[1:15 PM] Dayton @ Alabama

Who will WIN this matchup?

Dayton Flyers (1-0)

Alabama Crimson Tide (1-0)

 

• The line for this game is Alabama by 1 point.

• Alabama head coach Avery Johnson has sour memories of last year’s Tip-Off Marathon showdown with Dayton – and as fate would have it, he’ll get his shot at revenge on the very same stage as the Crimson Tide host the Flyers on Tuesday afternoon. Johnson’s team was outclassed and outgunned last season on the way to an 80-48 humbling at the hands of the Atlantic 10 regular-season co-champions.

• The Flyers traveled to Tuscaloosa on a plane used by Hillary Clinton during her unsuccessful presidential campaign – and can only hope they have more success in Alabama than she did. But being “stronger together” will require a much better effort against a much better team – and while the Flyers were nearly perfect against the Governors, they did allow them to get to the line 23 times while committing 22 fouls. Cooke and reserve Darrell Davis combined to hit nine 3-pointers against Austin Peay, and will no doubt be the focus of Johnson’s defensive strategy Tuesday.

• After injury limited him to just seven games a season ago, guard Dazon Ingram’s return was a welcome sight to Crimson Tide fans who watched the second-year guard knock down all three of his 3-point attempts en route to an 11-point, five-assist, four-rebound performance. Johnson sees Ingram as the heartbeat of an Alabama offensive attack that will look to control the pace of the game – particularly against a Dayton team that likes to run the floor. The Crimson Tide struggled to make the 3-point shot a season ago but fared reasonably well against Coastal Carolina, hitting 10 of its 26 attempts.

• Ingram made just one 3-pointer as a freshman.

• Johnson’s son, Avery Jr., was held scoreless in four minutes off the bench in the opener.

• Dayton leads the all-time series 3-1.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Alabama Crimson Tide

Confidence: 4/10

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