By R.L. Bynum
LOS ANGELES — Another NCAA tournament game, another prolific scorer to stop.
Against Michigan State, Tyson Walker’s point output was limited by Carolina guards Seth Trimble and RJ Davis over large stretches.
The target for Thursday night’s 9:39 regional semifinal (CBS) in Crypto.com Arena will be 6–1 Alabama senior guard Mark Sears. Sears averages 21.5 points per game, shoots 43.5% from 3-point range, and has scored 83 3-pointers.
“I think it’s a really good matchup, both All-American guards,” RJ Davis said ahead of facing Sears. “I have a lot of respect for his game, just the way he orchestrates the offense. He’s able to get to his spots. Does a good job of setting his man up, using ball screens. He’s the head of the snake.”
Coach Hubert Davis has seen his Tar Heels shut down several prolific scorers this season, but none more challenging than Sears, who brings a different element since he’s left-handed.
“He’s one of the better players in the country, a very confident, gifted scorer, has the ability to score off the bounce,” Coach Davis said. “And when the ball is not in his hands, in terms of coming off screens, [he] can shoot 3s.”
Sears has scored at least 30 points four times, including going for 30 in the Tide’s 109–96 first-round NCAA tournament victory over College of Charleston.
Trimble, who will likely get that defensive assignment when he enters the game, said that Sears reminds him of Jalen Brunson.
“He’s a quick, strong, steady guard,” Trimble said. “He can get to the 3, he’s super-quick, so he can blow past me and get to the lane and he doesn’t really settle for taking bad shots.”
Cormac Ryan said it will take a team effort to stop Sears.
“He’s a major key to their offense, and so containing him, his ability to shoot, his ability to drive and playmake,” Ryan said. “For us, just competing on every possession, making sure he’s not getting any easy ones and doing the job as a team, all five guys.”
The problem with the Tide is that there are plenty of other scorers in a four-guard lineup who produce mostly 3-point attempts and shots around the rim. UNC will have to be very good at defending ball screens because Alabama often runs actions off of screens.
“What’s so good about them is they space out kind of like a five-out offense a little bit,” Trimble said. “That makes guys able to drive.
“I would say covering the drive game first,” Trimble said. “But if they drive and the defense collapses, they kick out for 3. It will be definitely a true test of our defense and being able to guard and be in the right spots. But I think we’re capable of doing that.”
In addition to Sears, 6–3 senior guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. is shooting 44.3% from 3-point range and has scored 66 3-pointers. But Wrightsell left the Tide’s 72–61 second-round win over Grand Canyon because of a concussion after playing only 11 minutes, and the school said he’s day-to-day.
Other 3-point threats for Alabama are 6–6 sophomore guard Rylan Griffin (64 3-pointers, shooting 37.6%), 6–3 graduate guard Aaron Estrada (45, 30.8%) and freshman 6–10 forward Sam Walters (38, 40.0%).
Armando Bacot said rebounding against the Tide’s offense will also be important.
“Those long 3-pointers [lead to] long rebounds,” Bacot said. “Nothing more demoralizing than guarding their actions. It’s already hard enough, and then for them to get an offensive rebound and kick it out, they’re not going to miss the 3. There are a lot of challenges that come with this game. But we’ve been a top-five defense all year. If we stick with what the coaches tell us, we’ll be fine.”
NOTES — Carolina is 8–5 against Alabama and had won three in a row before the Nov. 27, 2022, four-overtime 103–101 loss in Portland. … The Tar Heels are 2–1 against the Tide in NCAA tournament games, losing 79–64 in the first round of the 1976 Mideast Regional in Dayton, Ohio; winning 75–69 in the 1982 East Regional semifinals at Reynolds Coliseum; and winning 64–55 in the 1992 Southeast Regional second round in Cincinnati. … Hubert Davis holds the record for most 3-pointers against Alabama with five on Nov. 30, 1989, a 101–93 loss in Tuscaloosa. … UNC is 7–1 in NCAA tournament play under Coach Davis, beating three national title-winning coaches: Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski, Baylor’s Scott Drew, and Michigan State’s Tom Izzo. … This is UNC’s eighth West Regional, but first as a No. 1 seed. The Heels were No. 2 in 1978, 1981, 1988 and 2018, No. 3 in 1986 and 1999 and No. 4 in 2015. … UNC is 16–8 in California, including 5–6 in Los Angeles and 0–1 in what now is called Crypto.com Arena (a 79–72 loss in the 2015 West Regional Sweet16). … UNC is a 4½-point favorite.
UNC season statistics
Alabama season statistics
KenPom comparison
| Category | UNC | Alabama |
| Overall ranking | 9 | 14 |
| Offensive efficiency | 119.1 (16) | 125.1 (4) |
| Defensive efficiency | 93.1 (6) | 102.4 (101) |
| Effective FG% | 51.7 (120) | 56.3 (10) |
| Turnover % | 14.2 (22) | 16.0 (100) |
| Offensive rebound % | 32.6 (73) | 34.8 (26) |
| FTA/FGA | 36.7 (79) | 35.9 (95) |
| Strength of schedule | 16 | 4 |
UNC-Alabama series
West Regional
March 19 First Four result
No. 16 Wagner 71, No. 16 Howard 68
First-round results
Thursday, March 21
No. 9 Michigan State 69, No. 8 Mississippi State 51
No. 1 North Carolina 90, Wagner 62
No. 2 Arizona 85, No. 15 Long Beach State 65
No. 7 Dayton 63, No. 10 Nevada 60
Friday, March 22
No. 4 Alabama 109, No. 13 College of Charleston 96
No. 12 Grand Canyon 75, No. 5 St. Mary’s 66
No. 3 Baylor 92, No. 14 Colgate 67
No. 6 Clemson 77, No. 11 New Mexico 56
Last Saturday’s second-round results
Arizona 78, Dayton 68
North Carolina 85, Michigan State 69
Sunday’s second-round results
Clemson 72, Baylor 64
Alabama 72, Grand Canyon 61
Thursday’s regional semifinals
Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles
Clemson 77, Arizona 72
Alabama 98, North Carolina 87
Saturday’s regional final
Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles
Alabama 89, Clemson 82
| Date | Month/day | Score | Opponent/event (current ranks) | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | ||||
| 27 | Friday | W, 117–53 | vs. St. Augustine’s | Exhibition |
| November | ||||
| 6 | Monday | W, 86–70 | vs. Radford | 1–0 |
| 12 | Sunday | W, 90–68 | vs. Lehigh | 2–0 |
| 17 | Friday | W, 77–52 | vs. UC Riverside | 3–0 |
| Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas | ||||
| 22 | Wednesday | W, 91–69 | Northern Iowa | 4–0 |
| 23 | Thursday | L, 83–81, OT | Villanova | 4–1 |
| 24 | Friday | W, 87–72 | Arkansas | 5–1 |
| ACC/SEC Men’s Challenge | ||||
| 29 | Wednesday | W, 100–92 | vs. No. 6 Tennessee | 6–1 |
| December | ||||
| 2 | Saturday | W, 78–70 | vs. Florida State | 7–1, 1–0 ACC |
| Jimmy V Classic in New York | ||||
| 5 | Tuesday | L, 87–67 | No. 1 Connecticut | 7–2 |
| CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta | ||||
| 16 | Saturday | L, 87–83 | No. 12 Kentucky | 7–3 |
| Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte | ||||
| 20 | Wednesday | W, 81–69 | Oklahoma | 8–3 |
| ————————— | ||||
| 29 | Friday | W, 105–60 | vs. Charleston Southern | 9–3 |
| January | ||||
| 2 | Tuesday | W, 70–57 | at Pittsburgh | 10–3, 2–0 ACC |
| 6 | Saturday | W, 65–55 | at Clemson | 11–3, 3–0 ACC |
| 10 | Wednesday | W, 67–54 | at N.C. State | 12–3, 4–0 ACC |
| 13 | Saturday | W, 103–67 | vs. Syracuse | 13–3, 5–0 ACC |
| 17 | Wednesday | W, 86–70 | vs. Louisville | 14–3, 6–0 ACC |
| 20 | Saturday | W, 76–66 | vs. Boston College | 15–3, 7–0 ACC |
| 22 | Monday | W, 85–64 | vs. Wake Forest | 16–3, 8–0 ACC |
| 27 | Saturday | W, 75–68 | at Florida State | 17–3, 9–0 ACC |
| 30 | Tuesday | L, 74–73 | at Georgia Tech | 17–4, 9–1 ACC |
| February | ||||
| 3 | Saturday | W, 93–84 | vs. No. 13 Duke | 18–4, 10–1 ACC |
| 6 | Tuesday | L, 80–76 | vs. Clemson | 18–5, 10–2 ACC |
| 10 | Saturday | W, 75–72 | at Miami | 19–5, 11–2 ACC |
| 13 | Tuesday | L, 86–79 | at Syracuse | 19–6, 11–3 ACC |
| 17 | Saturday | W, 96–81 | vs. Virginia Tech | 20–6, 12–3 ACC |
| 24 | Saturday | W, 54–44 | at Virginia | 21–6, 13–3 ACC |
| 26 | Monday | W, 75–71 | vs. Miami | 22–6, 14–3 ACC |
| March | ||||
| 2 | Saturday | W, 79–70 | vs. N.C. State | 23–6, 15–3 ACC |
| 5 | Tuesday | W, 84–51 | vs. Notre Dame | 24–6, 16–3 ACC |
| 9 | Saturday | W, 84–79 | at No. 13 Duke | 25–6, 17–3 ACC |
| ACC tournament Washington | ||||
| 14 | Thursday | W, 92–67 | Quarterfinals: Florida State | 26–6 |
| 15 | Friday | W, 72–65 | Semifinals: Pittsburgh | 27–6 |
| 16 | Saturday | L, 84–76 | Final: N.C. State | 27–7 |
| NCAA tournament | ||||
| 21 | Thursday | W, 90–62 | First round in Charlotte: Wagner | 28–7 |
| 23 | Saturday | W, 85–69 | Second round in Charlotte: Michigan State | 29–7 |
| 28 | Thursday | L, 89–87 | Sweet 16 in Los Angeles: No. 19 Alabama | 29–8 |
Photo via @AlabamaMBB
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