Alabama plays Iona in the famed Hinkle Fieldhouse ... 

The movie Hoosiers was filmed in Hinkle.

   If you love basketball, you'll already know about the Hinkle Fieldhouse. It's where the Butler Bulldogs play their home games. Butler is a  basketball mad University in a basketball mad state. Let's go a step further.  If you love basketball, you surely loved the movie Hoosiers. It starred Gene Hackman, Barbara Hershey, and co-starred Dennis Hopper.  The movie was based upon a true story about a small Indiana High School in Milan, Indiana. The school actually won the 1954 Indiana State High School Championship. Think of it this way - a single A high school in Alabama won against a 7A school.[

       One of the best scenes was when Milan first saw the Butler Fieldhouse as it was then called.  The small-town players were awestruck at the size of the arena. Gene Hackman had his players measure the height of the basket and the dimensions of the lane. They were, of course, the same as in Milan High. Alabama takes on Iona on the same floor. How ironic that barely the respected Alabama basketball team and tiny Iona College will play in the NCAA Tournament's first round in that arena.  I'm really looking forward to the game. 

      Bama is a 16 point favorite to beat the Gaels. That seems odd to think about a Pitino-coached team being such a dog. Here's an oddity about Iona. They have played only 11 teams. A seven-game winning streak at the season's end was key to the Gael's season. In the MAAC championship game, they beat Fairfield to win a berth to the NCAAT.  

     Bama should win this game somewhere around the previously mentioned point-spread. Nate Oats talked about Rick Pitino, " I respect him," Oats said. "I remember having his coaching tapes when I was back in high school and I knew I wanted to coach. He's a Hall of Fame coach, been doing it at a high level for a long time. Got a lot of respect for what he's done."  

      Jimmy Chitwood is wearing the Crimson and White this weekend.