessions per game in comparison to Alabama. If Duke can control the pace of this game, they will be in a great spot to advance. Another key to the game will be to force Alabama off the three-point line. The Blue Devils had the second-best defensive three-point percentage in the ACC, and they will need every bit of that skill on Saturday.