Paul Finebaum Gives His Early Pick For UNC vs. Alabama

28/03/2024 19:33

The NCAA Tournament is back underway on Thursday with the Sweet Sixteen. 

Four teams will punch their ticket to the Elite Eight on the weekend, where they will then play for the right to head to the Final Four in Arizona.

After an exciting first weekend of games, we're down to just 16 programs with hopes of winning a national championship, and the pressure is certainly on.

The ACC will take on the SEC in one of the most anticipated Sweet Sixteen matchups on the calendar, as North Carolina will face Alabama on Thursday evening.

The Tar Heels have been impressive in wins over Wagner and Michigan State, while the Crimson Tide defeated Charleston and Grand Canyon.

ESPN and SEC network commentator Paul Finebaum is giving his opinion on how Thursday night's game will go, and he may surprise you with the team he believes will emerge with the win.

"Still trying to come up with a strong opinion there," Finebaum said when asked who he thought would win the game. "Right now I'm slightly leaning toward the Tar Heels."

Finebaum surprisingly chose the ACC school over one from his beloved SEC, but he may have made the correct choice. 

North Carolina is looking to make to the Final Four for the second time in head coach Hubert Davis' career, and they're also looking to make it back to the national championship game.

Alabama's Nate Oats is looking for a great end to the season after his team got off to a slow start with out-of-conference losses to some of the top teams in the country.

Thursday's game features two teams that like to get out and run, and the game may turn into a matchup of Alabama's offense against North Carolina's defense.

Thursday's Sweet Sixteen matchup between North Carolina and Oklahoma can be seen on CBS at 9:39 PM ET.