Alabama’s men’s basketball team put on a historic shooting display Thursday, setting a new NCAA Tournament record for most three-pointers made in a single game. The Crimson Tide knocked down 25 shots from beyond the arc in their Sweet 16 win over BYU, breaking Loyola Marymount’s 1990 mark of 21.
Mark Sears hit the record-setting triple with 7:41 left, helping Alabama cruise to a 113-88 victory and clinch a spot in the Elite Eight.
Alabama’s Record-Breaking Three-Point Barrage Sends Crimson Tide to Elite Eight
The Crimson Tide will face Duke for a second consecutive trip to the Final Four. The Blue Devils advanced with a 100-93 win over Arizona.
“That was a fun game if you like offense,” Alabama head coach Nate Oats said.
Oats, reflecting on Loyola Marymount’s high-octane style in 1990—the same year Bo Kimble honored Hank Gathers with left-handed free throws—said it had an influence on how he coaches today.
“That was my freshman year in high school,” Oats said. “They got up-and-down. Maybe part of the reason we coach the way we coach.”
Senior guard Mark Sears delivered one of the standout performances of this year’s tournament, scoring 34 points with 10 three-pointers and eight assists. According to ESPN Research, Sears became the first player in NCAA Tournament history to post at least eight three-pointers and eight assists in a single game.
“I was just in a zone,” Sears said. “Once I saw the first 3 fall in, I felt the basket was as big as an ocean. And every time I shot, I felt like it was going in.”
Sears had gone just 5-for-35 from three-point range over his previous six games but erupted against BYU, finishing 10-of-16 from beyond the arc.
“I’ve got to teach these guys some math,” Oats joked. “I told Sears there’s a thing called regression to the mean.”
Alabama came out firing, hitting six threes in the first seven minutes and knocking down 12 by halftime. Although BYU matched Alabama with 17 first-half field goals, the Cougars trailed by 11 at the break, hampered by a 1-for-13 mark from deep.
In earlier tournament games, Alabama had dominated the paint, scoring 50 two-point field goals in wins over Robert Morris and Saint Mary’s. But against BYU, the Tide shifted their focus, connecting on 25 three-pointers and just 10 shots inside the arc.
BYU briefly trimmed the deficit to single digits twice in the second half, but Alabama’s Jarin Stevenson answered each time with key three-pointers. He finished with 23 points and six threes off the bench. Chris Youngblood added 19 points, including five from deep.
“We felt like it would be hard for them to sustain that,” BYU head coach Kevin Young said. “And so that’s where you have to give them credit because they did.”
KEEP READING: Has Jon Scheyer Made Replacing Coach K at Duke Look Easy?
While a repeat of their historic shooting effort against Duke may be unlikely, Oats said his team is ready.
“I don’t know that we’re going to repeat 51 threes attempted,” he said, “but we’re going to have the guys ready to play the right way.”
Don’t miss a moment of March Madness! Download your 2025 NCAA Tournament printable bracket and stay on top of every game, matchup, and Cinderella story. Get yours now!
