After avoiding an upset in the opening round of the NCAA tournament, No. 2 seed Alabama advances the round of 32 where it will meet No. 10 seed Maryland on Monday. The Crimson Tide moved on to the second round after knocking off No. 15 seed Iona, 68-55, while Maryland advanced with a 63-54 victory over No. 7 seed Connecticut.
Here’s all the information you need to know about Monday’s game.
How to watch
Who: No. 2 seed Alabama (25-6) vs. No. 10 seed Maryland (17-13)
When: 7:45 p.m. CT, Monday, March 22
Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
Watch: TNT (play-by-play: Brian Anderson; analyst: Jim Jackson; Sideline: Allie LaForce)
Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network (play-by-play: Chris Stewart; analyst: Bryan Passink)
Alabama projected starting five
Herbert Jones: 6-foot-8, 210 pounds, senior
Stats: 11.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.4 apg, 44.4% FG, 37.7% 3-pt
Jaden Shackelford: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 14.1 ppg., 3.8 rpg, 2.0 apg, 40.8% FG, 33.3% 3-pt
John Petty Jr.: 6-foot-5, 184 pounds, senior
Stats: 12.2 ppg., 5.1 rpg, 1.9 apg, 42.2% FG, 37.0% 3-pt
Keon Ellis: 6-foot-6, 170 pounds, junior
Stats: 5.4 ppg., 3.9 rpg, 1.1 apg, 48.6% FG, 38.5% 3-pt
Jordan Bruner: 6-foot-10, 225 pounds, graduate
Stats: 6.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.3 apg, 42.9% FG, 31.7% 3-pt
Maryland projected starting five
Eric Ayala: 6-foot-5, 200 pounds, junior
Stats: 15.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.2 apg, 44.1% FG, 34.4% 3-pt
Darryl Morsell: 6-foot-5, 200 pounds, senior
Stats: 8.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.8 apg, 48.6% FG, 26.9% 3-pt
Aaron Wiggins: 6-foot-6, 200 pounds, junior
Stats: 14.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.5 apg, 43.6% FG, 34.2% 3-pt
Hakim Hart: 6-foot-6, 200 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 7.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.8 apg, 44.5% FG, 33.3% 3-pt
Donta Scott: 6-foot-7, 230 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 10.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.9 apg, 49.8% FG, 43.5% 3-pt
Injury update
Alabama is still evaluating whether or not Joshua Primo is ready to return to action. The freshman guard has missed the Tide’s last three games after spraining his left MCL against Mississippi State in the SEC tournament on March 12 and has yet to participate in a live practice following the injury.
Sunday, Alabama head coach Nate Oats provided an update on Primo, calling him a game-time decision while stating that he expects him to return to action if the Tide can progress in the tournament.
"He's getting better, he's doing more and more stuff in practice,” Oats said. “We’ll see. He'll probably be a game-day decision. We were pushing to try to get him by this game, and our trainer’s pretty good, so we’ll see how he feels in the morning and go through shootaround and make a decision as we get closer to the game.
“But if he doesn't play tomorrow and we can get through tomorrow, I think 100 percent he’ll play, barring a setback, the following weekend."
Primo has appeared in 28 games this season, making 19 starts. The 6-foot-6, 190-pound guard is averaging 8.1 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 42.6 percent from the floor and 39 percent from beyond the arc. Primo has been replaced in the starting lineup by junior college transfer Keon Ellis, who is averaging 7.67 points and 6.0 rebounds over the past three games.
Notes and quotes
— John Petty Jr. earned Alabama’s hard-hat award for most blue-collar points against Iona. However, the senior guard experienced a few frustrating moments throughout the game. While Petty led the team with seven rebounds, he shot just 3 of 13 from the floor, including 1 of 5 from beyond the arc against the Gaels. He was also just 3 of 8 from the free-throw line.
Normally one of Alabama’s best shooters, Petty has been in a bit of a slump his past three games, combining to shoot 8 of 34 (23.5 percent) from the field and 4 of 19 (21 percent) from beyond the arc.
“I just go out and focus on the stuff that I can do to impact the game,” Petty said. “I know the type of shooter I am, and I know sometimes shots just don’t fall. So I really try not to let that affect me. I try not to let it get in my head so I can continue to do the things to help my team win even when I’m not making shots. Not making shots really don’t bother me because I know I have so much more to my game to impact the team.”
— Alabama will see a familiar face when it takes on Maryland. After spending three seasons with the Crimson Tide, forward Galin Smith departed for Maryland as a graduate transfer last summer. Smith comes off the bench for the Terrapins and is averaging 3.8 points and 2.4 rebounds while playing 14.1 minutes per game. The Clinton, Miss., native played in 94 games and made 20 starts across his three years at the Capstone, averaging 3.2 points and 2.3 rebounds while shooting 56.4 percent from the field.
Sunday, Oats revealed that he met with Smith last offseason before the forward transferred to Maryland to discuss the forward’s strengths and how they fit in Alabama’s system.
“I thought he was trying hard to change his game into what our system needed out of a big,” Oats said. “We kind of talked about it, and he was getting better at it all, but I thought he would play more minutes in a system that valued traditional bigs more. He decided to kind of look in the portal and see what was out there. Maryland gave him a good chance to play in a system that’s a little bit more like that and he went ahead and took it.”
Petty, who roomed with Smith during his time with Alabama says he remembers him “like my best friend.” However, that friendship will have to be put aside Monday night.
“I know it’s going to be kind of fun being on the court with him again,” Petty said. “But like I said, it is what it is. At that point, we can be friends after the game. We can’t be friends then.”
— After playing its opening game of the tournament inside Hinkle Fieldhouse, Alabama will move to Bankers Life Fieldhouse for its game Monday night. The Tide will take part in a shootaround inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Monday morning in order to get accustomed to its new venue before going up against Maryland at 7:45 p.m. CT. Bankers Life Fieldhouse, a 20,000-capacity stadium serves as the home of the Indiana Pacers.
“Shooters like to shoot in a venue they’re going to play in, so we are going to be able to shoot inside Bankers Life tomorrow morning. We’ll try to make sure we get shots up for the shooters there, and they’ll be able to warm up before the game in there. … Shoot maybe a new venue won’t hurt. We didn’t shoot it well in Hinkle.”
— Monday’s game will mark the sixth time Alabama and Maryland have faced off against each other on the hardwood. The Terrapins hold a 4-1 advantage in the series. The last meeting between the two teams came in the quarterfinals of the 2013 NIT when Maryland came away with a 58-57 victory. That game marked the lone time the two teams have met in postseason play.
— Alabama’s opening round victory over Iona gave the Tide 25 wins on the season, its highest total since the 2010-11 campaign when it went 25-12. The school record for wins in a season is set by the 2001-02 team which went 27-8.
— Alabama leads the nation with 325 made 3s this season. The Tide is just 10 made 3s away from breaking its school single-season record of 334 set last year.
Here’s all the information you need to know about Monday’s game.
How to watch
Who: No. 2 seed Alabama (25-6) vs. No. 10 seed Maryland (17-13)
When: 7:45 p.m. CT, Monday, March 22
Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
Watch: TNT (play-by-play: Brian Anderson; analyst: Jim Jackson; Sideline: Allie LaForce)
Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network (play-by-play: Chris Stewart; analyst: Bryan Passink)
Alabama projected starting five
Herbert Jones: 6-foot-8, 210 pounds, senior
Stats: 11.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.4 apg, 44.4% FG, 37.7% 3-pt
Jaden Shackelford: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 14.1 ppg., 3.8 rpg, 2.0 apg, 40.8% FG, 33.3% 3-pt
John Petty Jr.: 6-foot-5, 184 pounds, senior
Stats: 12.2 ppg., 5.1 rpg, 1.9 apg, 42.2% FG, 37.0% 3-pt
Keon Ellis: 6-foot-6, 170 pounds, junior
Stats: 5.4 ppg., 3.9 rpg, 1.1 apg, 48.6% FG, 38.5% 3-pt
Jordan Bruner: 6-foot-10, 225 pounds, graduate
Stats: 6.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.3 apg, 42.9% FG, 31.7% 3-pt
Maryland projected starting five
Eric Ayala: 6-foot-5, 200 pounds, junior
Stats: 15.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.2 apg, 44.1% FG, 34.4% 3-pt
Darryl Morsell: 6-foot-5, 200 pounds, senior
Stats: 8.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.8 apg, 48.6% FG, 26.9% 3-pt
Aaron Wiggins: 6-foot-6, 200 pounds, junior
Stats: 14.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.5 apg, 43.6% FG, 34.2% 3-pt
Hakim Hart: 6-foot-6, 200 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 7.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.8 apg, 44.5% FG, 33.3% 3-pt
Donta Scott: 6-foot-7, 230 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 10.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.9 apg, 49.8% FG, 43.5% 3-pt
Injury update
Alabama is still evaluating whether or not Joshua Primo is ready to return to action. The freshman guard has missed the Tide’s last three games after spraining his left MCL against Mississippi State in the SEC tournament on March 12 and has yet to participate in a live practice following the injury.
Sunday, Alabama head coach Nate Oats provided an update on Primo, calling him a game-time decision while stating that he expects him to return to action if the Tide can progress in the tournament.
"He's getting better, he's doing more and more stuff in practice,” Oats said. “We’ll see. He'll probably be a game-day decision. We were pushing to try to get him by this game, and our trainer’s pretty good, so we’ll see how he feels in the morning and go through shootaround and make a decision as we get closer to the game.
“But if he doesn't play tomorrow and we can get through tomorrow, I think 100 percent he’ll play, barring a setback, the following weekend."
Primo has appeared in 28 games this season, making 19 starts. The 6-foot-6, 190-pound guard is averaging 8.1 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 42.6 percent from the floor and 39 percent from beyond the arc. Primo has been replaced in the starting lineup by junior college transfer Keon Ellis, who is averaging 7.67 points and 6.0 rebounds over the past three games.
Notes and quotes
— John Petty Jr. earned Alabama’s hard-hat award for most blue-collar points against Iona. However, the senior guard experienced a few frustrating moments throughout the game. While Petty led the team with seven rebounds, he shot just 3 of 13 from the floor, including 1 of 5 from beyond the arc against the Gaels. He was also just 3 of 8 from the free-throw line.
Normally one of Alabama’s best shooters, Petty has been in a bit of a slump his past three games, combining to shoot 8 of 34 (23.5 percent) from the field and 4 of 19 (21 percent) from beyond the arc.
“I just go out and focus on the stuff that I can do to impact the game,” Petty said. “I know the type of shooter I am, and I know sometimes shots just don’t fall. So I really try not to let that affect me. I try not to let it get in my head so I can continue to do the things to help my team win even when I’m not making shots. Not making shots really don’t bother me because I know I have so much more to my game to impact the team.”
— Alabama will see a familiar face when it takes on Maryland. After spending three seasons with the Crimson Tide, forward Galin Smith departed for Maryland as a graduate transfer last summer. Smith comes off the bench for the Terrapins and is averaging 3.8 points and 2.4 rebounds while playing 14.1 minutes per game. The Clinton, Miss., native played in 94 games and made 20 starts across his three years at the Capstone, averaging 3.2 points and 2.3 rebounds while shooting 56.4 percent from the field.
Sunday, Oats revealed that he met with Smith last offseason before the forward transferred to Maryland to discuss the forward’s strengths and how they fit in Alabama’s system.
“I thought he was trying hard to change his game into what our system needed out of a big,” Oats said. “We kind of talked about it, and he was getting better at it all, but I thought he would play more minutes in a system that valued traditional bigs more. He decided to kind of look in the portal and see what was out there. Maryland gave him a good chance to play in a system that’s a little bit more like that and he went ahead and took it.”
Petty, who roomed with Smith during his time with Alabama says he remembers him “like my best friend.” However, that friendship will have to be put aside Monday night.
“I know it’s going to be kind of fun being on the court with him again,” Petty said. “But like I said, it is what it is. At that point, we can be friends after the game. We can’t be friends then.”
— After playing its opening game of the tournament inside Hinkle Fieldhouse, Alabama will move to Bankers Life Fieldhouse for its game Monday night. The Tide will take part in a shootaround inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Monday morning in order to get accustomed to its new venue before going up against Maryland at 7:45 p.m. CT. Bankers Life Fieldhouse, a 20,000-capacity stadium serves as the home of the Indiana Pacers.
“Shooters like to shoot in a venue they’re going to play in, so we are going to be able to shoot inside Bankers Life tomorrow morning. We’ll try to make sure we get shots up for the shooters there, and they’ll be able to warm up before the game in there. … Shoot maybe a new venue won’t hurt. We didn’t shoot it well in Hinkle.”
— Monday’s game will mark the sixth time Alabama and Maryland have faced off against each other on the hardwood. The Terrapins hold a 4-1 advantage in the series. The last meeting between the two teams came in the quarterfinals of the 2013 NIT when Maryland came away with a 58-57 victory. That game marked the lone time the two teams have met in postseason play.
— Alabama’s opening round victory over Iona gave the Tide 25 wins on the season, its highest total since the 2010-11 campaign when it went 25-12. The school record for wins in a season is set by the 2001-02 team which went 27-8.
— Alabama leads the nation with 325 made 3s this season. The Tide is just 10 made 3s away from breaking its school single-season record of 334 set last year.
