After blowing out No. 10 seed Maryland in the second round of the NCAA tournament, No. 2 seed Alabama is back in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2004. The Crimson Tide will face No. 11 seed UCLA on Sunday. This will mark the Bruins’ fourth game in the tournament as they knocked off No. 11 seed Michigan State in the play-in game before getting past No. 6 seed BYU and No. 14 seed Abilene Christian.
Here’s all the information you need to know about Sunday’s game.
How to watch
Who: No. 2 seed Alabama (26-6) vs. No. 11 seed UCLA (20-9)
When: 6:15 p.m. CT, Sunday, March 28
Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
Watch: TBS (play-by-play: Ian Eagle; analyst: Jim Spanarkal; Sideline: Jamie Erdahl)
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: 11.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.3 apg, 44.5% FG, 37.0% 3-pt
Jaden Shackelford: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 14.3 ppg., 3.8 rpg, 2.0 apg, 41.2% FG, 34.6% 3-pt
John Petty Jr.: 6-foot-5, 184 pounds, senior
Stats: 12.5 ppg., 5.2 rpg, 1.9 apg, 42.4% FG, 37.3% 3-pt
Joshua Primo: 6-foot-6, 190 pounds, freshman
Stats: 8.2 ppg., 3.4 rpg, 0.9 apg, 43.4% FG, 39.4% 3-pt
Jordan Bruner: 6-foot-10, 225 pounds, graduate
Stats: 5.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.2 apg, 42.9% FG, 31.7% 3-pt
UCLA projected starting five
Tyger Campbell: 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, redshirt sophomore
Stats: 10.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 5.4 apg, 41.6% FG, 25.0% 3-pt
Jules Bernard: 6-foot-6, 205 pounds, junior
Stats: 10.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.6 apg, 46.0% FG, 40.2% 3-pt
Johnny Juzang: 6-foot-6, 210 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 15.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.7 apg, 42.9% FG, 35.3% 3-pt
Jaime Jaquez Jr: 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 12.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.5 apg, 49.4% FG, 40.2% 3-pt
Cody Riley: 6-foot-9, 255 pounds, redshirt junior
Stats: 10.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.2 apg, 54.9% FG, 0.0% 3-pt
Alabama familiar with UCLA
Alabama and UCLA haven’t met on the court since December of 2014, but the two sides won’t exactly be strangers Sunday night.
The matchup will mark Alabama head coach Nate Oats’ second meeting against UCLA head coach Mick Cronin. The two first went up against each other in 2017 when Cronin’s Cincinnati squad handed Oats’ Buffalo team a 73-67 defeat.
“It was a tight game,” Oats recalled. “His teams are tough. They’re hard-nosed, they get after it on defense and he definitely slows the game down a lot more than we do. We’re one of the fastest teams in the country, they’re one of the slowest teams. But they really value toughness, physicality, and he’s a really good coach. They’ve won a lot of games everywhere he’s been. His teams are some of the most intense, he’s an intense coach. We’ve got better defensively this year.
“I feel like we’re a lot tougher team this year than we were last year, so I don’t feel like they’re gonna come in and punk us out, if you will, like some of his teams have tried to do at Cincinnati or even what they’ve done to some teams this year at UCLA. But I do think we’ve gotta bring a toughness to the game. If you don’t match their toughness or establish the fact that you’re a tough team, it’s gonna be a long night for you.”
Alabama point guard Jahvon Quinerly also has familiarity with UCLA’s roster after matching up against Tyger Campbell in AAU ball and training with Johnny Juzang this summer.
“We had some battles,” Quinerly said about going up against Campbell. “There’s literally a video on YouTube from probably like 8-10 years ago, and we had some battles. I’ve been playing against Tyger all my life, I’m very familiar with him. Johnny Juzang, I just worked out with him over the summer. We have the same trainer in LA, and yeah, we worked out. We played 1-on-1, so I’m familiar with a couple of those guys.
“UCLA was in my final seven list when I was a senior in high school, so I’m kind of familiar with UCLA and some of their players.”
Life in a bubble
It’s been nearly two weeks since Alabama made the trip from Tuscaloosa to Indiana for the NCAA tournament. Since arriving in Indianapolis on March 14, the majority of the Tide’s time in the bubble has been spent on the practice court or holed up inside their hotel rooms playing spades. However, this past week, players were treated to some much-needed escapes.
Following Monday night’s victory over Maryland, Alabama took some time off the hardwood to allow players to focus on their studies. Later Tuesday afternoon, the team took a visit to the Indianapolis Zoo.
“The biggest thing is getting out of the hotel, getting some fresh air, getting out together as a group,” Oats said. “A lot of the guys had already been to the zoo. We had one that hadn’t been to a zoo yet, so it’s kind of cool. They had more fun than I thought they’d have. I’ve got three daughters. When they were younger, it seems like they had a lot more fun at the zoo. [John Petty] was FaceTiming with his daughter from the zoo, which was cool to see. They just had fun at the zoo hanging out together.
Following practice Wednesday, the Tide had a bit more fun as the team made a trip to Top Golf where players were able to cut loose while taking part in a few iffy swings.
“There’s been some videos put out of our golf swings,” Oats said. “We’ve got some bad golfers, including the head coach. But it was good to get out, get some fresh air outside, get out and do a little activity other than sit in the hotel room all day. It was good the NCAA put that stuff together for us.”
Alabama spent Thursday’s practice at Lucas Oil Stadium, the site of the 2021 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight and Final Four, where it went 90 minutes on one of the two game floors. Friday, the Tide practiced 90 minutes inside Hinkle Fieldhouse, the venue for Sunday’s game against UCLA.
Game notes
— Alabama's victory over Maryland marked its eighth straight win and 11th win in its last 12 games. A victory over UCLA would give the Tide 27 wins on the season, matching the program record set by the 2001-02 team which went 27-8.
— Monday’s matchup will mark the sixth time in series history Alabama and UCLA will square off on the hardwood. The Bruins hold a 3-2 lead in the series. However, the Tide won the last meeting with a 56-50 win in Coleman Coliseum on Dec. 28, 2014. Sunday night will mark the second time the two teams will meet in the NCAA Tournament, with the only other occasion coming on March 18, 2006 when UCLA knocked out Alabama, 62-59, in the second round.
— Earlier this week, Alabama forward Herbert Jones was named one of four finalists for the Naismith Trophy National Defensive Player of the Year award. Starting all 32 games for the Crimson Tide, Jones leads the team in rebounding (6.5 rpg), steals (1.8 spg), deflections (106), floor dives (21) and blocked shots (1.1 bpg), while ranking second in charges taken (13). The winner of the award will be revealed during Final Four weekend.
Here’s all the information you need to know about Sunday’s game.
How to watch
Who: No. 2 seed Alabama (26-6) vs. No. 11 seed UCLA (20-9)
When: 6:15 p.m. CT, Sunday, March 28
Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
Watch: TBS (play-by-play: Ian Eagle; analyst: Jim Spanarkal; Sideline: Jamie Erdahl)
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: 11.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.3 apg, 44.5% FG, 37.0% 3-pt
Jaden Shackelford: 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 14.3 ppg., 3.8 rpg, 2.0 apg, 41.2% FG, 34.6% 3-pt
John Petty Jr.: 6-foot-5, 184 pounds, senior
Stats: 12.5 ppg., 5.2 rpg, 1.9 apg, 42.4% FG, 37.3% 3-pt
Joshua Primo: 6-foot-6, 190 pounds, freshman
Stats: 8.2 ppg., 3.4 rpg, 0.9 apg, 43.4% FG, 39.4% 3-pt
Jordan Bruner: 6-foot-10, 225 pounds, graduate
Stats: 5.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.2 apg, 42.9% FG, 31.7% 3-pt
UCLA projected starting five
Tyger Campbell: 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, redshirt sophomore
Stats: 10.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 5.4 apg, 41.6% FG, 25.0% 3-pt
Jules Bernard: 6-foot-6, 205 pounds, junior
Stats: 10.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.6 apg, 46.0% FG, 40.2% 3-pt
Johnny Juzang: 6-foot-6, 210 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 15.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.7 apg, 42.9% FG, 35.3% 3-pt
Jaime Jaquez Jr: 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, sophomore
Stats: 12.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.5 apg, 49.4% FG, 40.2% 3-pt
Cody Riley: 6-foot-9, 255 pounds, redshirt junior
Stats: 10.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.2 apg, 54.9% FG, 0.0% 3-pt
Alabama familiar with UCLA
Alabama and UCLA haven’t met on the court since December of 2014, but the two sides won’t exactly be strangers Sunday night.
The matchup will mark Alabama head coach Nate Oats’ second meeting against UCLA head coach Mick Cronin. The two first went up against each other in 2017 when Cronin’s Cincinnati squad handed Oats’ Buffalo team a 73-67 defeat.
“It was a tight game,” Oats recalled. “His teams are tough. They’re hard-nosed, they get after it on defense and he definitely slows the game down a lot more than we do. We’re one of the fastest teams in the country, they’re one of the slowest teams. But they really value toughness, physicality, and he’s a really good coach. They’ve won a lot of games everywhere he’s been. His teams are some of the most intense, he’s an intense coach. We’ve got better defensively this year.
“I feel like we’re a lot tougher team this year than we were last year, so I don’t feel like they’re gonna come in and punk us out, if you will, like some of his teams have tried to do at Cincinnati or even what they’ve done to some teams this year at UCLA. But I do think we’ve gotta bring a toughness to the game. If you don’t match their toughness or establish the fact that you’re a tough team, it’s gonna be a long night for you.”
Alabama point guard Jahvon Quinerly also has familiarity with UCLA’s roster after matching up against Tyger Campbell in AAU ball and training with Johnny Juzang this summer.
“We had some battles,” Quinerly said about going up against Campbell. “There’s literally a video on YouTube from probably like 8-10 years ago, and we had some battles. I’ve been playing against Tyger all my life, I’m very familiar with him. Johnny Juzang, I just worked out with him over the summer. We have the same trainer in LA, and yeah, we worked out. We played 1-on-1, so I’m familiar with a couple of those guys.
“UCLA was in my final seven list when I was a senior in high school, so I’m kind of familiar with UCLA and some of their players.”
Life in a bubble
It’s been nearly two weeks since Alabama made the trip from Tuscaloosa to Indiana for the NCAA tournament. Since arriving in Indianapolis on March 14, the majority of the Tide’s time in the bubble has been spent on the practice court or holed up inside their hotel rooms playing spades. However, this past week, players were treated to some much-needed escapes.
Following Monday night’s victory over Maryland, Alabama took some time off the hardwood to allow players to focus on their studies. Later Tuesday afternoon, the team took a visit to the Indianapolis Zoo.
“The biggest thing is getting out of the hotel, getting some fresh air, getting out together as a group,” Oats said. “A lot of the guys had already been to the zoo. We had one that hadn’t been to a zoo yet, so it’s kind of cool. They had more fun than I thought they’d have. I’ve got three daughters. When they were younger, it seems like they had a lot more fun at the zoo. [John Petty] was FaceTiming with his daughter from the zoo, which was cool to see. They just had fun at the zoo hanging out together.
Following practice Wednesday, the Tide had a bit more fun as the team made a trip to Top Golf where players were able to cut loose while taking part in a few iffy swings.
“There’s been some videos put out of our golf swings,” Oats said. “We’ve got some bad golfers, including the head coach. But it was good to get out, get some fresh air outside, get out and do a little activity other than sit in the hotel room all day. It was good the NCAA put that stuff together for us.”
Alabama spent Thursday’s practice at Lucas Oil Stadium, the site of the 2021 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight and Final Four, where it went 90 minutes on one of the two game floors. Friday, the Tide practiced 90 minutes inside Hinkle Fieldhouse, the venue for Sunday’s game against UCLA.
Game notes
— Alabama's victory over Maryland marked its eighth straight win and 11th win in its last 12 games. A victory over UCLA would give the Tide 27 wins on the season, matching the program record set by the 2001-02 team which went 27-8.
— Monday’s matchup will mark the sixth time in series history Alabama and UCLA will square off on the hardwood. The Bruins hold a 3-2 lead in the series. However, the Tide won the last meeting with a 56-50 win in Coleman Coliseum on Dec. 28, 2014. Sunday night will mark the second time the two teams will meet in the NCAA Tournament, with the only other occasion coming on March 18, 2006 when UCLA knocked out Alabama, 62-59, in the second round.
— Earlier this week, Alabama forward Herbert Jones was named one of four finalists for the Naismith Trophy National Defensive Player of the Year award. Starting all 32 games for the Crimson Tide, Jones leads the team in rebounding (6.5 rpg), steals (1.8 spg), deflections (106), floor dives (21) and blocked shots (1.1 bpg), while ranking second in charges taken (13). The winner of the award will be revealed during Final Four weekend.
