Texas A&M-Corpus Christi vs Alabama March Madness Pick 3/16

Photo Credit © Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

March Madness is upon us, and the action begins with a thrilling first-round matchup between the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide and the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders. Both teams have fought hard all season to make it to the big dance, but only one can emerge victorious. KingPin.pro takes a closer look at this game and provides its predictions for the outcome.

Alabama Crimson Tide

Offense: The Alabama Crimson Tide boasts a potent offense, scoring an average of 82.2 points per game, good for fifth in the nation. Their scoring margin of +13.7 ranks them third in the country. The Crimson Tide also rank first in total rebounds per game, with 44.4, and are fourth in the SEC with 11.2 offensive rebounds per game.

Shooting: Alabama's shooting statistics are solid but not exceptional. They have an effective field goal percentage of 52.7%, ranking them 66th in the country. They shoot 33.8% from beyond the arc, ranking them 186th, and 54.6% from inside the arc, ranking them 28th.

Defense: Alabama's defense is one of the better units in the nation, allowing only 68.5 points per game, ranking them 120th in the country. Their scoring margin of -13.7 ranks them third in the nation. They are also very efficient at defending the three-point line, allowing just 28.1%, which ranks them third in the nation.

Rebounding: As previously mentioned, Alabama leads the nation in total rebounds per game with 44.4. They are also fourth in the nation in offensive rebounds per game with 11.2.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders

Offense: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi has a solid offense, scoring an average of 78.2 points per game, ranking them 25th in the country. Their scoring margin of +5.3 ranks them 72nd in the country.

Shooting: The Islanders have an effective field goal percentage of 50.9%, ranking them 164th in the country. They shoot 36.5% from beyond the arc, ranking them 52nd, and 48.9% from inside the arc, ranking them 243rd.

Defense: The Islanders allow 72.9 points per game, ranking them 246th in the country. Their scoring margin of -5.3 ranks them 72nd in the nation.

Rebounding: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi averages 36.1 rebounds per game, ranking them 74th in the nation.

Injuries:

There are no major injuries reported for either team as they enter this game.

Odds

According to the latest odds from Vegas, the Alabama Crimson Tide are the overwhelming favorites in this game, with a spread of -23.5. The over/under for the game is set at 155.5.

Prediction:

The Texas A&M-CC Islanders may have had a strong season in the Southland Conference, but they face a tough challenge against the No. 1 seed Alabama Crimson Tide. With their strong offense, shooting, defense, and rebounding, Alabama is a formidable force that will be difficult to overcome.

While the Islanders have been on a winning streak, they have not faced a team of Alabama's caliber yet. The Crimson Tide have the advantage in nearly every statistical category and should be able to cover the large spread.

Pick: Alabama Crimson Tide (-23.5)