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Alabama Dominates Texas Tech 90-65, Advances in NCAA Tournament

3/23/2026

Summary

Alabama Advances Dominantly

The Alabama Crimson Tide defeated Texas Tech 90-65 in the NCAA Tournament second round, advancing to face No. 1 seed Michigan.
Alabama built a 49-25 halftime lead after 19 three-pointers and strong defense limiting Texas Tech to 34%.
Latrell Wrightsell Jr. led Alabama with 24 points, while Houston Mallette added 15.
Texas Tech finishes 23-11, as head coach Grant McCasland acknowledges the team's lack of preparation and JT Toppin's absence.

Summary

Crimson Tide Clash

The No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide will play the No. 5 Texas Tech Red Raiders in the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament on March 22 at 9:45 p.m. ET in Tampa, Florida.
Alabama has a 24-9 record after defeating Hofstra 90-70, while Texas Tech is 23-10 following a 91-71 win over Akron.
Both teams feature strong offenses, with Alabama ranked third and Texas Tech tenth in adjusted offensive efficiency.
Texas Tech is favored by 1.5 points, and key players include Alabama's Labaron Philon Jr. and Texas Tech's Christian Anderson.

History

Historical Context

The 1985 NCAA Tournament was historic as it introduced a 64-team format, expanding from 53 teams the previous year. Villanova's stunning victory over Georgetown marked the first time an unranked team won the national championship. This tournament also featured three teams from the Big East Conference in the Final Four, highlighting the growing competitiveness of college basketball.

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Alabama Advances Dominantly

The Alabama Crimson Tide defeated Texas Tech 90-65 in the NCAA Tournament second round, advancing to face No. 1 seed Michigan.
Alabama built a 49-25 halftime lead after 19 three-pointers and strong defense limiting Texas Tech to 34%.
Latrell Wrightsell Jr. led Alabama with 24 points, while Houston Mallette added 15.
Texas Tech finishes 23-11, as head coach Grant McCasland acknowledges the team's lack of preparation and JT Toppin's absence.

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