Goodman: Smoking-hot Alabama doesn’t need Aden Holloway around
It’s pretty obvious after Alabama 90, Texas Tech 65, that the Crimson Tide is miles better defensively without Aden Holloway.
The way it’s playing in this NCAA Tournament, Alabama shouldn’t want their drug-bust star anywhere near the team this week.
It’s not worth the risk.
Why take a chance altering the team’s chemistry or mindset?
(So to speak, of course.)
Next stop, the Sweet 16. Bring on No.1-seed Michigan in Chicago.
And former UAB standout Yaxel Lendeborg.
With clear eyes, Alabama can see all the way to the Final Four. Two more wins and the Tide is headed to Indianapolis. If Alabama can make 19 3-pointers like it did against the Red Raiders, then the Wolverines will go up in smoke, too.
It was a no-contest blowout from the beginning here in Tampa on Sunday night. Alabama 90, Texas Tech 65 was the kind of late-night NCAA Tournament game that gives a curious writer plenty of time to do a little research.
Alabama had a lot of fun beating up the Red Raiders. Some of the loudest cheers from Alabama’s bench were for 7-foot backup center Noah Williamson. It was a heart-warming scene, especially considering how angry coach Nate Oats was with Williamson during Alabama’s first-round victory against Hofstra.
Williamson caused a turnover on Friday and Oats pulled him from the game immediately.
Sunday was about redemption.
Williamson, who is from Latvia, stroked a pair of 3-pointers in the victory. For a guy who doesn’t score a lot of points, it was a game to remember. Naturally, Williamson’s buddies celebrated the moment.
During the game, they showered Williamson with praise. Afterwards, Alabama’s starters even let Williamson have the honors of placing the Tide’s name on the NCAA Tournament bracket.
It got me thinking, how many of the teams left in the Big Dance are going into the Sweet 16 with a little international flair?
College basketball is becoming a global game just like the NBA. It’s the NIL effect. Is it really making a difference in the NCAA Tournament, though? Emphatically, the answer is yes.
The only teams in the Sweet 16 without international contributors are UConn, Arkansas and Michigan State.
Alabama’s Williamson only played 13 minutes against Texas Tech, but he made the most of them. He went 3 of 3 from the field for eight points and had two rebounds, two assists and a steal.
During his post-game news conference, Oats said Williamson only cares about the team and nothing else.
“All he keeps telling me is, ‘I don’t want to be the reason we lose,’” Oats said. “He’s such a good kid.”
They say cash for players is ruining college football, but a strong argument can be made that NIL checks are making college basketball better.
The shot of the NCAA Tournament so far? That would be the clutch 3-pointer for Iowa to knock off No.1-seed Florida. Iowa’s hero was Alvaro Folgueiras of Malaga, Spain.
Even heartland-darling Nebraska is importing players. The Cornhuskers, which famously had never won an NCAA Tournament game before this month, wouldn’t be going to the Sweet 16 without players from Turkey and the Netherlands.
Go down the line. This NCAA Tournament is a global showcase of rising talent. Duke’s Dame Sarr is from Italy. St. John’s fiery sixth-man Ruben Prey is from Portugal. Illinois has three Baltic ballers and that list doesn’t even include Andrej Stojakovic, the son of former NBA star Peja Stojakovic.
Williamson isn’t a main-line contributor for Alabama, but his minutes allowed starter Aiden Sherrell to rest his legs. He’s going to need them on Friday against Michigan’s Lendeborg, the transfer from UAB who recently said he turned down between $7-9 million from Kentucky to join coach Dusty May in Ann Arbor.
