The Extra Point: Who Will Lead Alabama on an NCAA Tournament Run?

Taking a look back at what has made Alabama successful this season and what could make the Crimson Tide go on a run in March.

Author:
Clayton Connick
Publish date:
Mar 14, 2022 11:00 AM EDT

Throughout the season, Alabama has had different players step up to lead the way in big games. More specifically, the Crimson Tide's four elite guards of Jaden Shackelford, Keon Ellis, Jahvon Quinerly, and JD Davison have seemingly taken turns on who gets to have the most dominant game.

On Sunday, Alabama was placed as the No. 6 seed in the west region of the NCAA Tournament bracket, playing either Rutgers or Notre Dame in the round of 64. The Crimson Tide will undoubtedly look to its elite guards to lead the way, and Alabama has potential to go on a hot streak at any point. Looking back on this season, Alabama has defeated nine teams that are in the tournament, with marquee wins over No. 1 seeds Gonzaga and Baylor. Then, of course, there's the SEC wins over Tennessee, Arkansas, and LSU that also bolstered the Alabama resume.

In Alabama's win over Gonzaga, three Crimson Tide guards posted double-digit scoring performances. Alabama was able to head out west and stun the Bulldogs thanks to 28 points from Shackelford and 20 from Davison, who shot a combined 10-of-14 from beyond the arc.

Jaden Shackelford vs Gonzaga — Alabama Athletics

JD Davison vs Gonzaga — Alabama Athletics

Against Baylor, Alabama had all four guards in double digits, a feat that only happened three times this season. The performance against the Bears was impressive because Alabama thrived inside the three point line, scoring 42 points in the paint. This displayed a different way that Alabama could knock off a top team, and it made the Crimson Tide's field goal percentage for the game skyrocket to 59 percent. Quinerly led Alabama with 20 points, and Shackelford was right behind him with 19.

The Crimson Tide's most recent win was over South Carolina in late February, and it also featured the four feature Alabama guards in double digits. That game one again proved that if all four are locked in, Alabama is nearly unstoppable as a team.

"We really haven't had all four of those guards, you know, JQ, JD, Keon and Shack play great in one game," Oats said following the win over the Gamecocks. "If we can get all four of them playing this well and then guarding, you know, playing this well on both ends of the floor for a full forty, we'll be a pretty dangerous team to deal with."

Despite the recent letdowns, Alabama has proven its ability to take down elite opponents throughout the season. Guard play typically determines a team's fate in March, and the Crimson Tide has four of the most talented in the country. When they all play well, it has proven to be tough for opponents to overcome. It will be interesting to see how Alabama's scoring threats perform in the big dance out in San Diego.