Alabama State Secures First NCAA Tournament Win, Faces Auburn Next

In a thrilling NCAA Tournament opener, Alabama State achieved its first-ever tournament victory by defeating Saint Francis (PA) 70-68 in the First Four matchup. The game was tied with just 3.4 seconds remaining when Micah Simpson launched a full-court inbound pass, which deflected into the hands of Amarr Knox, who scored the winning layup. The victory was celebrated by players and fans alike, with head coach Tony Madlock expressing pride in his team's performance. Meanwhile, Saint Mary's advanced to the Round of 32 after a late comeback against Vanderbilt, scoring 32 points in the final 14 minutes to secure their win. They will face a challenging matchup against No. 2-seeded Alabama in the next round, noted for its high-scoring offense. The contrasting styles of Saint Mary's strong defense and Alabama's offensive prowess set the stage for an intriguing battle.