These 5 teams could bust Alabama basketball's bracket, halt NCAA Tournament title run
Alabama basketball has shown tendencies of underestimating opponents that don't have blue blood-billings.
What Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats would call a lack of maturity saw North Dakota nearly run Alabama (25-8) out of "The Betty" with 40 points by the now-infamous Treysen Eaglestaff when the visiting team was favored by 25 points before tipoff.
Saturday's second-half collapse against Florida in SEC Tournament semifinals has Oats second-guessing how far his guys can make it beyond their first round game against Robert Morris.
In the East Region, No. 2 seed Alabama is joined by Duke, Wisconsin, Arizona, Oregon, BYU, Saint Mary's, Mississippi State, Baylor, Vanderbilt, VCU, Liberty, Akron and Montana, with the No. 15 seed Colonials up first.
With a relatively forgiving path to the Elite Eight compared to others around the country, here are the top candidates out to bust Alabama's bracket.
Why 11-seed VCU could upset Alabama basketball
Ranking among the Top 50 in the nation for winning extra possessions, Ryan Odom's Rams are going to force turnovers. They also make the most out of second-chance opportunities around the rim. For 36.5% of shots they miss, the Rams get the offensive rebound, and they can be impactful from deep, too.
VCU has the green light from downtown, and that alongside a defense ranked No. 23 in adjusted efficiency per KenPom could be a problem for Alabama in the Sweet 16.
Why 5-seed Oregon could upset Alabama basketball
Simply put, because Oregon did it already. Keeshawn Barthelemy scored a game-high 22 points, and Supreme Cook dropped 11 points off the bench, taking the Crimson Tide to the wire as the Ducks won the Players Era Festival championship.
Keep in mind, Alabama lost Latrell Wrightsell Jr. to a blown Achilles tendon that game, and the injury report has only grown since. The Crimson Tide's non-starters have to step up to bounce Oregon in the Elite Eight. Of course, that'll take Oregon defeating the winner of Arizona-Akron in the second-round, as well as No. 1 seed Duke, No. 8 seed Mississippi State or No. 9 seed Baylor in the Sweet 16.
Why 8-seed Mississippi State could upset Alabama basketball
Alabama proved it could do what hadn't been done in program history against Kentucky in SEC Tournament quarterfinals. Lacking defense, and a healthy roster, the 'Cats were a lucky draw in comparison to the Bulldogs, who UA could meet for a third time in the Elite Eight.
Josh Hubbard is a problem. Against Alabama on Jan. 29, he went off for a career-best 38 points for the most in program history versus a ranked opponent. He hung 21 points in Coleman Coliseum in February.
Why 13-seed Akron could upset Alabama basketball
Akron's fast-paced offense, ranked 16th in adjusted tempo and top 50 in two- and 3-point efficiency, makes a tough first-round matchup for Arizona, which struggled late in the season.
Alabama wouldn't meet the Zips until the Elite Eight, but if Akron's still in at that point, the Mid-American Conference regular season and tournament champions' momentum could be detrimental to a Crimson Tide team that might breeze through the first couple of rounds. Plus, John Groce's crew would likely have had to have beaten No. 5 seed Oregon in the second-round.
Why 4-seed Arizona could upset Alabama basketball
In the Big 12 Conference, Arizona picked up Quad 1 wins against Arizona State, Cincinnati, Kansas (No. 7 seed − West), Texas Tech (No. 3 seed − West) and West Virginia throughout the regular season, preparing them for the challenges of March Madness. Akron has sharp-shooters but lacks size that Arizona's high-scoring offense brings shooting 47.5% from the floor for an average 81.7 points per game. Defending the perimeter should see the Wildcats, who are dominant on the boards with an average 38.2 rebounds per game, advance to the second-round.
The problem for Alabama is that Arizona faced similar struggles on the back nine of the regular season, finishing with a 3-5 record in its last eight. Should the two meet, Tommy Lloyd's squad is paired with an Alabama team that'll be equally hungry to prove it's still a title contender.
Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for the Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: These 5 teams could bust Alabama basketball's bracket, halt NCAA Tournament title run
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