Alabama forward Nick Pringle (23) is high-fived by head coach Nate Oats during the second half of an Elite 8 college basketball game against Clemson in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Alabama guard Mark Sears, center, celebrates after a win over Clemson in an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clemson forward Ian Schieffelin (4) grabs a rebound over Alabama guard Aaron Estrada (55) during the first half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Alabama and Clemson players scramble for a loose ball during the first half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clemson forward Ian Schieffelin (4) reaches for a rebound over Alabama guard Aaron Estrada during the first half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Clemson head coach Brad Brownell gestures from the bench during the first half of an Elite 8 college basketball game against Alabama in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Clemson guard Chase Hunter (1) shoots over Alabama guard Mark Sears during the first half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Alabama forward Grant Nelson celebrates with teammates on the bench during the first half of an Elite 8 college basketball game against Clemson in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Alabama guard Mark Sears (1) celebrates after scoring during the first half of an Elite 8 college basketball game against Clemson in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Alabama guard Mark Sears, right, shoots over Clemson guard Chase Hunter (1) during the first half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clemson guard Joseph Girard III (11) shoots against Alabama during the first half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Alabama guard Mark Sears (1) shoots over Clemson forward Jack Clark (5) during the first half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Alabama forward Grant Nelson (2) dunks past Clemson forward Ian Schieffelin during the second half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Alabama forward Grant Nelson (2) blocks a shot from Clemson center PJ Hall (24) during the second half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Clemson center PJ Hall celebrates after a dunk during the second half of an Elite 8 college basketball game against Alabama in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Alabama guard Mark Sears (1) celebrates after scoring during the second half of an Elite 8 college basketball game against Clemson in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Clemson center PJ Hall (24) reacts after scoring against Alabama during the second half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Alabama guard Mark Sears (1) dribbles past Clemson forward Jack Clark (5) during the second half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clemson forward Ian Schieffelin, center, grabs a loose ball next to Alabama forward Nick Pringle, left, during the second half of an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Clemson guard Joseph Girard III (11) bites on his jersey in the closing seconds of a loss to Alabama in an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Alabama guard Rylan Griffen, facing camera at left, celebrates with guard Aaron Estrada (55) after a win over Clemson in an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Alabama forward Nick Pringle (23) celebrates after a win over Clemson in an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Alabama players hold the winner’s trophy after a win over Clemson in an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Alabama guard Mark Sears holds the winner’s trophy after defeating Clemson in an Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Alabama guard Mark Sears cuts down the net after a win over Clemson in Elite 8 college basketball game in the NCAA tournament Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
LOS ANGELES — The offense of the fourth-seeded Alabama men’s basketball team came alive in the second half to beat No. 6 seed Clemson 89-82 at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday night in the NCAA Tournament West Regional Elite Eight matchup.
Alabama’s Mark Sears’ explosive second-half efforts led him to 23 points and Nick Pringle recorded a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds. Rylan Griffen added 13 points and eight assists and Jarin Stevenson came off the bench to contribute 19 points.
The Crimson Tide (25-11) made school history and will head to Phoenix for the program’s first-ever trip to the Final Four. Alabama will play top-seeded UConn, which beat No. 3 seed Illinois 77-52 on Saturday.
“They’ve just been all about winning,” head coach Nate Oats said. “I mean, nobody really cares who’s scoring the points. I’ve got multiple guys telling me to keep other guys in the game. There’s been no selfishness in this four-game run.”
Alabama’s Mark Sears came into the matchup at the SEC’s top-scoring player and was averaging 24.7 points in the tournament, but Clemson (24-12) had limited the 6-foot-1 senior guard early on.
“Two different halves,” Clemson coach Brad Brownell said. “Certainly, the start of the game was our way. I told the guys before the game that if we’re up 10, then we’re down 10. When you’re playing Alabama, that’s about five.”
The Tigers’ man defense imposed dramatic force on the Tide in the paint and rarely left Sears unguarded. The senior was able to kick out to teammates for 3-pointers, which helped Alabama go on an 11-point scoring run that ended as the clock reached the five-minute mark.
The Tide pulled down 28 rebounds to win the battle on the boards in the first half, but the offense went cold early on. Alabama’s offense slowly warmed up but made 13 of 39 shots before halftime.
Clemson led by at 13 points with 7:54 left in the opening half thanks in part to Ian Schieffelin’s early hot hand that led him to 10 first-half points. He ended the game with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
Schieffelin made a two-handed dunk within the first 1:30 of the game and followed up with a layup after that to set the Tigers up for a 6-0 scoring run.
Four other Tigers finished in double-digit scoring figures in Hunter Chase (12), Joseph Girard III (19), PJ Hall (14) and RJ Godfrey (12).
Alabama escaped with a narrow 35-32 lead after a Griffen layup, an optimistic look ahead of the rest of the game.
Offensive efficiency skyrocketed in the second half for the Tide, who had made seven of nine field goals and five out of nine shots from behind the arc by the eight-minute media timeout.
“They made some runs on us in the second half,” Oats said. “And it seemed like we just hit timely 3 after timely 3, whether it was Jarin or Rylan or Mark. Mark hit one, felt like it was from half-court. And it was big 3 after big 3.”
Hall was flexing after a one-handed dunk that gave Clemson a 42-41 advantage three minutes into the second half, but Grant Nelson responded with a dunk of his own to put Alabama out front once again.
Sears got loose to score 18 points in the second half. He exuded confidence, sticking his tongue out while holding up three fingers on each hand after draining a three from the top of the key for a 68-59 lead with 6:22 to go in the game.
“Even though it’s intense, we play the game because we have fun with it,” Sears said. “To be in those moments you dream about it as a kid and just to have fun with it. Even though it’s a business to go out there, we still gotta have to have fun with it.”
It was all downhill from there for Alabama, which made 67% of its shots in the second half.
Alabama’s appearance in the Elite Eight was its first since 2004 and second in school history. Head coach Nate Oats has now won seven NCAA Tournament games in four seasons.
Oats introduced “mudita” to the team this season — a dharmic term that refers to vicarious joy. The Tide has been experiencing happiness through seeing the success of others, and Alabama seemed to be at the pinnacle of that on Saturday night.
“Ever since we first heard of it when conference play started, it really stuck with us and really changed our season around,” Sears said. “We started out 6-5. And we heard the word mudita, and that changed our season around. It really helped us win this.”
Nate Oats cuts down the net in Los Angeles. Alabama is headed to the school’s first Final Four. pic.twitter.com/SW2uLoIzUY
