One of the best games of the entire NCAA bracket is coming to fans in the Round of 32 itself. Alabama and Texas Tech, two strong programs all season long, sit as the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds, respectively, and are going to battle it out for a chance to get to the Round of 16.
However, even early into March Madness, the rosters for both sides are reeling with injuries.
Texas Tech vs. Alabama Injury Updates
Texas Tech Red Raiders Injuries
The Texas Tech roster looked like it was brimming with untapped potential from top to bottom. As a result, there was genuine hope about what the team could achieve in the tournament and how far it could go in the coming weeks.
However, their chances took a major hit in February when they lost their best player and superstar JT Toppin. Averaging close to 22 points and 11 rebounds per game, he led the team to wins over Duke and Arizona en route to a 19-6 start.
Since his torn ACL, the team has trailed off a little bit but still has an incredibly deep roster. As a result, Alabama cannot take any plays off, something head coach Nate Oats is clearly preaching.
“They’ve got a lot of shooting. They’ve got very good guard play. They’ve still got bigs that they play a very slow, methodical style that could cause problems if we’re not locked in on the defensive end with a quick turnaround.”
In Toppin’s place, though, the team has focused its attention on Christian Anderson, who’s become the focal point of the entire offense. He was dealing with a groin muscle strain suffered in the Big 12 tournament quarterfinals.
Still, he was able to make it back in time for their first-round win over Akron and should be on the court when they face an uphill battle against Alabama.
Alabama Crimson Tide Suspensions and Injuries
The Crimson Tide, on the other hand, boast a slightly better record coming from the SEC at 24-9. Their biggest advantage over the Red Raiders is going to be their size and ability to generate offensive rebounds, where Aiden Sherrell leads them with 2.5 per game.
But Alabama isn’t fully whole either coming into the game. Unfortunately, their loss was a shocking one, with Aden Holloway getting arrested on March 16 for first-degree possession of marijuana and failure to affix a tax stamp.
Waiting for a court date at the moment, he has been suspended from campus and is ruled out indefinitely. Oats was clear in his disapproval of Holloway’s actions. Speaking on the “Hey Coach” podcast, he kept his response brief and to the point.
“Look, we’ve got standards in our program. We’ve got ways we’ve held our guys accountable, and we try to keep everything in-house. Obviously, some of the situations, you can’t. This is one of those.”
MARCH MADNESS: Fill In Your Bracket Now!
Holloway is the second-leading scorer on the squad with 16.8 points on an absurd 48.1% from the field and 43.8% from distance. His absence could be a death blow for the Crimson Tide. In the opening round, they were able to take care of business against Hofstra.
But beating a No. 13-seeded squad by a 90-70 margin and taking on another strong program like Texas Tech is going to be a major change of pace for Alabama.
