Texas A&M-CC Coach Ready For Chance To ‘Shock The World’ Vs. Alabama
'That's what makes this tournament special'
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi punched its ticket to the first round of the 2023 men's NCAA Tournament, and it isn't just there for a fun trip to Legacy Arena.
The Islanders beat the Southeast Missouri State Red Hawks on Tuesday in a First Four matchup to lock up the No. 16 seed. They will take on the No. 1 seed of the South region, the Alabama Crimson Tide, on Thursday and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi will look to become the first 16-seed to beat a 1-seed since UMBC beat Virginia in 2018.
"They're fantastic. They're a No. 1 seed for a reason," Texas A&M-Corpus Christi head coach Steve Lutz told reporters after Tuesday's win, per CBS Sports video. "They've got really good players. They're well coached. They shoot the ball. They rebound the ball, and they are awfully fast. If we don't get back in transition, it could be a long night. With that being said, we've played Arizona. We've played Mississippi State at Mississippi State. In both those games, there were times in the game, especially in the first half, we were leading the game.
"Our guys are battle-tested. They're not scared of the moment. You've got to go play. You gotta embrace it. History tells you not many 1-seeds beat 16-seeds. That's why we have the NCAA Tournament to have situations like this where you get the chance to go shock the world. Nobody thought Saint Peters was going to get as far as they did last year, either. That's what makes this tournament special."
The Islanders have the longest moneyline price out of any first-round matchup at FanDuel Sportsbook, at +2400. This means a $100 bet would pay out $2,500. Alabama has a moneyline price of -10000 and are 23.5-point favorites.
The prices make sense since the Crimson Tide have the second-best odds to win the national championship behind Houston prior to Thursday.
The oddsmakers indicate an upset is unlikely to happen, but as Lutz pointed out, the magic of the NCAA Tournament comes with upsets.
Prior to Thursday, 3.1% of people playing ESPN's Men's Tournament Challenge picked Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to upset Alabama.
But if you're not feeling frisky enough for a moneyline wager, a bet on the spread has a -102 price, which means a $100 bet would pay out $198.04.
For more NCAA Tournament action, make sure to sign up and play NESN Games' $100,000 Big Hoops Challenge.
