An upset-filled Friday night in the men’s NCAA tournament has set the stage for a wide-open race for the national championship.
No. 1 overall seed Alabama and championship betting favorite Houston were both shockingly bounced from the Big Dance on Friday. For the first time in tournament history, all four No. 1 seeds have been eliminated before the Elite Eight: Purdue in the first round, Kansas in the second, and now the Crimson Tide and Cougars in the Sweet 16.
Alabama was always somewhat vulnerable to an upset because of its reliance on the three-point shot, and the Crimson Tide shot a miserable 3-for-27 from deep in this one. But to blame the loss just on cold shooting wouldn’t be telling the full story: A physically imposing San Diego State team just bullied the younger Tide, with 17 offensive rebounds and eight blocked shots the clearest illustration. And once Alabama was confronted with game pressure for the first time all tournament, it folded quickly, its late rally not enough after a miserable middle of the second half.
