While some may argue that the 2025 NCAA Tournament has been one of the more predictable in recent history, there’s no denying that a minor upset in the opening weekend of March Madness set up Alabama’s Sweet 16 matchup.
The 6-seed BYU Cougars took down No. 3 seed Wisconsin 91-89 in the second round, surviving a furious comeback attempt by the Badgers that came up just short at the buzzer. That victory sent BYU from Denver to Newark for a Thursday night showdown with the No. 2 seed Alabama Crimson Tide.
Alabama, meanwhile, shook off a sluggish 90-81 first-round win over No. 15 seed Robert Morris with a more dominant second-round showing, defeating 7-seed Saint Mary’s 80-66 to reach the Sweet 16 for the third consecutive year.
So what will it take for the Crimson Tide to advance past the Cougars and into the Elite Eight? Here are three keys to an Alabama victory.
1. Let Mark Sears Take Over
Wisconsin provided a blueprint for Alabama’s star guard in the second round when John Tonje torched BYU for a tournament-high 37 points—the first player in this year’s March Madness to surpass 30. Tonje shot 10-of-18 from the field and 14-of-16 from the free-throw line, racking up 52 points over two games. His 37-point explosion also set a Wisconsin record for most points in an NCAA Tournament game.
Meanwhile, Sears has yet to fully unleash his scoring potential. He put up 22 points against Robert Morris, with 19 coming in the second half, but managed just 12 against Saint Mary’s while battling foul trouble. Though Tonje stands at 6-foot-5 and Sears is a 6-foot-1 All-American, Tonje’s performance exposed vulnerabilities in BYU’s backcourt that Sears is more than capable of exploiting.
Sears has already proven he can light up elite competition, dropping 30 on Florida and Kentucky and 35 against Missouri late in the season. The key for Alabama? Keep him on the floor and let him go to work.
2. Keep the Tempo High
Alabama’s second-round matchup with Saint Mary’s likely felt like a 40-minute grind, as the Tide—boasting the nation’s highest-scoring offense at 90.8 points per game—were forced into a slower, physical battle. The Gaels stuck to their defensive-minded approach, trying to control the pace, with only partial success.
Against BYU, however, Alabama will find a team much more willing to run. Kevin Young’s squad plays an NBA-style offense, pushing the tempo, hoisting plenty of threes (they shot 46% from deep against Wisconsin), and relying on long, athletic defenders to disrupt shots.
The Cougars can score in bunches, averaging 81.3 points per game, but they’ve also been slowed down by elite defensive teams—posting just 54 points in a blowout loss to Houston and 66 in a lopsided defeat against Cincinnati.
Alabama thrives in fast-paced, high-scoring games, a style Nate Oats has leaned on all season against top-tier SEC competition. If the Tide push the tempo, the Prudential Center scoreboard could be in for a workout.
3. Share the Ball
One of Alabama’s biggest strengths in the second round was its balanced attack. Rather than relying on one or two scorers, the Tide spread the wealth—nine players saw at least 11 minutes, and they became the first team in over two years to drop 80 points on Saint Mary’s.
“I feel like we’ve been slept on,” said forward Grant Nelson after the win. “A lot of people doubted us, so we knew we had to bring energy. Our starters set the tone, and everyone else stepped up.”
That depth paid off, as four of five starters scored in double figures, led by Chris Youngblood’s 13 points. Meanwhile, Aden Holloway (12 points) and Mouhamed Dioubate (10 points) made key contributions off the bench.
For Alabama to punch its ticket to the Elite Eight for the second straight year, Oats needs to continue rotating fresh bodies and overwhelming BYU with waves of talent—something the Cougars don’t see as often in the Big 12.
Leave a Reply