Jay Williams puts No. 1 seed North Carolina on 'upset alert' vs. Alabama in Sweet 16
Alabama has been inconsistent on the defensive end of the floor this season, but the Crimson Tide can score with any team in the country. Up next in the NCAA Tournament, Alabama faces North Carolina, with a spot in the Elite Eight on the line.
ESPN analyst Jay Williams believes that Nate Oats‘ squad is capable of pulling off the upset, if it can get some defensive stops. Williams said Thursday morning on First Take that he has No. 1 seed UNC on upset alert entering the matchup with Alabama.
“I’m going to go North Carolina on upset alert,” Williams said. “This is an Alabama team that plays like an NBA team. Nate Oats, they believe in 3s and layups. That’s it. … There’s no mid-range game. It’s either at the rack or they’re shooting 3s.”
In addition to liking the style of play Alabama implements, Williams is also a fan of Crimson Tide point guard Mark Sears.
The senior is averaging 21.5 points per game, while shooting 50.7 percent from the field, 43.5 percent from 3-point range and 85.8 percent from the free throw line.
“They’ve got a guy in Mark Sears who is one of the best players in the nation,” Williams said.
Alabama has faced some of the best teams in the country this season, including Arizona in nonconference play. The Wildcats beat the Crimson Tide 87-74, but Williams still came away from that game impressed by what he saw.
The Crimson Tide were dreadful shooting the ball that night, making only 22 of 65 field goal attempts and knocking down only 8 of 40 3-pointers. If Alabama has a better shooting night on Thursday, Jay Williams says watch out. Should Alabama upset North Carolina, it would set up a rematch with Arizona.
“Look, this is a team that shot like [8 of 40] against Arizona earlier in the year and had a chance to win that game,” Williams said. “You can question their defense, and I know how good North Carolina is. And I know this is a North Carolina team that is better defensively than they were in years past.
“But this is an Alabama team that if they get hot at the right time, and they’re able to make 3s from the outside with the way they play… this is an Alabama team that can beat North Carolina, if they’re making shots at a high clip.”
For the season, Alabama shoots 47.7 percent from the field, 36.5 percent from 3-point range and 78.4 percent from the free throw line.
As Williams said, the Crimson Tide do struggle defensively, though. Alabama had allowed 80-plus points in eight straight games before holding Grand Canyon to 61 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.