Live by the 3, kill by the 3.
One year after making the first Final Four in program history, No. 2 Alabama reached the doorstep of another trip after establishing a new NCAA Tournament record for 3-pointers made (25) in a 113-88 win over No. 6 BYU on Thursday night at Prudential Center, breaking a 35-year-old record set during the storied Cinderella run of Bo Kimble and Loyola Marymount.
Alabama (28-8), which also broke Texas Tech’s week-old tournament record for 3-point attempts (51), will meet the winner of No. 1 Duke/No. 4 Arizona in Saturday’s East Regional final.
“[BYU] had been going under ball screens just about every game we watched,” said Alabama coach Nate Oats. “I told [our] guys … ‘Man, I hope they go under us because we’re going to rain on them.’ ”
The highest-scoring team in the nation set its season-high scoring mark, led by Mark Sears, who finished with 34 points and eight assists.
The senior hit 10-of-16 from deep, falling one shy of matching the individual tournament record.
In his previous six games, Sears had made 5-of-35 3s.
“I was just in a zone,” Sears said. “Once I saw the first 3 fell in, I felt the basket was as big as an ocean. And every time I shot I felt like it was going in. I just lost myself in the game.”
Before BYU (26-10) became a perimeter punching bag, the Cougars looked capable of going stride for stride with the nation’s fastest-paced offense.
The opening tip was a starting pistol, pitting Paul Westhead against Mike D’Antoni. It was basketball for non-believers, fueled by chemistry and muscle memory, athleticism and instinct.
Defense was struck dead — again and again. No one mourned. The sport was being celebrated, silencing NIL, the transfer portal and the coaching carousel.
“I’ve had some of the best recruiters in the country get some really good talent to play the way we want to play,” said Oats. “I love playing this way. I think players want to play this way.
“We had some better talent than them tonight, but it’s a lot more fun way to play basketball.”
BYU kept it close in the first half by controlling the paint. The Tide remained content owning the arc, firing from the corner, the logo and the concession stands. The Crimson Tide hit half of its first 24 3-pointers, taking 26 from deep before attempting a free throw.
Alabama, which entered the game ranked ninth in the nation in 3-pointers attempted per game (29.2), shot 27 in the first half, taking a 51-40 lead into the break.
“We felt like it would be hard for them to sustain that, and so that’s where you have to give them credit because they did,” said BYU coach Kevin Young. “Some nights you’re trying everything, and it doesn’t seem to work … It was an all-time night for them. It felt like there was nothing we could do at times.”
BYU struggled from the perimeter, finishing 6-of-30 on 3-pointers, yet cut its deficit to seven with under 14 minutes to play.
Alabama’s Aden Holloway (23 points) responded with a 3 and the avalanche resumed, the Tide attempting 51 of its 66 field goals from 3.
“I would say for [us], an open 3 is kind of a layup, so we’re happy with 77 percent of our shots coming from 3,” Holloway said.
Sears’ showcase ended when he was removed with 4:15 to play.
The crimson-clad crowd rose to applaud the performance, enjoying a 19-point lead.
And the Tide kept firing.