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How to watch: Alabama basketball vs. Iona in the NCAA tournament

Tony_Tsoukalas

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Feb 5, 2014
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No. 2 seed Alabama is set to open the NCAA tournament against No. 15 see Iona on Saturday. The Crimson Tide (24-6) returns to the tournament after last making the field in 2018. Meanwhile, Iona (12-5) is making its fifth straight appearance in the Big Dance.

Here’s all the information you need to know about Saturday’s game.

How to watch

Who: No. 2 seed Alabama (24-6) vs. No. 15 seed Iona (12-5)

When: 3 p.m. CT, Saturday, March 20

Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis

Watch: TBS (play-by-play: Andrew Catalon, analyst: Steve Lappas, sideline: AJ Ross)

Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network (play-by-play: Chris Stewart; analyst: Bryan Passink; sideline Roger Hoover)

Alabama projected starting five

Herbert Jones: 6-foot-8, 210 pounds, senior

Stats: 11.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.4 apg, 43.9% FG, 39.2% 3-pt

Jaden Shackelford: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, sophomore

Stats: 14.2 ppg., 3.8 rpg, 2.0 apg, 40.7% FG, 33.7% 3-pt

John Petty Jr.: 6-foot-5, 184 pounds, senior

Stats: 12.3 ppg., 5.1 rpg, 2.0 apg, 43.1% FG, 37.4% 3-pt

Keon Ellis: 6-foot-6, 170 pounds, junior

Stats: 5.5 ppg., 3.9 rpg, 1.1 apg, 49.1% FG, 38.5% 3-pt

Jordan Bruner: 6-foot-10, 225 pounds, graduate

Stats: 6.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.3 apg, 43.7% FG, 32.3% 3-pt

Iona projected starting five

Asante Gist: 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, senior

Stats: 13.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 3.7 apg, 34.6% FG, 33.3% 3-pt

Isaiah Ross: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, junior

Stats: 18.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.5 apg, 45.5% FG, 39.a% 3-pt

Berrick JeanLouis: 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, junior

Stats: 8.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.8 apg, 48.6% FG, 38.6% 3-pt

Dwayne Koroma: 6-foot-7, 190 pounds, freshman

Stats: 8.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 0.5 apg, 44.7% FG, 36.8% 3-pt

Nelly Junior Joseph: 6-foot-9, 230 pounds, freshman

Stats: 11.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.3 apg, 59.5% FG

Notes and quotes:

— Before coming to Alabama, head coach Nate Oats was perhaps best known for leading No. 13 seed Buffalo to an upset over No. 4 seed Arizona during the first round of the 2018 NCAA tournament. Three years later, he finds himself in charge of a tournament favorite as several analysts have projected the Tide to make a run to the Final Four.

When asked Wednesday what he felt his most important role was heading into the tournament, the head coach kept it simple.

“Don’t screw it up,” Oats said. “I think coaches can get in the way a lot more than they can help them out at this point. Sometimes trying to over-coach is a lot worse than the alternative. I think you’ve gotta pump them up with a ton of confidence.

“I go back to my days at Buffalo. I had to convince them why they were gonna beat Arizona. I had to convince myself first, why we were gonna beat Arizona. Once I got myself convinced we could actually do it, I had to convince them. With this one, it’s a little different being a 2 seed. That first round, you’ve gotta make them aware Iona’s more than capable of beating us, which I think we’ve got a mature group that’ll understand that. But you don’t wanna change too much.”

— While Alabama enters Saturday’s matchup as a 15-point favorite over Iona, the Tide knows better than to take a Rick Pitino-coached side for granted in the tournament. The Hall of Fame coach upset Alabama during his final season at Providence in 1987 as his No. 6 seed Friars upset the Tide 103-82 in the Sweet 16.

“It was really never a game,” Pitino said Tuesday. “We blew them out. To me, looking back on my basketball life, that was one of the biggest surprises of my life: that we were able to play with that team, because they were so good.

“This team, the [current] Alabama team, is much better than that team on the defensive end. This team is relentless on defense. This team is not gonna allow us to shoot 67 or 68 percent, I can assure you that. We got our work cut out for us.”

— Saturday’s matchup will pit Alabama guard Keon Ellis against his former junior college teammate, Berrick JeanLouis. The two played together for Florida SouthWestern State College last year, helping the Buccaneers to a 29-2 record before COVID-19 cut their season short. Earlier this week, Oats said that he had the opportunity of watching JeanLouis several times while scouting Ellis.

— Alabama and Iona will be playing inside of Hinkle Fieldhouse on the campus of Butler University. The historic gymnasium first opened its doors in 1928 and is famously known for being used in the championship scene for the 1986 movie, Hoosiers. While the film is viewed as a classic among many basketball fans, the Tide’s young roster isn’t as familiar with it.

“Hoosiers I believe is the only basketball movie I haven’t seen,” Alabama sophomore guard Jaden Shackelford said. “I’ve heard about it for sure but I have not seen Hoosiers.”

Senior forwards Herbert Jones and Alex Reese haven’t seen the film either. However, Jones made sure to state how excited he was to play inside Hinkle Fieldhouse regardless.

— Life in the NCAA tournament bubble leaves Alabama players with plenty of downtime once they leave the practice court. So what does a group of college athletes do when they’re cooped up in their hotel rooms? One popular option is the card game, spades. The game, which shares similarities to bridge, first starting gaining popularity in the 1930s. Apparently, it’s a hit for the Tide.

"We can't really leave our hotel floor unless we're going to practice or lift weights," Jones said. "A whole different experience. But it's been fun, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to do this so I'm embracing it and having fun."

When asked Wednesday who was the best spades player on the team, Shackelford said the battle was likely between Jones and John Petty Jr.

"I think I'm the best spades player on the team," Jones added later during the media session.

— This will mark Alabama’s 21st tournament appearance in program history. The Tide is 19-20 all-time in the tournament and has advanced to the Sweet 16 seven times with its deepest run coming in 2004 when it reached the Elite Eight.

— Saturday’s matchup will be the second meeting between Alabama and Iona on the hardwood. The Crimson Tide won the only other matchup, beating the Gaels 78-39 in the opening round of Cable Car Classic in San Francisco in 1989.
 
No. 2 seed Alabama is set to open the NCAA tournament against No. 15 see Iona on Saturday. The Crimson Tide (24-6) returns to the tournament after last making the field in 2018. Meanwhile, Iona (12-5) is making its fifth straight appearance in the Big Dance.

Here’s all the information you need to know about Saturday’s game.

How to watch

Who: No. 2 seed Alabama (24-6) vs. No. 15 seed Iona (12-5)

When: 3 p.m. CT, Saturday, March 20

Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis

Watch: TBS (play-by-play: Andrew Catalon, analyst: Steve Lappas, sideline: AJ Ross)

Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network (play-by-play: Chris Stewart; analyst: Bryan Passink; sideline Roger Hoover)

Alabama projected starting five

Herbert Jones: 6-foot-8, 210 pounds, senior

Stats: 11.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.4 apg, 43.9% FG, 39.2% 3-pt

Jaden Shackelford: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, sophomore

Stats: 14.2 ppg., 3.8 rpg, 2.0 apg, 40.7% FG, 33.7% 3-pt

John Petty Jr.: 6-foot-5, 184 pounds, senior

Stats: 12.3 ppg., 5.1 rpg, 2.0 apg, 43.1% FG, 37.4% 3-pt

Keon Ellis: 6-foot-6, 170 pounds, junior

Stats: 5.5 ppg., 3.9 rpg, 1.1 apg, 49.1% FG, 38.5% 3-pt

Jordan Bruner: 6-foot-10, 225 pounds, graduate

Stats: 6.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.3 apg, 43.7% FG, 32.3% 3-pt

Iona projected starting five

Asante Gist: 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, senior

Stats: 13.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 3.7 apg, 34.6% FG, 33.3% 3-pt

Isaiah Ross: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, junior

Stats: 18.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.5 apg, 45.5% FG, 39.a% 3-pt

Berrick JeanLouis: 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, junior

Stats: 8.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.8 apg, 48.6% FG, 38.6% 3-pt

Dwayne Koroma: 6-foot-7, 190 pounds, freshman

Stats: 8.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 0.5 apg, 44.7% FG, 36.8% 3-pt

Nelly Junior Joseph: 6-foot-9, 230 pounds, freshman

Stats: 11.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.3 apg, 59.5% FG

Notes and quotes:

— Before coming to Alabama, head coach Nate Oats was perhaps best known for leading No. 13 seed Buffalo to an upset over No. 4 seed Arizona during the first round of the 2018 NCAA tournament. Three years later, he finds himself in charge of a tournament favorite as several analysts have projected the Tide to make a run to the Final Four.

When asked Wednesday what he felt his most important role was heading into the tournament, the head coach kept it simple.

“Don’t screw it up,” Oats said. “I think coaches can get in the way a lot more than they can help them out at this point. Sometimes trying to over-coach is a lot worse than the alternative. I think you’ve gotta pump them up with a ton of confidence.

“I go back to my days at Buffalo. I had to convince them why they were gonna beat Arizona. I had to convince myself first, why we were gonna beat Arizona. Once I got myself convinced we could actually do it, I had to convince them. With this one, it’s a little different being a 2 seed. That first round, you’ve gotta make them aware Iona’s more than capable of beating us, which I think we’ve got a mature group that’ll understand that. But you don’t wanna change too much.”

— While Alabama enters Saturday’s matchup as a 15-point favorite over Iona, the Tide knows better than to take a Rick Pitino-coached side for granted in the tournament. The Hall of Fame coach upset Alabama during his final season at Providence in 1987 as his No. 6 seed Friars upset the Tide 103-82 in the Sweet 16.

“It was really never a game,” Pitino said Tuesday. “We blew them out. To me, looking back on my basketball life, that was one of the biggest surprises of my life: that we were able to play with that team, because they were so good.

“This team, the [current] Alabama team, is much better than that team on the defensive end. This team is relentless on defense. This team is not gonna allow us to shoot 67 or 68 percent, I can assure you that. We got our work cut out for us.”

— Saturday’s matchup will pit Alabama guard Keon Ellis against his former junior college teammate, Berrick JeanLouis. The two played together for Florida SouthWestern State College last year, helping the Buccaneers to a 29-2 record before COVID-19 cut their season short. Earlier this week, Oats said that he had the opportunity of watching JeanLouis several times while scouting Ellis.

— Alabama and Iona will be playing inside of Hinkle Fieldhouse on the campus of Butler University. The historic gymnasium first opened its doors in 1928 and is famously known for being used in the championship scene for the 1986 movie, Hoosiers. While the film is viewed as a classic among many basketball fans, the Tide’s young roster isn’t as familiar with it.

“Hoosiers I believe is the only basketball movie I haven’t seen,” Alabama sophomore guard Jaden Shackelford said. “I’ve heard about it for sure but I have not seen Hoosiers.”

Senior forwards Herbert Jones and Alex Reese haven’t seen the film either. However, Jones made sure to state how excited he was to play inside Hinkle Fieldhouse regardless.

— Life in the NCAA tournament bubble leaves Alabama players with plenty of downtime once they leave the practice court. So what does a group of college athletes do when they’re cooped up in their hotel rooms? One popular option is the card game, spades. The game, which shares similarities to bridge, first starting gaining popularity in the 1930s. Apparently, it’s a hit for the Tide.

"We can't really leave our hotel floor unless we're going to practice or lift weights," Jones said. "A whole different experience. But it's been fun, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to do this so I'm embracing it and having fun."

When asked Wednesday who was the best spades player on the team, Shackelford said the battle was likely between Jones and John Petty Jr.

"I think I'm the best spades player on the team," Jones added later during the media session.

— This will mark Alabama’s 21st tournament appearance in program history. The Tide is 19-20 all-time in the tournament and has advanced to the Sweet 16 seven times with its deepest run coming in 2004 when it reached the Elite Eight.

— Saturday’s matchup will be the second meeting between Alabama and Iona on the hardwood. The Crimson Tide won the only other matchup, beating the Gaels 78-39 in the opening round of Cable Car Classic in San Francisco in 1989.
Which channel is the game on Tony?
 
No. 2 seed Alabama is set to open the NCAA tournament against No. 15 see Iona on Saturday. The Crimson Tide (24-6) returns to the tournament after last making the field in 2018. Meanwhile, Iona (12-5) is making its fifth straight appearance in the Big Dance.

Here’s all the information you need to know about Saturday’s game.

How to watch

Who: No. 2 seed Alabama (24-6) vs. No. 15 seed Iona (12-5)

When: 3 p.m. CT, Saturday, March 20

Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis

Watch: TBS (play-by-play: Andrew Catalon, analyst: Steve Lappas, sideline: AJ Ross)

Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network (play-by-play: Chris Stewart; analyst: Bryan Passink; sideline Roger Hoover)

Alabama projected starting five

Herbert Jones: 6-foot-8, 210 pounds, senior

Stats: 11.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.4 apg, 43.9% FG, 39.2% 3-pt

Jaden Shackelford: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, sophomore

Stats: 14.2 ppg., 3.8 rpg, 2.0 apg, 40.7% FG, 33.7% 3-pt

John Petty Jr.: 6-foot-5, 184 pounds, senior

Stats: 12.3 ppg., 5.1 rpg, 2.0 apg, 43.1% FG, 37.4% 3-pt

Keon Ellis: 6-foot-6, 170 pounds, junior

Stats: 5.5 ppg., 3.9 rpg, 1.1 apg, 49.1% FG, 38.5% 3-pt

Jordan Bruner: 6-foot-10, 225 pounds, graduate

Stats: 6.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.3 apg, 43.7% FG, 32.3% 3-pt

Iona projected starting five

Asante Gist: 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, senior

Stats: 13.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 3.7 apg, 34.6% FG, 33.3% 3-pt

Isaiah Ross: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, junior

Stats: 18.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.5 apg, 45.5% FG, 39.a% 3-pt

Berrick JeanLouis: 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, junior

Stats: 8.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.8 apg, 48.6% FG, 38.6% 3-pt

Dwayne Koroma: 6-foot-7, 190 pounds, freshman

Stats: 8.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 0.5 apg, 44.7% FG, 36.8% 3-pt

Nelly Junior Joseph: 6-foot-9, 230 pounds, freshman

Stats: 11.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.3 apg, 59.5% FG

Notes and quotes:

— Before coming to Alabama, head coach Nate Oats was perhaps best known for leading No. 13 seed Buffalo to an upset over No. 4 seed Arizona during the first round of the 2018 NCAA tournament. Three years later, he finds himself in charge of a tournament favorite as several analysts have projected the Tide to make a run to the Final Four.

When asked Wednesday what he felt his most important role was heading into the tournament, the head coach kept it simple.

“Don’t screw it up,” Oats said. “I think coaches can get in the way a lot more than they can help them out at this point. Sometimes trying to over-coach is a lot worse than the alternative. I think you’ve gotta pump them up with a ton of confidence.

“I go back to my days at Buffalo. I had to convince them why they were gonna beat Arizona. I had to convince myself first, why we were gonna beat Arizona. Once I got myself convinced we could actually do it, I had to convince them. With this one, it’s a little different being a 2 seed. That first round, you’ve gotta make them aware Iona’s more than capable of beating us, which I think we’ve got a mature group that’ll understand that. But you don’t wanna change too much.”

— While Alabama enters Saturday’s matchup as a 15-point favorite over Iona, the Tide knows better than to take a Rick Pitino-coached side for granted in the tournament. The Hall of Fame coach upset Alabama during his final season at Providence in 1987 as his No. 6 seed Friars upset the Tide 103-82 in the Sweet 16.

“It was really never a game,” Pitino said Tuesday. “We blew them out. To me, looking back on my basketball life, that was one of the biggest surprises of my life: that we were able to play with that team, because they were so good.

“This team, the [current] Alabama team, is much better than that team on the defensive end. This team is relentless on defense. This team is not gonna allow us to shoot 67 or 68 percent, I can assure you that. We got our work cut out for us.”

— Saturday’s matchup will pit Alabama guard Keon Ellis against his former junior college teammate, Berrick JeanLouis. The two played together for Florida SouthWestern State College last year, helping the Buccaneers to a 29-2 record before COVID-19 cut their season short. Earlier this week, Oats said that he had the opportunity of watching JeanLouis several times while scouting Ellis.

— Alabama and Iona will be playing inside of Hinkle Fieldhouse on the campus of Butler University. The historic gymnasium first opened its doors in 1928 and is famously known for being used in the championship scene for the 1986 movie, Hoosiers. While the film is viewed as a classic among many basketball fans, the Tide’s young roster isn’t as familiar with it.

“Hoosiers I believe is the only basketball movie I haven’t seen,” Alabama sophomore guard Jaden Shackelford said. “I’ve heard about it for sure but I have not seen Hoosiers.”

Senior forwards Herbert Jones and Alex Reese haven’t seen the film either. However, Jones made sure to state how excited he was to play inside Hinkle Fieldhouse regardless.

— Life in the NCAA tournament bubble leaves Alabama players with plenty of downtime once they leave the practice court. So what does a group of college athletes do when they’re cooped up in their hotel rooms? One popular option is the card game, spades. The game, which shares similarities to bridge, first starting gaining popularity in the 1930s. Apparently, it’s a hit for the Tide.

"We can't really leave our hotel floor unless we're going to practice or lift weights," Jones said. "A whole different experience. But it's been fun, a once-in-a-lifetime chance to do this so I'm embracing it and having fun."

When asked Wednesday who was the best spades player on the team, Shackelford said the battle was likely between Jones and John Petty Jr.

"I think I'm the best spades player on the team," Jones added later during the media session.

— This will mark Alabama’s 21st tournament appearance in program history. The Tide is 19-20 all-time in the tournament and has advanced to the Sweet 16 seven times with its deepest run coming in 2004 when it reached the Elite Eight.

— Saturday’s matchup will be the second meeting between Alabama and Iona on the hardwood. The Crimson Tide won the only other matchup, beating the Gaels 78-39 in the opening round of Cable Car Classic in San Francisco in 1989.
Which channel is the game on Tony?
damn good info Tony
channel TBS winn
roll tide fellows
looking foward to tommorrow. need a bama B Ball fix
 
Great stuff... I saw recently where Brian Hamilton of The Athletic described one of Nate Oats' strengths as 'Platinum-Plated Confidence'

Let's hope he's got the team believing & playing
 
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