Iona vs Alabama Pick: East Region Round One, March 20th

Iona vs Alabama Pick – Saturday, March 20th – East Region Round One: Rick Pitino’s Iona Gaels won 6 straight games to close out the season culminating in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title. In the final, Iona defeated Fairfield behind Asante Gist’s 18 points, and Pitino took his record-tying fifth school to the NCAA Tournament. It was not easy for him. He contracted coronavirus, and the Gaels were forced to stop four times this season because of virus issues — including a 51-day hiatus that sidelined them longer than any team in the country. Isaiah Ross leads the team averaging 18.4 points per game. Next is Gist, who is dealing with an LBI and is listed as questionable for Saturday’s game averages 13.3 points per game, and rounding out the double-digit scorers is 6’9 Nigerian freshman Nelly Junior Joseph who averages 11.4 points and 7.6 boards per game. The Gaels score 72.2 points per game and turn the ball over too much at 15.6 a game. They hit 44.5% from the field, 35.5% from three, and 74.3% from the stripe.

〉More March Madness Betting: UNC Greensboro vs Florida State

Alabama got better and better as the season went on. They finished the season off with their 6th straight victory in the SEC Championship 80-79 over LSU. They hadn’t made it to the SEC Championship since 2002. Herbert Jones, both the SEC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds. On the season, averaged 11.2 points, 6.5 boards and 3.4 assists per game. Leading scorer Jaden Shackelford led Alabama with 21 points. On the season, he averaged 14.2 points per game. Jhavon Quinerly scored 14 in the final. He averaged 12.7 on the season. The run to the Championship didn’t come without consequences. They lost guard Joshua Primo to a knee injury. Keon Ellis looked good in his absence scoring 14 points in the final against LSU. Alabama scores 79.6 points per game and hits 43.1% from the field, 35.1% from behind the arc, and 72% from the line.