San Francisco – Will Richard scored 15 points, Alijah Martin added 14 points and seven rebounds, and top-seeded Florida played a steady second half to run away from No. 4 seed Maryland and into the NCAA Tournament’s West Region final with an 87-71 win Thursday night.
Walter Clayton Jr. contributed 13 points and four assists as Florida’s Big Three seniors and their deep supporting cast took down the Maryland “Crab Five” starters – one of Terrapins coach Kevin Willard’s concerns coming into this matchup.
Freshman sensation Derik Queen scored 27 points to lead Maryland (27-9) in what might have been Willard’s final game guiding the program. He has been linked to the opening at Villanova.
Florida (33-4) advances to play Saturday against the winner of Thursday’s late game at Chase Center between third-seeded Texas Tech and No. 10 seed Arkansas.
The Gators, in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2017 and seeking the program’s first Final Four berth since 2014, committed 13 of their 17 turnovers in the first half but took better care of the ball over the final 20 minutes. Florida already eliminated two-time defending NCAA champion UConn in the second round and is 10-1 in regional semifinals.
East
Alabama 113, BYU 88: Alabama broke the 35-year-old March Madness record for 3-pointers with 25 and Mark Sears scored 30 of his 34 points on 3s.
Alabama reached the Elite Eight in consecutive years for the first time in program history.
The Crimson Tide made 25 of 51 3-point attempts to break the record of 21 set by Loyola Marymount in 1990. Sears, a first-team All-America guard, hit the record-breaking 22nd 3 late in the game to make it 97-66. He received a standing ovation from the Alabama fans when he checked out with 10 3s and more than four minutes left to play.
Sears and the Crimson Tide (28-8) showed they are no March fluke under coach Nate Oats. Riding a wave of 3s, Alabama set itself up for a date against either Duke or Arizona for a shot at the Final Four.
Richie Saunders scored 25 points to lead BYU (26-10), which hasn’t played in a regional final since 1981.
Sears’ 10 3s were one short of the record set by Loyola Marymount’s Jeff Fryer in a memorable 149-115 second-round win over Michigan.
The Crimson Tide made their first Final Four appearance in school history last season, when they lost to eventual national champion UConn.
Alabama loved the 3 this season, averaging 28 attempts a game. Against sixth-seeded BYU (24-9), Sears and the Crimson Tide feasted on the long ball.
Sears hit five in the first half, camping out behind the arc without much of a hand in his face. Sears and Chris Youngblood hit back-to-back 3s for a 38-30 lead and repeated the feat minutes later for a 44-34 advantage. BYU’s Egor Demin followed with an airball and Alabama could smell crimson in the water.
Alabama attempted 15 2-pointers and made 10 of them.
Sweet 16
EAST
At Newark, N.J.
Thursday
Alabama 113, BYU 88
Duke vs. Arizona, 9:39 p.m., CBS
WEST
At San Francisco
Thursday
Florida 87, Maryland 71
Texas Tech vs. Arkansas, 10:09 p.m., TBS/TRU
SOUTH
At Atlanta
Friday
Michigan State vs. Ole Miss, 7:09 p.m., CBS
Auburn vs. Michigan, 9:39 p.m., CBS
MIDWEST
At Indianapolis
Friday
Tennessee vs. Kentucky, 7:39 p.m., TBS/TRU
Houston vs. Purdue, 10:09 p.m., TBS/TRU
