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Alabama Faces Upset-Minded Hofstra in NCAA Opener
20 Mar
Summary
- Alabama, a No. 4 seed, faces No. 13 Hofstra in the NCAA Tournament.
- Alabama's second-leading scorer, Aden Holloway, may not play.
- The SportsLine model projects over 158.5 points in the game.
Coach Nate Oats and the No. 4 seed Alabama Crimson Tide are preparing for their 2026 NCAA Tournament debut against the No. 13 Hofstra Pride on Friday. This marks Alabama's fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, with previous deep runs to the Sweet Sixteen. Hofstra enters the contest on a strong note, having won their conference tournament and losing only once since late January.
Tipoff is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. ET in Tampa, Florida. Alabama is currently an 11.5-point favorite, with the game's total set at 158.5 points. Notably, Alabama may be without their second-leading scorer, Aden Holloway, who was arrested earlier in the week. Regardless of Holloway's status, the game is projected by SportsLine's model to surpass the total points, with Alabama leading the nation in scoring offense.
Hofstra, while typically more defensive, boasts strong scorers in the backcourt with Cruz Davis and Preston Edmead, both capable of high-point games and efficient three-point shooting. The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates games 10,000 times, anticipates over 160 points, indicating value on the over. The model also suggests one side of the spread hits nearly 60% of the time, though this specific pick is not detailed here.
