Jay Bilas believes Alabama will make a deep run in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
On Monday, Bilas published his prediction for each game during March Madness. The ESPN analyst is predicting Alabama will reach the Elite Eight, but ultimately fall to Arizona.
Bilas has Alabama defeating Southeast Missouri State or Texas A&M Community College in the 1st round. Then, he’s projecting victories over West Virginia and Virginia before bowing out against the Wildcats.
Here’s Bilas’ analysis on Alabama’s potential Sweet 16 matchup with Arizona:
This is a fabulous matchup. While Alabama is more talented and a bit deeper, Arizona scores so easily. And Arizona has proved it can win in up-tempo and grind-it-out games. This one will be high scoring and fun to watch. I have a good feeling about Arizona in this one. Tubelis and Ballo are more offensive-oriented than Bediako, but Clowney and Gurley are formidable, too. I am going with Arizona here. But Alabama is a good choice, too.
Bilas predicted Arizona will win the National Championship. Texas, UConn and Duke were his other Final Four teams.
Alabama is a No. 1 seed for the 1st time in program history. The Tide have reached the Elite Eight just once before — back in 2004. They have never gone to the Final Four.
Alabama will play its opening round game of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday.
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
