Alabama fought past Texas Tech in the second round for a spot in the Sweet 16.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Latrell Wrightsell Jr. scored 24 points and fourth-seeded Alabama earned a fourth straight trip to the Sweet 16 with a 90-65 second-round rout of No. 5 seed Texas Tech in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday night.
The Crimson Tide (25-9), who also got 15 points from Houston Mallette, advanced to the Midwest Region semifinals against top-seeded Michigan in Chicago next Friday night. They built an early double-digit lead against the Red Raiders (23-11), exploiting a size advantage inside to dominate the backboards and making 11 3-pointers on the way to leading 49-25 at halftime.
Texas Tech, which reached the Elite Eight a year ago, didn’t get closer than 18 the rest of the way. Alabama, two years removed from a Final Four run, led by 34 in the second half.
Both teams entered March Madness short-handed. The Red Raiders were playing without injured All-American JT Toppin, who tore the ACL in his right knee last month, and Alabama played without star guard Aden Holloway, who was suspended indefinitely after being arrested on a felony drug charge last week.
Texas Tech, which had a school-record four wins over top-10-teams this season, struggled down the stretch after losing Toppin and simply had no answers for Alabama’s suffocating defense or the Crimson Tide’ speed.