TAMPA, Fla. — Alabama basketball survived and advanced through the NCAA Tournament first round and now faces a sharpshooting team from the Big 12 with a place in the Sweet 16 on the line. The Crimson Tide will take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders for the first time in 13 years in Benchmark International Arena on Sunday.

The Crimson Tide and Red Raiders nearly mirrored each other’s first round scores as both favorites defeated their respective underdog opponent by 20 points to advance to the Round of 32. The programs combined for 23-of-56 from beyond the arc in the opening round, setting up a 3-point contest on Sunday for the right to go to Chicago next weekend for the Sweet 16.

Texas Tech had a strong season, finishing third in the Big 12 with marquee regular season wins over Duke, Houston, Arizona and Iowa State, but saw star forward JT Toppin suffer a season ending knee injury in a late season game against Arizona State. The Red Raiders are 4-3 since losing Toppin, but are still dangerous in the NCAA Tournament.

How to Watch: 2026 NCAA Tournament Round of 32

Who: 4-seed Alabama (24-9, 13-5 SEC; 0-1 SEC Tournament) vs. 5-seed Texas Tech (23-10, 12-6 Big 12; 0-1 in Big 12 Tournament)

What: Alabama’s second 2026 NCAA Tournament game.

When: Sunday, March 22, 8:45 p.m. CT

Where: Benchmark International Arena, Tampa Bay, Florida

TV: TBS

Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network (Play-By-Play: Chris Stewart, Color: Bryan Passink). The pregame show will begin one hour prior to tipoff.

SiriusXM: Channel 84

Series: Alabama leads the series 7-1 since 1962. The Crimson Tide is 2-0 on neutral floors against the Red Raiders and their only loss came in Lubbock in December of 1963.

Last Meeting: The Crimson Tide defeated the Red Raiders 76-65 in Tuscaloosa in non-conference action in November 2013. Trevor Releford scored 29 points to lead Alabama. He was helped out by Retin Obasohan’s 15 points and Levi Randolph’s 10 points. The Crimson Tide went 6-of-14 from beyond the arc, showcasing how different Alabama’s style is now under Nate Oats.

Last time out, Alabama: The Crimson Tide defeated 13-seeded Hofstra 90-70 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Alabama saw Labaron Philon score 29 points, while Aiden Sherrell tallied a double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds. Nate Oats’s squad got in transition for 19 fast break points and closed the contest on a 19-4 run to move into the second round.

Last time out, Texas Tech: The Red Raiders knocked of 12-seeded Akron 91-71 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Red Raiders made 11-of-20 from beyond the arc and outrebounded the Zips 32-25 to advance. Texas Tech’s Jaylen Petty led the Red Raiders with 24 points as he made 5-of-7 from 3-point range.

Alabama Basketball in the NCAA Tournament:1974-75: Lost in Round of 64 (NCAA Tournament seeding introduced in 1979)1975-76: Lost in Sweet 161981-82: 4-seed, Lost in Sweet 161982-83: 6-seed, Lost in Round of 641983-84: 9-seed, Lost in Round of 641984-85: 7-seed, Lost in Sweet 161985-86: 5-seed, Lost in Sweet 161986-87 (vacated): 2-seed, Lost in Sweet 161988-89: 6-seed, Lost in Round of 641989-90: 7-seed, Lost in Sweet 161990-91: 4-seed, Lost in Sweet 161991-92: 5-seed, Lost in Round of 321993-94: 9-seed, Lost in Round of 321994-95: 5-seed, Lost in Round of 322001-02: 2-seed, Lost in Round of 322002-03: 10-seed, Lost in Round of 642003-04: 8-seed, Lost in Elite Eight2004-05: 5-seed, Lost in Round of 642005-06: 10-seed, Lost in Round of 322011-12: 9-seed, Lost in Round of 322017-18: 9-seed, Lost in Round of 322020-21: 2-seed, Lost in Sweet 162021-22: 6-seed, Lost in Round of 642022-23: No. 1 overall seed, Lost in Sweet 162023-24: 4-seed, Lost in Final Four2024-25: 2-seed, Lost in Elite Eight2025-26: 4-seed, Result TBD

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