NCAA Tournament Picks: Alabama vs Iona 3/20/21 College Basketball Picks, Odds, Predictions

The Alabama Crimson Tide face the Iona Gaels Saturday in March Madness college basketball NCAA Tournament action from Hinkle Fieldhouse. 

Coming into this NCAA Tournament First Round matchup, the Gaels are 12-5 overall. Iona has won six straight and beat Fairfield in conference tourney action last weekend. As for the Tide, they’re 24-6 overall this year. Alabama has won six straight, most recently over LSU on Sunday in the SEC Tournament. Check back all season long for free college basketball picks at Sports Chat Place. 

Iona began their year at a sketchy 2-3, but then won four straight games amid a stretch of postponements. Once the Gaels got rolling in February, they won six straight games over Monmouth, Quinnipiac, Siena, Niagara and Fairfield on the way to the MAAC Tournament championship. 

In the 60-51 win over the Stags last weekend, Iona’s Asante Gist was the top scorer on 18 points with four rebounds and one assist. Isaiah Ross added 13 points and five boards, while Nelly Junior Joseph doubled up on 12 points and 11 boards. 

Over on the Alabama side, their year began at 4-3, but the Tide haven’t lost consecutive games since then. Alabama lost just three games from December 22 to February 24, and rolled through the conference tournament with wins over Mississippi State, Tennessee and LSU. 

In the 80-79 thriller win over LSU on Sunday, Alabama’s Jaden Shackelford put up 21 points with five rebounds and four assists. Both Keon Ellis and Jahvon Quinerly notched 14 points apiece, combining for 10 rebounds and five assists for the Tide as well. 

The Gaels are 5-0-1 ATS in their last six games overall and 3-0-1 ATS in their last four after an ATS win. Iona is 5-0-1 ATS in their last six neutral-site games and 8-1 ATS in their last nine as an underdog. 

Meanwhile, Alabama is 4-1 ATS in their last four overall and 4-1 ATS in their last five after a straight-up win. The Tide are 4-1 ATS in their last five as a favorite and 3-1-1 ATS in their last five NCAA Tournament games. 

PICK: I’m going to take Iona. The Gaels seem to be a trendy pick in this one, and it’s easy to see why. Iona has hit a nice run over their last six games, notching 70 or more points in four of those. Alabama has been chugging right along themselves with 70 or more points in five straight, and I do think the Tide will get a win here. The line seems thick enough for Iona to get in there on a cover, though.