A spot in the final game of the 20024 NCAA Tournament is on the line as No. 1 seed UConn and No. 4 seed Alabama meet in the second Final Four contest of the night on Saturday with the winner moving on Monday's national championship game. The Huskies are just two wins away from becoming the first back-to-back title winners since Florida in 2006 and 2007 but will have to slow down a Crimson Tide team that boasts the nation's highest-scoring offense.
Alabama is making its first Final Four appearance in program history but won't be intimidated after taking out another No. 1 seed and historic power in North Carolina in the Sweet 16. The Crimson Tide followed up by rallying to edge No. 6 seed Clemson in the Elite Eight with a monster second half.
UConn has won 10 straight NCAA Tournament games by double digits, dating back to last year's historically dominant national championship run. The Huskies made No. 3 seed Illinois their latest victim in the Elite Eight, using a 30-0 run to pull away from the Fighting Illini. With key players such as Tristen Newton, Alex Karaban and Donovan Clingan back from last year's title run, the Huskies are familiar with the pressure of this moment
UConn vs. Alabama: Need to know
Cling Kong: Over seven postseason games, UConn center Donovan Clingan is averaging 14.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.1 blocks on 66.2% shooting. The 7-foot-4 sophomore has established himself as a likely lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft after he was on the mend early in the season from a foot injury. He's been unstoppable lately and is a defensive force that will be difficult for Alabama to deal with as the Crimson Tide seek to attack the rim.
Coaching connection: Just 15 years ago UConn's Dan Hurley and Alabama's Nate Oats were each successful high school coaches. Once Hurley worked his way up to become head coach at Rhode Island, he was instrumental in discovering Oats. Hurley and his brother Bobby -- who was an assistant at Rhode Island -- were recruiting one of Oats' players at Romulus High School in metropolitan Detroit. During that process, they became impressed with Oats. When Bobby Hurley landed the Buffalo head coaching job for the 2013-14 season, he gave Oats his big break by hiring him as an assistant.
Mark Sears mania: Alabama guard Mark Sears has been incredible all season, averaging 21.5 points on 43.4% 3-point shooting. The 6-foot-1 senior is also dishing out 4.1 assists and picking up 1.7 steals per game as the top all-around star for the Crimson Tide. He hit seven 3-pointers in Bama's Elite Eight win over Clemson and drilled eight in a December loss to Purdue. He's where it all starts for Alabama, and he's not afraid of the big stage.
How to watch UConn vs. Alabama live
Date: April, 6 | Time: 8:49 p.m. ET
Location: State Farm Stadium -- Glendale, Arizona
TV: TBS, TNT, truTV | Live stream: March Madness Live
UConn vs. Alabama prediction, picks
Odds via SportsLine consensus
Alabama gets nearly all of its points at the rim and from behind the 3-point line. UConn is skilled at taking away both those sources of offense. The Huskies topped the Big East in 3-point defense, holding opponents to just 29.3% from deep. UConn defenders can be overly aggressive running Alabama players off the 3-point line because of how difficult it is to score at the rim on Donovan Clingan. The Huskies' 7-foot-2 sophomore center is a shot-blocking machine, and he's been playing at an elite level in the postseason. Offensively, the Huskies' multi-faceted attack will be a major challenge for Alabama's shaky defense. Prediction: UConn -11.5
| Parrish | Norlander | Palm | Patterson | Boone | Cobb | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Spread | UCONN -11.5 | UCONN -11.5 | UCONN -11.5 | BAMA +11.5 | UCONN -11.5 | UCONN -11.5 |
Straight up | UCONN | UCONN | UCONN | UCONN | UCONN | UCONN |
Who wins every college basketball game? And which teams could sink your bankroll? Visit SportsLine now to see how to pick every college basketball game, all from the model that simulates every game 10,000 times and has generated over $2,000 in profit the last four-plus years.
