Alabama Crimson Tide vs Iona Gaels Point Spread Picks

Alabama is a unique team. They take mostly 3-pointers and shots within five feet of the hoop. They had a game this season where they had no made shots that weren't either of those. They are not a particularly strong offensive team, but they play very fast. It is the defense that is the glue of this team, allowing just 40.5% shooting and 28.8% from deep. On the other side, coach Rick Pitino has gotten Iona into the dance in year one. His team has always been known for defense, and that has not changed at Iona. His Gaels team allows just 39.9% shooting and 30.1% from deep. I would expect that a new shooting background on a neutral court and a pair of teams that are very strong defensively will lead to a very low scoring first half.  I also feel the linemaker is underrating Rick Pitino's coaching ability as the Gaels are getting a ton of points after a 12-5 season straight-up and 11-5-1 ATS, including 5-0-1 ATS its past six games. The Gaels won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament, winning four games in five days culminating with a 60-51 victory over Fairfield on Saturday. The Gaels defense held their last two opponents to a .330 field goal percentage, and that kind of defense can keep a game closer than expected. Alabama is 0-4 ATS its past four NCAA tournament games as a favorite, and the Crimson Tide is in a letdown situation after a one-point win over LSU in the SEC championship game. Take Iona with the points and the first half UNDER.