Super Scintillating Selections Top 30 Countdown: #1 Alabama Crimson Tide

The Super Scintillating Selections ends here, but our journey is just getting started. Day 30, here we go. As a reminder, from here on out I will not be giving a prediction for the featured team. For the predictions on the remaining teams you will have to listen to my podcast I will be releasing Tuesday 3/14. The podcast will include previews of highlighted matchups, predictions for the last seven teams, possible cinderellas, my bracket breakdown, future content ideas I've been brewing in my head, and more.

Alabama is the best team in the country. They have had some hiccups this year, and some distractions off the court (to say the least), but they have proved to be a team that can win the national championship. The SEC regular season and conference tournament champs claim a 29-5 overall record with a 16-2 SEC record. They are headed into the tournament as one of the hotter teams in the field, and are getting high production from all their key players.

PLEASE NOTE: There is a method to this madness. The tournament is all about matchups and the best team does NOT win the championship every year. The champion this year, as it is every year, will be whoever can string together the best six games with the best six matchups. Could my pick be Alabama? Yes, it could be but it all depends on how they matchup against potential opponents.

Let's get into it.

Why can the Tide roll to the Final Four?

Stop. Score. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, is better at the combo of getting stops, and scoring the basketball than Alabama. They are #5 in PPG, #8 in 3PG, #4 in scoring margin, and #15 in offensive rebounds per game. On the defensive side, they are #1 in opponent shooting efficiency, #1 in opponent two point shot percentage, #1 in defensive rebound per game, and #3 in overall opponent FG%. To put it simply, they do everything well. You don't have to like them but you have to respect the skill this team has on both sides of the ball.

Deep. Nate Oates has nine guys that average over five points a game, and all of the play at least 15 minutes. They have their stars in Brandon Miller, Mark Sears, Jahvon Quinerly, Charles Bediako, and Noah Clowney, but the lineup the Tide have coming off the bench is not to be messed with either. Almost 27 bench points a game is top 20 in the nation, and will prove to be essential to Alabama’s success pending any foul trouble, or playing more games in a week or two than they are used to.

Brandon Miller. This part is simple. Alabama has Brandon Miller, and the opponent doesn't. 19.5 PPG, 8.2 RPG, shoots over 40% from three, shoots over 85% from the charity stripe. And shoots over 45% from the floor. He is unreal, you don’t want to be caught in the wrong place at the wrong time when guarding him…………….

What’s holding them back?

Hands Up. One of the worst teams in the nation in fouls per game. Almost 19 fouls per game which is #294 in the country. What do fouls lead to? Free throws. What do free throws lead to? Free points. They give up 15 points a game from the free throw line, they have to limit that if they want to win a championship.

Ball Security, Job Security. 14 turnovers a game (#318 in the nation). Having weaknesses of fouling and turning the ball over is not a recipe for success in the tournament, especially when they match up against a team that hits free throws and takes advantage of Bama’s turnovers.

Like I said before, Alabama is the most skilled team in the country that plays well on both sides of the ball. BUT, it all depends on the matchups they draw and whether or not they can be disciplined with their fouling and turnovers.