Brandon Miller heated up, and so did Alabama, which prevented the destiny of two different prime NCAA Match seeds and brushed apart Maryland 73-51 behind a dominant second half on Saturday night time.
The Crimson Tide (31-5) superior to their second Candy 16 up to now three tournaments and ninth general. Alabama will face fifth-seeded San Diego State within the South Area semifinals in Louisville, Kentucky, on Friday.
Earlier than the sport even tipped off two prime seeds, Purdue and defending nationwide champion Kansas, had gone down, and No. 1 seed Houston trailed Tide rival Auburn by 10 factors at halftime earlier at Legacy Enviornment earlier than pulling away.
Alabama and Miller bought off to a gradual begin, however the All-America freshman and prime NBA prospect wound up with 19 factors after going scoreless within the first-round recreation. Miller is nursing a groin damage and missed his first 9 photographs of the event.
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Brandon Miller #24 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates with teammates through the first half in opposition to the Maryland Terrapins within the second spherical of the NCAA Males’s Basketball Match at Legacy Enviornment on the BJCC on March 18, 2023, in Birmingham, Alabama. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Photos)
Jahvon Quinerly scored 22 factors on the one-year anniversary of his left knee damage early in a second-round loss to Notre Dame, which nonetheless restricted him earlier this season. Quinerly made 4 of 6 3-pointers.
Charles Bediako had 10 factors and 10 rebounds. Alabama’s starters hit the bench with a few minutes left to chants of “Candy 16” within the pleasant crowd.
Julian Reese had 14 factors for Maryland (22-13) earlier than fouling out. Jahmir Younger scored 12.
Alabama, the highest general seed, confronted scant drama, in contrast to the opposite No. 1s.
Brandon Miller #24 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts through the first half in opposition to the Maryland Terrapins within the second spherical of the NCAA Males’s Basketball Match at Legacy Enviornment on the BJCC on March 18, 2023, in Birmingham, Alabama. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Photos)
FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON’S EXPLICIT ABBREVIATION PUTS INTERNET IN FRENZY AFTER MARCH MADNESS UPSET
No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson toppled top-seeded Purdue 63-58 on Friday in solely the second such upset. Then No. 8 Arkansas beat the Jayhawks 72-71 earlier Saturday. Houston finally pulled away from Auburn because the Tide waited for his or her alternative.
The primary half was extra to Maryland’s liking, aside from the 28-23 deficit, for a group got here in giving up simply 63 factors a recreation.
BIG PICTURE
Maryland: The 2002 nationwide champion Terps did not make their fifteenth journey to the Candy 16 in coach Kevin Willard’s first season. Additionally they misplaced to Alabama within the second spherical two years in the past underneath former coach Mark Turgeon. Maryland’s protection was on level sufficient that it saved the lead for a lot of the primary half regardless of a stretch of 9 straight misses.
Alabama ahead Brandon Miller (24) is guarded by Maryland guard Jahmir Younger (1) within the first half of a second-round school basketball recreation within the NCAA Match in Birmingham, Ala., Saturday, March 18, 2023. (AP Picture/Rogelio V. Solis)
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Alabama: Its depth has been on show thus far. The Tide managed the sport regardless of not getting a lot scoring from starters Mark Sears and Noah Clowney or Nick Pringle, the star of the opening recreation in opposition to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
UP NEXT
Alabama faces a San Diego State group making its first Candy 16 look since 2004, which was additionally the yr of the Tide’s solely Elite Eight run. The Crimson Tide have by no means reached the Closing 4.
