Oats vs McCasland: Sweet Sixteen Showdown

0:00On March 22nd, Alabama faces Texas Tech in the round of 32 on Sunday, but it's not the first time coaches Nate Oates and Graham, Macaslan have. Been on the same sideline. Last summer, they teamed up on the USA basketball, under 19 coaching staff, getting a close look at each other's styles. Oates spent three days as a court coach, while Macaslan helped out the full time under Arizona's Tommy Lloyd. A short overlap let Oates see Macaslan's strong focus on defense, intensity, and holding players accountable. Both coaches came away impressed. Macaslan admired Oates's direct approach and competitive fire, while Oates noted how Macaslan's teams always win big, no matter the stop. Texas Tech rolled past Akron 91-71 on Friday, with five players hitting at least 14 points each. Alabama top Hofstra 90-70, thanks to sophomore guard Labyrinth Philan's 29 points, mostly in the second half, plus eight, rebounds and seven assists.

1:00Now, less than a year later, their teams clashed with the sweet 16-birth on the line, blending that mutual respect with high stakes college hoops.