Estrada @ Alabama

[Wags]

Jay Bilas on Estrada tonight:

"He's scoring better for Alabama than he did at Hofstra."

2021-22 at Hofstra: 18.5 ppg on 47.7% fg
2022-23 at Hofstra: 20.2 ppg on 47.8% fg
2023-24 at Alabama: 13.3 ppg on 46.2% fg

[triplec2195]

Was watching this for a while and yeah how does he come to that conclusion??

[Wags]

Was watching this for a while and yeah how does he come to that conclusion??

That's what happens when those who don't watch teams like Hofstra makes comments about teams like Hofstra or about players who came from schools like Hofstra.

[Polito]

Ha yeah caught that comment too, I was like Jayyyyy c'mon man

Watched the whole game - was a doozy - they had it, and let it slip. AE had a real good game and did an admirable job guarding one of the best players in the country - really happy for him.

Just not quite enough - they needed to make a couple of those big shots the last few minutes. But 'Bama will be in the dance - AE going to have a few more opps to show his stuff on the grandest of college stages across the SEC and NCAA tourneys.

[Wags]

Alabama is on ESPN again, at Florida on Tuesday.

[triplec2195]

Yeah they lose again by 18. Estrada with 17 Sears with 33. D optional in this game as Florida goes off for 105 points. Ugh!

[Polito]

Ugly. I watched and despite the points didn't think AE had a great game - he (and others) had some bad plays, missed shots, and turnovers. Bama is reeling a bit, they need to get themselves together going into the SEC tournament.

I do think Florida is starting to surge a little though as well... improving, may be dangerous come tourney time.

[dutchPride86]

So Estrada gets his chance to dance.... AND ITS CHARLESTON!!! That will be a fun 4-13 game

[Wags]

LOL, I laughed when they announced it. So funny that he still can't escape Charleston.

Charleston may be happy about this matchup. Normally in the NCAA tournament, teams are playing opponents they know little about. But the Cougars likely still have plenty of film on Estrada, who of course is a very key player for Alabama. Should help them with preparation.

[Captain]

Estrada’s backcourt mate is a load to guard. Charleston needs to game plan for Sears more than Aaron. It might open the door for a fine game for Estrada.If Sears was on the HU roster this year, our total free throw numbers would have been much different. He gets to the hoop so well.

[Wags]

Estrada’s backcourt mate is a load to guard. Charleston needs to game plan for Sears more than Aaron.

Yeah, fur sure. I wasn't implying that Estrada was their primary concern but he is a key concern nonetheless and it helps Charleston to know him well rather than what usually happens with NCAA tourney matchups which is teams having to learn quickly about opponents they don't really know - I think that lack of familiarity partially leads to the upsets. Charleston can put up over 80 in this game but keeping Alabama under 90 or even under 100 may be a challenge. To have any shot, the Cougars are going to have to hit the 3 well with Smith having a big 3-point shooting night.

This game will be on TruTV at 7:35 pm ET on Friday.

[Captain]

I will root foe Estrada not Charleston and I assume I am not alone on this board.
On another note it seems like the people making the NCAA draw have an eye on storylines in their 1st round matchups. See Alabama and Estrada vs Charleston and last year in pre draw predictions had Hofstra danced Lunardi had us and Speedy vs Villanova. I am sure there are numerous other instances where the ultimate match up has a human interest take. Anybody agree?

[triplec2195]

I will root foe Estrada not Charleston and I assume I am not alone on this board.
On another note it seems like the people making the NCAA draw have an eye on storylines in their 1st round matchups. See Alabama and Estrada vs Charleston and last year in pre draw predictions had Hofstra danced Lunardi had us and Speedy vs Villanova. I am sure there are numerous other instances where the ultimate match up has a human interest take. Anybody agree?

I thought this as well Captain people will probably ask Estrada questions re his recollections of playing COC.

[Wags]

I will root foe Estrada not Charleston and I assume I am not alone on this board.
On another note it seems like the people making the NCAA draw have an eye on storylines in their 1st round matchups. See Alabama and Estrada vs Charleston and last year in pre draw predictions had Hofstra danced Lunardi had us and Speedy vs Villanova. I am sure there are numerous other instances where the ultimate match up has a human interest take. Anybody agree?

Another reason not to trust the committee, because although they claim that's not a factor in matchups and even potential matchups for later rounds, it seems to happen every year.

[dan10]

Estrada/Charleston/CAA
Nebraska/Texas A&M (in both mens and womens after A&M took Nebraska's AD)
The whole UConn bracket. FAU, SDSU plus 3 tournament winners (Illinois and Auburn). They apparently really dont want someone going back to back
Arizona/Dayton 2nd round match up of former Miller brother's teams

Always something without digging very hard

[Wags]

Estrada/Charleston/CAA
Nebraska/Texas A&M (in both mens and womens after A&M took Nebraska's AD)
The whole UConn bracket. FAU, SDSU plus 3 tournament winners (Illinois and Auburn). They apparently really dont want someone going back to back
Arizona/Dayton 2nd round match up of former Miller brother's teams

Always something without digging very hard

And the potential 2/7 second-round matchup in the midwest: Rick Barnes and Tennessee against his old school, Texas.

Also, making 7 seed Washington State fly out to Omaha to face 10th-seeded Drake (from Des Moines), who if they win with that travel advantage, could face intra-state rival Iowa State.

They always claim these are "merely coincidences."

[EvanJ]

I will root foe Estrada not Charleston and I assume I am not alone on this board.
On another note it seems like the people making the NCAA draw have an eye on storylines in their 1st round matchups. See Alabama and Estrada vs Charleston and last year in pre draw predictions had Hofstra danced Lunardi had us and Speedy vs Villanova. I am sure there are numerous other instances where the ultimate match up has a human interest take. Anybody agree?

Another reason not to trust the committee, because although they claim that's not a factor in matchups and even potential matchups for later rounds, it seems to happen every year.

I don't think we are important enough for the Selection Committe or most fans to be thinking about Estrada facing a team he faced in the CAA. Before the bracket, if you asked Alabama's fans to name as many schools as possible from Estrada's former conference, what percent would have named Charleston?

Estrada/Charleston/CAA
Nebraska/Texas A&M (in both mens and womens after A&M took Nebraska's AD)
The whole UConn bracket. FAU, SDSU plus 3 tournament winners (Illinois and Auburn). They apparently really dont want someone going back to back
Arizona/Dayton 2nd round match up of former Miller brother's teams

Always something without digging very hard

Also, making 7 seed Washington State fly out to Omaha to face 10th-seeded Drake (from Des Moines), who if they win with that travel advantage, could face intra-state rival Iowa State.

I wonder if this is the first time a doubleheader ever had at least three of four teams within three and a half hours. It reminds me of the 2015 Softball Regional when we went to Florida, and the other teams were Florida Atlantic and Florida A&M. https://www.espn.com/mens-college-baske ... e/20240321 gives the cheapest ticket prices on Vivid Seats. Of tomorrow's eight doubleheaders, Omaha's day doubleheader is tied with Salt Lake City's day doubleheader for the cheapest price at $9. Omaha's day doubleheader has BYU from Utah against Duquesne from Pittsburgh, and Morehead State from Kentucky against Illinois. Omaha's night doubleheader of 15 seed South Dakota State against 2 seed Iowa State followed by Washington State against Drake has tickets starting at $143, which is the highest of tomorrow's eight doubleheaders.

[Wags]

Pretty cool:

https://twitter.com/CofCBasketball/stat ... 7828413903

[Wags]

Thought this was a cool pic of Estrada putting in the work before the game that just tipped off. 3-0, Alabama a couple of minutes in on a Sears 3.

https://twitter.com/Diro30/status/1771994089648447979

[Wags]

Congrats to our former two-time POY

https://twitter.com/Diro30/status/1772077754009162079