Live Hoops Updates: UConn 86, Alabama 72; Final
GLENDALE, Ariz. – No. 4-seed Alabama (25-11) will face 1-seed UConn (35-3) in the Final Four at State Farm Stadium tonight. The semifinal game will start at 7:49 p.m. CT on TBS.
The Crimson Tide advanced to the school’s first Final Four after its win over 6-seed Clemson in the Elite Eight. Prior to that, Alabama took down 1-seed North Carolina in the Sweet 16, 12-seed Grand Canyon in the Round of 32 and 13-seed Charleston in the opening round.
In five years as the head coach of the Tide, Nate Oats has an overall record of 8-3 in NCAA Tournament games, which includes three Sweet 16 appearances (2021, 2023, 2024), one Elite Eight (2024) and now the basketball program’s first appearance in the national semifinal.
Game links: WATCH | LISTEN | STATS
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PREGAME
— Officials for tonight’s game: Ron Groover, Patrick Adams, Paul Szelc and Courtney Green (standby).
— Alabama starters vs. UConn: Mark Sears, Aaron Estrada, Rylan Griffen, Grant Nelson and Nick Pringle.
— Latrell Wrightsell Jr. is in uniform and going through warmups, as expected. The senior guard is back after missing the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight due to a head injury.
FIRST HALF
— UConn 13, Alabama 8 (15:31) | Huskies have made 4 of their last 5 and have already knocked down a trio of 3s. Stephon Castle is 2-of-3 from deep with 8 early points.
— Latrell Wrightsell checks into the game after the under-16 timeout. Jarin Stevenson, too.
— Grant Nelson picks up his second foul at the 13:41 mark of the 1H. Nick Pringle will replace him.
— Alabama 23, UConn 20 (10:24) | Rylan Griffen just knocked down Alabama’s fifth 3 of the game (5-of-7), and the Spanish broadcast team behind me shouted “Cinco!” The Crimson Tide has also made its last 5 attempts from the field.
— UConn 24, Alabama 23 (9:30) | Donovan Clingan scores 4 straight to give the Huskies a 6-0 run, and Nate Oats quickly calls a timeout.
— Alabama 28, UConn 28 (7:31) | Huskies have made 5 of their last 6, but the Tide is 6 for its last 7. Aaron Estrada tied the game on his second 3. He’s 3-4 from the field.
— Mark Sears picks up back-to-back fouls to send Newton to the line. Sears joins Grant Nelson with two fouls with 7:18 left to go in the 1H.
— UConn 35, Alabama 31 (3:12) | After a Wrightsell 3 (he’s 2-for-2), the Huskies retake the lead thanks to a 5-0 run from Tristen Newton.
— UConn 42, Alabama 38 (0:42) | Mark Sears drains his first 3 of the game to snap a 12-4 Huskies run.
SECOND HALF
— Mark Sears picks up his third foul with 16:59 left to play in the game.
— UConn 55, Alabama 47 (15:31) | UA had cut it to 1 behind a 7-0 run, but UConn countered with a quick 7-0 run of its own over the last 1:12 to go by 8 at the under-16 break.
— Grant Nelson, who has 4 points and 4 boards already this half, picks up his third foul with 12:59 to play. UA trails UConn, 56-54.
— UConn 64, Alabama 56 (10:27) | It’s been a game of runs in the 2H. The latest is an 8-0 streak for the Huskies over the 1:37. Timeout, UA.
— UConn 67, Alabama 61 (7:34) | Mark Sears ends an 11-2 run with an and-1. Grant Nelson will check back in after the under-8 break.
— UConn 73, Alabama 63 (4:00) | The Tide is 0 for its last 5, 2 for its last 11 and hasn’t made a field goal in the last 4:02. UA needs buckets to stay in this one at the under-4.
— UConn 76, Alabama 68 (2:29) | Mark Sears knocks down a deep, much-needed 3 to cut the UConn lead to 8. Timeout, Dan Hurley.
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