March Madness: Alabama beats BYU, 113-88, to advance to Elite Eight in men’s NCAA tournament

In what will go down as one of the most memorable performances in NCAA Tournament history, the Alabama Crimson Tide dismantled the BYU Cougars in the Sweet 16 with a record-setting 113-88 win. The Crimson Tide’s offensive explosion, led by a barrage of three-pointers, left the Cougars scrambling to keep pace. The victory secures Alabama’s second consecutive trip to the Elite Eight, marking a historic achievement for the program under head coach Nate Oats.

A Three-Point Shooting Clinic

Alabama’s offensive firepower was on full display as they knocked down 25 three-pointers, shattering the previous NCAA Tournament record of 21. Senior guard Mark Sears was the catalyst, catching fire early and finishing with 34 points, including 10 made threes on 16 attempts.

“Sometimes you just see the rim as an ocean,” Sears said postgame. “Tonight was one of those nights. My teammates kept finding me, and I kept letting it fly.”

Sears, who had struggled from beyond the arc in recent games, made an emphatic statement in this Sweet 16 showdown. His confidence was contagious, and Alabama shot an incredible 56% from three (25-for-44) as a team.

“We came into this game knowing we had to be aggressive from deep,” said Nate Oats. “We trust our system. We trust our shooters. And tonight, everything clicked.”

Other key contributors to Alabama’s three-point barrage included:

Aaron Estrada (21 points, 5-for-7 from three)
Rylan Griffen (18 points, 4-for-6 from three)
Grant Nelson (15 points, 3-for-5 from three)

Fast-Paced, Relentless Offense

From the opening tip, Alabama imposed their up-tempo style of play. The Crimson Tide raced out to an early lead thanks to their transition offense and deadly outside shooting. BYU tried to counter by playing a more physical game inside, winning the battle in the paint (28-8 in the first half), but they could not slow Alabama’s perimeter attack.

At halftime, Alabama held a 51-40 lead, and it was clear that BYU needed a major defensive adjustment to get back into the game. However, Alabama came out even stronger in the second half, outscoring BYU 62-48 over the final 20 minutes.

BYU’s Struggles From Deep

The Cougars entered the game as a respectable three-point shooting team but went ice-cold at the worst possible time. In the first half, BYU made just 1 of 13 attempts from three-point range and finished the game 7-for-30 (23%) from beyond the arc.

BYU’s star forward Richie Saunders tried to keep his team in the game, scoring 25 points, but he received little help from his teammates in terms of perimeter shooting. Spencer Johnson and Jaxson Robinson, two of BYU’s top shooters, combined for just 3-for-14 from three, a major factor in the Cougars’ inability to mount a comeback.

Defensive Adjustments That Never Came

Defensively, BYU had no answer for Alabama’s pace and spacing. Head coach Mark Pope tried multiple defensive schemes—including switching to a zone defense in the second half—but nothing could slow down Alabama’s shooters.

“We knew Alabama could shoot, but we didn’t anticipate a night like this,” Pope admitted. “They got hot, and once that happens, it’s tough to stop.”

What This Means for Alabama

With the victory, Alabama moves on to face Duke in the Elite Eight—a matchup that promises to be one of the most exciting games of the tournament. The Blue Devils are coming off an impressive win over Arizona, led by freshman sensation Cooper Flagg.

Duke vs. Alabama will feature two of the highest-scoring offenses in college basketball. Alabama’s key to victory will be maintaining their red-hot three-point shooting while finding a way to slow down Duke’s interior dominance.

What’s Next for BYU?

Despite the loss, BYU’s season should still be considered a success. The Cougars made a deep run in the tournament, proving they belong in the national conversation. However, the loss exposed their need for more consistent perimeter scoring and defensive versatility.

With key players graduating, BYU will look to rebuild through recruiting and the transfer portal. If Pope can address their weaknesses, the Cougars could be back in the Sweet 16 next year.