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Clemson upset #2 Arizona to advance to Elite 8
Alabama upset #1 North Carolina to advance to Elite 8
The winner represents the South Region in the Final Four
The Clemson Tigers are one of the Cinderella stories of the NCAA Tournament. The team entered March as a six-seed in the South Region, and they’re now one win away from the Final Four.
The Tigers will battle the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday evening for a ticket to Phoenix. Both teams manufactured terrific upsets in the Sweet 16, so they have momentum coming into Saturday night.
Clemson beat Arizona, the #2 seed in the region. Alabama took down UNC, which was the first seed in the South. Here, we will break down the game and give our best bet for Clemson vs. Alabama.
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The Clemson Tigers are the definition of a team that is playing well at the right time. Clemson was a solid ACC team, but they have elevated their play in March.
The Tigers finished the season 24-11 and earned a six-seed in March Madness. Their tournament outlook wasn’t great after losing to Boston College in the ACC Tournament second round, but the loss fueled the Tigers.
Clemson buried New Mexico in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Lobos were favored over the Tigers as an 11 seed, which was a mistake as Clemson rolled 77-56.
They followed their victory with wins over #3 Baylor and #2 Arizona. Now, they have the #4 seed in the South on the schedule in Alabama.
For Clemson to be competitive in the Elite 8, they must score points. A bad offensive night from the Tigers would be costly and could end their season.
PJ Hall is the player to watch for the Tigers. He leads the team in scoring with 18.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Hall has been fantastic this season, and we expect his dominance to continue against a less physical Alabama squad.
The Tigers don’t jump off the page with their measurables. Clemson is 19th overall in the KenPom Ratings, ranking 24th in adjusted offensive and 32nd in adjusted defensive efficiency.
They can’t score like Alabama, but their defense is good enough to pull off an upset for the fourth game in a row.
Alabama has one of the best offenses in the country, but they have been horrendous on defense. If the Crimson Tide can’t score, they become a severe liability because their backcourt doesn’t show up most nights.
Alabama is fourth in adjusted offensive efficiency but 103rd in adjusted defensive efficiency. Defense is all about effort, and the Crimson Tide have playmakers who can change the game on either side of the floor.
The Tide have won by scoring in the NCAA Tournament. They won 109-96 in the first round, struggled slightly against Grand Canyon, and then upset North Carolina, the best team in the South Region.
Mark Sears is Alabama’s best player, averaging 21.4 points with four rebounds and assists per game. What makes Sears so unique is his efficiency from the field.
Sears has made 50.6% of his shots, which is remarkable for a player who doesn’t live in the low post.
Clemson is a terrible matchup for Alabama in the Elite 8. The Tigers have a lot of confidence. They’re very physical and win on defense.
Alabama isn’t very physical, they’re terrible on defense, and they fold quickly. Take the Tigers to pull off the cover; don’t be surprised if they prevail.
When: Saturday, March 23rd @ 8:49 PM ET
Where: crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
TV: TBS
Streaming: March Madness App
Tanner Kern has been working in the betting industry since 2020. He currently is a social media content creator at DraftKings and contributes to multiple sites in addition to WSN, including Forbes and VSiN. He is also the cohost of the podcast Ride the Line at WSN.
More info on Tanner Kern
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