You probably remember where you were when the scoreboard in Newark started looking like a glitch in a video game. It was March 27, 2025. The Prudential Center was humming. Most experts thought we were in for a defensive chess match between Nate Oats and Kevin Young.
Instead, we got a literal firing squad.
The Alabama vs BYU basketball matchup in the Sweet 16 didn't just break the Cougars' hearts; it shattered the NCAA record books. Alabama didn't just win; they rained down 25 three-pointers. That’s not a typo. Twenty-five. They broke a 35-year-old March Madness record previously held by the 1990 Loyola Marymount team.
The Night the Rims Refused to Miss
If you look at the final score—113-88—it looks like a blowout. And, well, by the second half, it definitely was. But early on, BYU actually looked like they belonged on the same floor as the Tide. Richie Saunders was playing out of his mind, finishing with 25 points. For a moment, when Fousseyni Traore hit an old-fashioned three-point play to cut the lead to 27-26, it felt like BYU’s physical Big 12 style might actually ground Alabama’s high-flying offense.
📖 Related: Bethany Hamilton and the Shark: What Really Happened That Morning
Then Mark Sears decided he was done playing with his food.
Sears ended the night with 34 points, 30 of which came from behind the arc. It was honestly kind of demoralizing to watch if you’re a BYU fan. He wasn't just hitting open shots; he was pulling up from the logo with a hand in his face. By the time Chris Youngblood joined the party, hitting back-to-back triples to push the lead to double digits, the energy in the building shifted. You could see it on Egor Demin's face. The freshman phenom for BYU, who had so much hype coming into the season, finally looked like a teenager realization that he was out of bullets.
Why This Matchup is Stylistic Chaos
People focus on the score, but the real story of Alabama vs BYU basketball is the coaching philosophy clash. You have Nate Oats, the math teacher who turned Alabama into "Blue Collar Basketball" (which basically means: run until your lungs burn and never, ever shoot a mid-range jumper). Then you have Kevin Young, the NBA's offensive darling who left the Phoenix Suns to bring professional spacing to Provo.
👉 See also: Simona Halep and the Reality of Tennis Player Breast Reduction
- The Pace: Alabama ranked 4th in raw tempo last season. They don't just play fast; they play at a speed that forces you to make mistakes.
- The Shot Profile: Both teams want the same thing—threes and layups. In their Sweet 16 meeting, Alabama attempted 51 threes and only 15 two-pointers. That is an insane ratio.
- The Defensive Gap: This is where it fell apart for the Cougars. While Kevin Young is a genius at offensive spacing, his defense couldn't handle the "waves" Alabama sends at you. Labaron Philon Jr. and Aden Holloway were relentless on the perimeter, never letting BYU's shooters get comfortable.
Historical Context: A One-Sided Affair?
Believe it or not, these two programs haven't played much. Their history dates back to 1957, but Alabama has won all three meetings. The gap between that first 77-74 win in the fifties and the 113-point explosion in 2025 shows just how much the game has changed.
BYU entered that last game with a 26-10 record, having survived the meat grinder that is the Big 12. They were ranked No. 17 in the country. Alabama was No. 7. On paper, it should have been a five-point game. But when a team shoots 49% from deep on 50+ attempts, the paper goes out the window.
What's Next for Both Programs
Moving into the 2025-26 season, both rosters look wildly different. Mark Sears is gone, having signed with the Milwaukee Bucks. Grant Nelson and Chris Youngblood have graduated. Nate Oats is basically rebuilding the engine while the car is moving, bringing in five-star talent like Jalil Bethea and Davion Hannah.
✨ Don't miss: NFL Pick 'em Predictions: Why You're Probably Overthinking the Divisional Round
On the other side, BYU is no longer "just happy to be here." Kevin Young proved he could recruit at an elite level by landing AJ Dybantsa, arguably the best prospect in the country. The "NBA-to-Provo" pipeline is real.
Key Takeaways for the Future
If these two meet again in the 2026 tournament, don't expect another 25-three-pointer outlier. That was a "lightning in a bottle" moment. However, do expect:
- A Track Meet: Neither coach is going to slow down. If the over/under is anything less than 165, take the over.
- Star Power: BYU is now out-recruiting half the Blue Bloods. They have the talent to match Alabama's athleticism now.
- The "Oats Effect": Alabama will always be a dangerous out because their ceiling is higher than anyone else's. When they're hot, they're unbeatable. When they're cold, they can lose to anyone.
The blueprint for beating Alabama remains the same: you have to run them off the line and win the rebounding battle. BYU didn't do that in Newark. They let the Tide get comfortable, and they paid for it with a record-breaking exit.
For fans following the next chapter, keep an eye on the transfer portal moves this spring. Alabama is already looking for a veteran rim protector to replace Clifford Omoruyi, while BYU is hunting for more perimeter depth to survive the defensive pressure Nate Oats likes to apply. The gap is closing, but March 2025 proved there is still a "gold standard" for high-octane college basketball, and right now, it resides in Tuscaloosa.