LEAD STORY: TIDE DOMINANCE: ALABAMA PUNCHES FOURTH STRAIGHT TICKET TO SWEET 16
TAMPA — The Alabama Crimson Tide are heading to the Sweet 16 for a school-record fourth consecutive season after a commanding 90-65 victory over the Texas Tech Red Raiders on Sunday night. The win, which was Alabama's largest margin of victory in its NCAA Tournament history, sends the No. 4 seed to a Midwest Region semifinal matchup against top-seeded Michigan.
From the opening tip, Alabama asserted its dominance, particularly on the defensive end and on the glass. The Crimson Tide smothered Texas Tech's offense and built a commanding 49-25 lead by halftime. Guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. was electric, leading all scorers with 24 points, including draining six three-pointers. Houston Mallette added 15 points and was a force on the boards with eight rebounds. While leading scorer Labaron Philon was held to nine points, he orchestrated the offense masterfully, dishing out 12 assists. The defensive pressure was relentless, holding the Red Raiders to just 34.4% shooting from the field.
Alabama's suffocating performance left no doubt about the outcome, leading by as many as 34 points in the second half. The victory sets up a highly anticipated showdown with Michigan on Friday in Chicago, as the Crimson Tide continue their quest for a national title.
QUICK HITS
- Kentucky's Season Ends in St. Louis: The No. 7 seed Kentucky Wildcats' NCAA Tournament journey concluded with an 82-63 loss to No. 2 seed Iowa State. After jumping out to an early 20-9 lead, the Wildcats were plagued by a season-high 20 turnovers, which the Cyclones converted into 25 points. Senior guard Denzel Aberdeen led Kentucky with 20 points, while fellow senior Otega Oweh added 18 points and 8 rebounds in their final collegiate game.
- Gators Stunned at the Buzzer: The Florida Gators' season ended in heartbreaking fashion, falling 73-72 to the Iowa Hawkeyes on a three-pointer with just 4.5 seconds remaining. Florida held a two-point lead before Iowa found an open look in the corner for the game-winner. Alex Condon paced the Gators with 21 points and seven assists, but it wasn't enough to avoid the second-round upset.
- Mark Mitchell Bids Farewell to Mizzou: After two impactful seasons, forward Mark Mitchell posted a heartfelt goodbye to the University of Missouri and its fans. Mitchell became a leader and go-to player for the Tigers, leading the team in scoring in each of his two seasons and helping elevate the program.
- Sooners Softball Powers Past Ole Miss: Future SEC member Oklahoma continued its dominant season, defeating Ole Miss 14-2 in five innings for their 20th consecutive victory. The Sooners launched five home runs, setting a new SEC single-season team record with 127 on the year, in just 33 games. Kai Minor hit two homers, and Abby Dayton added a grand slam in the rout.
PORTAL WATCH
The Missouri Tigers added a commitment from defensive lineman Mark Hensley. Hensley, a Missouri native, comes to the Tigers after three seasons at Northern Illinois, where he started 12 games in 2025 and recorded 32 total tackles and 5 tackles for loss.
RECRUITING BUZZ
It was a quiet period on the high school recruiting front, with no new commitments for SEC programs in the last 12 hours.
GAMES TO WATCH
There are no SEC games scheduled for Monday, March 23rd. All eyes now turn to the Sweet 16, where Alabama will face Michigan on Friday, March 27th.