Alabama was already considered an upset candidate after Selection Sunday. And after Holloway was ruled out for Friday's game, it opens the door for Bethea.
Not that there is ever a good time for your starting point guard to get arrested, but when Alabama’s Aden Holloway was arrested for marijuana possession on Monday, it sent shockwaves to brackets nationwide.
Most importantly, it put both his career and the Crimson Tide in a precarious position.
Coach Nate Oats has already stated that Holloway has been suspended and that they’re planning to play 13th-seed Hofstra without him.
Because of that, it raises the question: who steps up in Holloway’s absence?
Guard Jalil Bethea is the ideal candidate. Bethea has the talent and the pedigree to be considered, as a former five-star recruit.
But after an underwhelming freshman season in Miami, Bethea opted to come to Tuscaloosa for a fresh start.
Yet his season started off on another bumpy note, after undergoing surgery to repair a broken foot – causing him to miss the first seven games.
The problem is that he’s had a hard time getting substantial playing time.
In the 23 games he’s played this season, he’s only seen the floor for more than 10 minutes seven times.
In the second game of his season, he posted 21 points and shot 5-10 from 3 in garbage time against UTSA, which makes the following game all the more puzzling.
The following game against Arizona, where Alabama got creamed 96-75, Bethea only saw the floor for three minutes.
There’s always a method to Oats’ madness, as he suggested that it was his subpar work on the defensive side of the ball that prevented him from seeing the floor more.
But in a season that Alabama had struggled as a team in shooting beyond the arc, Bethea’s range could’ve been a welcoming addition to the rotation.
The good ol’ catch 22.
So in a time when the Tide will be without the leading 3-point shooter in the SEC in Holloway, who drained just under 44%, who better to step up than Bethea?
Oats hasn’t indicated anything in regards to Bethea receiving more minutes and based on seniority, minutes, and points, it’s likely that Latrell Wrightsell Jr. gets the start.
Houston Mallette will also be a key contributor on the perimeter and the defensive end. But for Alabama, Bethea’s spark off the bench will be crucial against an incredibly motivated Hofstra squad.
Even in limited minutes, Bethea has a better true shooting percentage than both Wrightsell and Mallette, and just two points below them in effective field goal percentage.
So with the Tide missing a high volume shooter, all it takes is one performance from an unsung hero to save millions of brackets.
And the Tide’s season.
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