Despite having the highest-scoring offense in college basketball, Alabama finds itself in a potential danger spot against Hofstra in the first round of March Madness. While the Crimson Tide have the firepower to beat anybody in the country, the Coastal Athletic Association champions are arguably the hottest teams in the country.
Alabama enters March Madness as the four-seed in the Midwest region after going 23-8 in the regular season and 0-1 in the SEC Tournament. Nate Oats' up-and-down team was on its way to ending the season on a high note, winning eight consecutive games in February, before suffering upset losses to Georgia and Ole Miss to end the year.
To make matters worse, Alabama received a huge blow one day after Selection Sunday. Junior guard Aden Holloway, who is second on the team with 16.8 points per game, was arrested on two felony drug charges for large amounts of marijuana possession. Holloway has been removed from campus and is away from the team while the school conducts an investigation, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported.
Needless to say, Holloway's situation is a massive concern for Oats and adds to the pressure Alabama is feeling ahead of its matchup with Hofstra. The Tide were already on shaky legs and will now likely be without their best shooter in the most three-point-dominant offense in the country.
Aden Holloway situation is a big concern
Holloway's potential absence is not just a footnote for Alabama; it is a massive issue for the Tide entering the March Madness season.
Not only is Holloway Alabama's second-leading scorer, but he is the engine to its deadly three-point game. Holloway's 74 triples lead the No. 1 three-point offense entering the NCAA Tournament, four more than leading scorer Labaron Philon.
While the Tide have multiple shooters on the floor at all times, they are noticeably less intimidating without Holloway. Alabama is 2-1 in the three games he missed during the regular season, but shot just 29 percent from deep in those games, a substantial downtick from its season-long 35.8 percent clip.
Losing Holloway also removes Oats' second-best playmaker and offensive initiator. The junior is second on the team with 3.8 assists per game and has essentially functioned as Alabama's de facto point guard whenever Philon is off the court.
Without Holloway, expect former Pepperdine standout Houston Mallette to return to the starting lineup. Mallette is a capable shooter, hitting 34.9 percent of his deep-range attempts, but averages just 6.6 points and 1.1 assists per game. Sixth-year guard Latrell Wrightsell will see more shots come in his direction, while versatile forward Amari Allen will take on an additional playmaking load.
Oats will still have Philon, the engine behind the highest-scoring offense in college basketball, but Holloway's arrest could end up being detrimental to Alabama.
Hofstra could give Alabama problems
Aside from its three-point prowess, Alabama is known for its nonexistent defense almost as much as it is for its explosive offense. The Crimson Tide allow teams to score and are more content to win track meets than they are committed to getting stops.
That does not play into Hofstra's strength, but it would not have been in the Pride's best interest to run with Alabama anyway. Instead, contrary to what his name suggests, Speedy Claxton coaches his team to slow the tempo and beat teams on defense.
Hofstra scores only 74.5 points, but allows just 67.6 points per game, ranking 26th in scoring defense. They have been even better during their 11-1 run, allowing just 56.08 points per game since Jan. 31. The Pride are 329th in pace, making them one of the slowest teams in the country.
Hofstra's measured approach could spell trouble against a high-flying Alabama team, as it lacks the offensive firepower to keep up if the Tide go on a run. But Holloway's absence throws everything out of whack, forcing Oats to potentially look ahead in the March Madness bracket.
If Alabama uses the first-round matchup as a tune-up game of sorts to settle into life without Holloway, it could quickly find itself playing with fire. The Pride's unique ability to force teams deep into the shot clock and swarm the ball can quickly force a Crimson Tide team that is already out of sorts onto its back foot.
Alabama allowing Hofstra to remain in the game opens the door for another March Madness miracle to occur. The Pride might not be a high-scoring team, but redshirt junior guard Cruz Davis is 29th in the country with 20.2 points per game and can take over at any moment.
Holloway or not, the Crimson Tide are the much better team and should advance to the Round of 32, where they would face either Texas Tech or Akron. But without knowing the discussions going on behind closed doors, Holloway's careless slip-up might lead to Alabama's second opening-round March Madness exit of the Oats era.
