First Look: No. 2 seed Alabama

SEC Player of the Year Herb Jones scored a game-high 20 points to lead Alabama over Rick Pitino's Iona squad 68-55 in the Round of 64. The No. 2 seed Crimson Tide will take on the Terps Monday night for a spot in the Sweet Sixteen. We take a look at the Tide below.

Alabama: (25-6, 16-2 SEC), Won SEC regular season and tournament titles

KenPom: 8

NET: 7

Best Win: Arkansas (90-59), Jan. 16

Worst Loss: Western Kentucky (73-71), Dec. 19

Projected Starters

Name, Pos.	PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL

Jaden Shackelford, G	14.1	3.8	2.0	0.1	0.9
John Petty, G	12.2	5.1	1.9	0.6	1.3
Keon Ellis, G	5.4	3.9	1.1	0.4	1.0
Herbert Jones, F	11.5	6.5	3.4	1.1	1.8
Jordan Bruner, F	6.0	4.2	1.3	1.0	1.3

When the Terps defeated UConn in their opener, they beat the No. 1-ranked team in adjusted defensive efficiency in the Big East. Things won't get any easier for Maryland in the second round. Alabama enters Monday night's game with the Terps as the No. 1-ranked team in adjusted defensive efficiency in the SEC and the No. 2-ranked team in the same category in the entire country, just behind Loyola-Chicago.

Freshman forward Josh Primo had been moved into the starting lineup early in the season, but he was recently replaced by JUCO transfer Keon Ellis after suffering a sprained MCL during the Tide's SEC Tournament quarterfinal win. Primo is averaging 8.1 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, however it is doubtful he will suit up for Alabama on Monday night. Ellis scored 14 points in the SEC Tournament championship game, but wasn't much of a factor offensively versus Iona in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, attempting just three shots and scoring just two points.

The biggest differences between the Terps and Tide is likely the pace at which they both like to play. Alabama enters their game with Maryland as one of the fastest team in the country according to KenPom with an adjusted tempo ranking of 9th nationally. The Terps, meanwhile, enter the game as one of the nations slowest teams, with an adjusted tempo ranking of 320. The Tide like to shoot it quickly and from deep, as they also shoot 46.6 percent of their total field goal attempts from beyond the arc, that ranks 17th nationally.

Alabama's perimeter defense could also be an issue for Maryland. The Terps were able to shoot 50 percent from beyond the arc versus UConn, but Alabama enters Monday night's game allowing opponents to make just 28.5 percent of their three-point attempts, which ranks 7th nationally.

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