NCAA Tournament Live Updates: No. 6 Alabama vs. No. 11 Notre Dame
SAN DIEGO — Regardless of what's happened in the past, it's a new season in March Madness. Now it's win or go home.
Alabama's opponent has already won once to advance to San Diego. No. 11 Notre Dame won its play-in game against Rutgers to set up the matchup with the Crimson Tide.
Notre Dame leads the all-time series with the Crimson Tide 3-2. However, he most recent matchup came in 2015 at the Advocare Invitational in Orlando. Alabama came away victorious that day led by head coach Avery Johnson who is now the color commentator for Friday's game between the Crimson Tide and Fighting Irish.
The Crimson Tide is looking to snap a three-game losing streak in March and advance to the Round of 32 for the second year in a row.
The game is scheduled to tip off at 3:15 p.m. on TNT.
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(latest updates at the top)
Second Half
- A layup from Ellis breaks another scoring drought for Alabama, but the Crimson Tide trails 72-60 with 1:34.
- Nate Oats gets a technical with 2:15 to go arguing with the refs about Ellis potentially getting fouled on a 3 with his team trailing 68-58. Ryan makes both free throws, and Notre Dame leads 70-58 with 2:15 to go.
- Out of the break, Alabama is getting stops on defense, but still can't get shots to fall on offense. Shackelford is 4-16 from the floor in this game.
- At the final media timeout with 3:59 to go, Alabama trails by 10, 68-58. It's now or never for the Crimson Tide for the game and the season.
- Ellis answers with a 3-pointer to cut the deficit back to eight.
- Ryan's seventh 3-pointer rolls around the rim and in as the shot clock expires to make it 66-55.
- 5:24- Juwan Gary's and-1 cuts it to 63-55.
- 5:37- Charles Bediako fouls out.
- A Shackelford layup cuts it to 63-52 with just under six minutes to go.
- Ellis makes a 3 out of the timeout to cut it to 61-50 and end the scoring drought for Alabama.
- Oats calls timeout so that Alabama can maintain possession on an offensive rebound from Ellis. Crimson Tide really struggling from the floor int he second half. Alabama has only scored 11 points this half and none in the last 3:24.
- Charles Bediako comes back in with four fouls with just under 9:30 to go. Notre Dame drives right at him and increases its lead to 61-47.
- Irish up 57-47 at under-12 media timeout with 10:02 to go. Plenty of time left, but a lot of dejected body language from Alabama players heading into the huddle.
- Shackelford answers it with a 3 to cut it to 55-47. Nate Oats takes a timeout with 11:40 to go in the half.
- Cormac's sixth 3-pointer gives Alabama a 55-44 lead.
- A dunk from Noah Gurley ends the scoring drought.
- 12:47- Notre Dame takes its largest lead at 52-42. Alabama scoring drought is more than five minutes now.
- Alabama is in a scoring drought that has lasted more than four minutes.
- Notre Dame leads 47-42 at the first media timeout of the second half. The Irish continue their hot shooting from behind the arc and are 2-3 this half. Davison has all six of Alabama's points this half.
- 16:23- Charles Bediako picks up his fourth foul on an illegal screen.
- Davison has back to back to back buckets to cut it to 44-42 with just under 18 to go.
- Notre Dame misses it's first 3 of the half, but Laszewski hits one for the Irish to go up 44-36.
Halftime Notes
- Notre Dame shot 16-27 (59%) from the floor and 6-8 (75%) from 3.
- One of Nate Oats' big points of emphasis before the game was making layups. Alabama was 5-12 on layups in the first half.
- Juwan Gary had 7 points in the first half. That's more than he's had in any game since he scored 15 against Baylor on Jan. 29.
First Half
HALFTIME: Notre Dame 41, Alabama 36
- And Alabama doesn't even get a shot off to end the half.
- Notre Dame turns it over out of the time out, and Oats elects to take his use-it or lose-it timeout with 4.2 seconds left.
- A 3-pointer from Juwan Gary ends a 9-0 run for the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame leads 41-36 with 15 seconds left in the half. Mike Bray takes his use-it or lose-it timeout.
- With the latest 3-pointer from Laszewski, Notre Dame is now 6-8 from beyond the arc and leads 37-33.
- At the final media timeout of the half, it's all tied up at 32-32. Ryan is still hot for Notre Dame with 16 points on 6-7 shooting. Ellis is 2-2 from beyond the arc for Alabama.
- JD Davison is left open from 3, and he hits it. Alabama leads 25-21
- At the under-8 media timeout, Alabama leads 22-21. Crimson Tide has been aggressive down low with 16 points in the paint.
- 7:55- Alabama takes the 22-21 lead with a 3-pointer from Keon Ellis.
- Jahvon Quinerly is out for the rest of the game with a knee injury according to Alabama. JD Davison and Jaden Shackelford will have to step up in the point guard role.
- Notre Dame leads 16-13 at the under-12 media timeout. Cormac Ryan is a perfect 4-4 from the floor and 3-3 from beyond the arc and leads and leads all scorers with 11 points.
- Shackelford ties the game at 13-13 with Alabama's first 3-pointer of the game.
- The Fighting Irish are have made 3 of their first 4 3-point attempts and lead 13-10.
- 13:58- A floater from California native Shackelford gives Alabama the 8-6 lead.
- James Rojas, Darius Miles and JD Davison all now in the game for Alabama.
- At the first media timeout, Notre Dame leads 3-2, but Notre Dame freshman Blake Wesley just picked up his second foul before the break. Alabama playing well on defense, but having trouble getting anything to drop on the other end of the floor. Crimson Tide is just 1-8 from the floor in the early going.
- Jahvon Quinerly is down on the floor after being fouled hard. Trainer Clarke Holter, Nate Oats and assistant Bryan Hodgson all went over to check on him. Quinerly is able to put a little bit of weight on his leg as he exits the court.
- Alabama is 0-for its last six from the floor. Notre Dame leads 3-2.
- Charles Bediako slams one home for the first bucket of the game. Alabama with the early 2-0 lead.
- Alabama wins the opening tip, and we are underway.
Pregame
- Today's officials: Doug Shows, Tim Clougherty, Brandon Cruz
- The game will now tip off at 3:25.
- Alabama and Notre Dame are on the floor for warmups.
- Texas Tech beats Montana State 97-62, and the Alabama game will begin in approximately 30 minutes.
- Alabama has arrived to the arena and is conducting warmup stretches in the tunnel while awaiting the conclusion of the Texas Tech/Montana State game. (Red Raiders are up nearly 40 points with eight minutes to go.)
Alabama Starting Lineup
Alabama Athletics
Alabama Athletics
Alabama Athletics
- Notre Dame starting lineup
- Dane Goodwin- G
- Prentiss Hubb- G
- Cormac Ryan- G
- Blake Wesley- G
- Paul Atkinson Jr.- F
- No. 3 Texas Tech and No. 14 Montana State are playing the opening game in San Diego before Alabama's game. If the Crimson Tide can advance past Notre Dame, it will play the winner of this game. Which is looking like it will be the Red Raiders with a 52-25 lead over Montana State at halftime.
How to Watch:
Who: 6-seed Alabama (19-13) vs 11-seed Notre Dame (23-10)
When: 3:15 p.m. CT, Friday
Where: Viejas Arena, San Diego, Calif.
TV: TNT - Lisa Byington/Steven Smith (play-by-play), Avery Johnson (analyst), Lauren Shehadi (reporter).
Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network with Chris Stewart (play-by-play) and Bryan Passink (analyst) on the call. The pregame show will begin one hour prior to tipoff.
Last time out, Alabama: 21 points from Jaden Shackelford wasn't enough as the Crimson Tide fell in its opening game of the 2022 SEC Tournament to Vanderbilt, 82-76. While Alabama out-rebounded Vanderbilt 52-34, the Crimson Tide gave up 18 turnovers, which the Commodores turned into 16 points. 15 made free-throws by Vanderbilt guard Scotty Pippen Jr. were the dagger, ending Alabama's stint in the tournament early.
Late time out, Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish battled to a double overtime win against Rutgers at the First Four game in Dayton Wednesday night. Paul Atkinson Jr. made the game-winning layup with two seconds left in double overtime to give Notre Dame the 89-87 victory. Atkinson led the Irish in scoring with 26 points. Three different players in Notre Dame's seven-man rotation played 42 minutes or ore in the win.
