Before criticizing Duke for emerging from a historically weaker ACC or nearly letting a Sweet 16 battle with Arizona slip away, consider this: the Blue Devils have won 30 of their last 31 games since November and currently boast the nation’s longest winning streak at 14. And, of course, they have the unwavering support of Dick Vitale.
Alabama, meanwhile, is one of four remaining SEC teams still alive from the record-setting 14 that entered the tournament.
Some expected BYU to mirror Alabama’s playing style, but the Crimson Tide’s remarkable three-point shooting—led by Mark Sears’ 10 triples and a team total of 25—fueled a dominant 113-88 win. Replicating that against Duke, however, won’t be easy.
Both teams are averaging 94 points per game in the NCAA Tournament, setting the stage for a high-scoring, tightly contested, and well-played matchup. This game promises to be worthy of the moment.
Top-seeded Duke (34-3) and second-seeded Alabama (28-8) are set to clash in the East Region, with the game taking place in Newark. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:49 p.m. CDT tonight, airing on TBS. The winner will punch their ticket to the Final Four.
Alabama leads the nation in scoring with 91.4 points per game but allows 81.2, resulting in a +10.2 scoring margin. Duke averages 83.6 points per game while holding opponents to just 62.5, giving them a remarkable +21.1 margin, the best in the country.
The Crimson Tide also dominate the boards, grabbing a national-best 42.7 rebounds per game, with opponents averaging 36.8, giving Bama a +5.9 margin. Duke pulls down 38.3 rebounds per game, while opponents grab 30.7, giving them a +7.6 edge.
In terms of team stats, Alabama has a slight advantage in assists, with 17.3 per game compared to Duke’s 17.0, and in blocked shots, 4.5 to 3.9. However, Duke has the edge in ball control, with fewer turnovers (9.3 to Alabama’s 12.7) and slightly more steals (6.7 to 6.1).
Projected Starters
Alabama went smaller in its 113-88 victory over BYU, but Duke’s size—no starter under 6-foot-6—likely means Alabama will return to a bigger lineup. Expect Jarin Stevenson to be back in, with LaBaron Philon as a potential backup.
Alabama:
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Chris Youngblood (6-4, 223, Sr., G) – 10.3 ppg
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Mark Sears (6-1, 190, Grad., G) – 19.0 ppg, 5.1 apg
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Clifford Omoruyi (6-11, 250, Grad., C) – 8.0 ppg, 6.7 rpg
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Jarin Stevenson (6-11, 215, So., G/F) – 5.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg
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Grant Nelson (6-11, 230, Grad., F) – 11.5 ppg, 7.6 rpg (team leader)
Key Reserves:
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Labaron Philon (6-4, 177, Fr., G) – 10.4 ppg
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Aden Holloway (6-1, 180, So., G) – 11.6 ppg
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Mouhamed Dioubate (6-7, 215, So., F) – 7.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg
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Derrion Reid (6-8, 220, Fr., F) – 6.1 ppg
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For Duke Coach Jon Scheyer, it’s simple: just write down one name—Cooper Flagg—and then add four more talented players to complete his lineup. Flagg, widely regarded as the nation’s best player, leads the Blue Devils in scoring (19 ppg), rebounds (7.5), and assists (4.3). And the rest of the starting five are no slouches either. Here’s a look at the likely starting lineup:
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Cooper Flagg (6-9, 205, Fr., F) – 19.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 4.3 apg
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Kon Knueppel (6-7, 217, Fr., G/F) – 14.2 ppg
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Tyrese Proctor (6-6, 183, Jr., G) – 12.4 ppg
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Khaman Maluach (7-2, 250, Fr., C) – 8.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg
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Sion James (6-6, 220, Gr., G) – 8.6 ppg
Aiden Sherrell (6-10, 240, Fr., F) – 3.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg
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