In perhaps its toughest challenge of the season, Alabama faces No. 1 seed UConn in the Final Four on Saturday.

Minutes before the Huskies and the Tide tipped, analyst Charles Barkley laid out three keys to Alabama’s success if Nate Oats’ team is to advance to the national championship game against Purdue.

“I want to say this since I’m from Alabama,” the former Auburn star said. “I got to give them some hope. That’s because I’m from there.”

Barkley’s keys?

1. Alabama’s going to have to make “heavy double-digit 3s.”
2. The Tide must “be competitive on the boards.”
3. The team must “have 12 or less turnovers.”

“You don’t get to the Final Four without having a terrific team, but if they shoot the ball well and can compete on the boards and keep their turnovers down low, they have a chance to win this game,” Barkley said.

It won’t be easy.

UConn won its first four NCAA Tournament games by an average of 27.8 points and has won 10 straight tournament games over two seasons by double digits. The Huskies have trailed all of 28 seconds in this year’s bracket and pulled off one of the greatest March Madness runs in history against Illinois in the Elite Eight, reeling off 30 straight points in a 25-point win.

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.