Alabama
Alabama Rides Hot Start Into 10-2 Road Win Over Ranked Trojans
TROY, Ala.— Troy entered its midweek game against Alabama with its highest ranking in program history, sitting at No. 19 in D1 Baseball’s rankings and No. 14 in Baseball USA’s poll. The No. 23 Crimson Tide ensured that ranking will be significantly lower next week with a dominant 10-2 victory over the Trojans.
The Crimson Tide hit the ground running. After Bryce Fowler grounded out to start the game, Justin Lebron hit a bomb to deep left for his sixteenth home run of the season, moving the sophomore into a tie for third in the SEC. Alabama was just getting started. Kade Snell and Richie Bonomolo Jr. followed the dinger up with consecutive base hits before Will Hodo got hit by his seventeenth pitch of the season to load the bases with one out.
Troy head coach Skylar Meade came to the mound to speak with starter Jacob Roettgen. Any attempt to calm the senior’s nerves did not work, as Garrett Staton took two low pitches before ripping a line drive to left to bring in Snell and Bonomolo. Coleman Mizell grounded out for the second out of the inning, but Hodo was able to score from third. The inning finally ended on a Jason Torres groundout, but Alabama had set the tone with a four-run opening frame.
Roegotten had only given up three total earned runs over seven outings this season, with all three coming in a disastrous March 26 outing against Florida A&M, where he gave up three runs and six hits without recording a single out.
After JT Blackwood put the Trojans down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the first, Adam Falinski took the mound for Troy. The pitching change did not yield any new results. Will Plattner grounded out to start the inning before Fowler and Lebron were plunked consecutively. Snell, leading the SEC in batting average, uncorked a bomb over the 27-foot “Monster” in right field, and just like that, Alabama held a touchdown lead over the Trojans. Hodo also recorded a base hit, but no further damage was done in the second.
“That’s going to be a really high seed in the NCAA tournament,” Alabama head coach Rob Vaughn said. “It’s a good win. I thought we came out of the gates ready to go. That’s what was impressive. It’s good to see Lebron run that ball out of here. And then just Kade (Snell) had a whale of a night. I mean, Kade was unbelievable. So all in all, just relentless offense.”
Falinski came through in the top of the third, holding the Crimson Tide to one hit. Troy’s bats started to wake up in the bottom of the inning, notching two hits but stranding both runners as Blackwood got Blake Cavill swinging to get off the field.
Lebron knocked a one-out double to left in the fourth, but hurt himself diving into second. After lying face down for about fifteen seconds, he got up but was pulled for Jon Young Jr. Young made it home on another Kade Snell RBI that got right past Troy’s shift to put the game at 8-0.
Vaughn added that Lebron will be good for the weekend series against Georgia and that he was pulled as a precautionary measure. Lebron could have re-entered the game as he was pulled for concussion protocol, but with the game already out of hand, Vaughn opted to keep Young in.
“That’s a good game for Jon to get out there,” Vaughn said. “You never know what’s going to happen in the postseason. You might need Jon ready, and those are invaluable reps on the road for him.”
Alabama’s bats finally cooled off as the Crimson Tide would go scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings. Meanwhile, the Trojans’ got their best opportunity yet during the fifth. With one out and Peyton Watts at first, leadoff batter Houston Markham hit into what should have been a routine double play right to Young at short. Young, a second baseman, was unable to field the ball cleanly, and both runners were safe. Cavill grounded out to first, but it advanced both runners yet again. With two runners in scoring position for the first time all game, Aeden Finateri, who replaced Blackwood at the start of the fourth, held strong, getting Jimmy Janicki to pop up to Staton to get out of the jam.
After stranding six batters through five innings, Troy finally got on the board in the sixth. Cleanup batter Sean Darnell fought through an eleven-pitch at bat and uncorked a bomb that almost cleared the Monster and turned into a standup double. Steven Meier brought him home two pitches later with a single down the middle.
Connor Lehman was brought into the game, but promptly walked his first two batters and was pulled immediately. With two outs and the bases loaded, Troy had its first legitimate shot to cut a serious dent into Alabama’s lead. But the pitching remained clutch, as Austin Morris got Markham to ground out, and, for the fourth consecutive inning, the Trojans stranded runners in scoring position.
Alabama got its eight-run lead back in the top of the seventh, as Staton recorded his third RBI, driving Bonomolo home on a deep shot to left field that was about five feet shy of a homer. The Crimson Tide would add one final run in the eighth as Snell drove in Young on a single once again.
“We score seven in the first two, but then we kept kind of adding runs, which is a big piece of this thing,” Vaughn said. “We didn’t let them hang around.”
Troy would add another run of their own with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, driven in by Meier once again. Fittingly, Troy stranded two batters in that final frame, putting the total at 13 for the game. Alabama improved to 36-12 with the win while Troy dropped to 34-15 with the loss. Alabama finished its midweek slate perfect on the season. Troy broke its attendance record as fans flocked in to see the ranked in-state matchup.
“I think the state of baseball in our state is really strong, and that’s great for everybody around here. It’s a lot of fun.”
Alabama
Detroit Lions meet with Alabama star OL at NFL combine
As the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine nears its conclusion, the Detroit Lions continue to work to identify potential fits for the franchise.
The Lions own pick No. 17 in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft. Though Taylor Decker recently announced his return for the 2026 season, Detroit could still be thinking offensive line in the draft’s opening round.
If the Lions opt to fortify their offensive line, one name to watch for Detroit is Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor. A Lions scout pulled Proctor aside to talk at the East-West Shrine Bowl in January.
Now, Proctor confirmed to Crunch Time Sports that he met with the Lions at the NFL combine.
Proctor started 40 games across his Crimson Tide career, missing just the first two games of the 2024 season with injury.
The 6-foot-7, 366-pound lineman was Alabama’s highest-graded player last season with an overall offensive grade of 85.9, per Pro Football Focus. Proctor had a pass-blocking grade of 84.2, a run blocking grade of 81.1 and allowed just two sacks during the 2025 college football season.
For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Josh on X, @JoshOnLions
Alabama
Alabama lawmakers react to U.S. early morning military strike on Iran
Alabama lawmakers are weighing in with their opinion after Donald Trump announced that the United States conducted a military strike on Iran overnight.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey responded to a video from the White House X account announcing that we’ve taken military action.
“Strong leadership requires hard decisions,” Ivey posted to X. “This is exactly how we will achieve peace through strength. As @POTUS said, our Armed Forces WILL prevail. May God continue to bless the brave men and women in our military! And may God bless President Trump and our great country.”
Congressman Robert Aderholt said in his own statement that he stands with Trump’s decision. The statement released earlier today, Saturday, Feb. 8, encouraged Trump for taking military action.
“For five decades, Iran has openly called for ‘death to America,’” Aderholt wrote. “I remember clearly when they orchestrated the deaths of 241 U.S. Marines in Beirut in 1983. In the years since, the regime has continued pursuing nuclear capabilities that threaten the United States and our allies. I stand with President Trump has he leads these strikes. May God bless the members of our armed forces carrying out these operations”
In addition to being the Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, Aderholt is also a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall echoed similar sentiment to Aderholt. He cites the same quote.
“For 47 years the vicious Iranian regime has chanted ‘death to America,’” Marshall wrote. “It’s time for swift and decisive action. May God bless the men and women of the Armed Forces. May God bless America.”
Senator Katie Boyd Britt says she echoes Trump’s message from earlier this morning.
“Iran is the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism,” Britt said on X. “For 47 years, this murderous regime has operated a terror network that has brought death and destruction to the world and slaughtered innocent Americans. Iran’s nuclear ambitions, ballistic missile capabilities, and funding of proxy terror groups pose a sustained and clear threat to our nation, to our military bases and citizens in the region, and to our allies. This is a defining moment of generational leadership from President Trump to achieve sustainable peace. We are praying for the safety of our men and women in uniform and I echo @POTUS’s message this morning: God bless and protect all of our heroes in harm’s way executing this mission.”
Coach and Senator Tommy Tubberville tweeted, “President Trump has shown time and time again, you NEVER threaten America. God bless our great troops, god bless President Trump, and God bless America.”
U.S. Representative for 1st Congressional District of Alabama Barry Moore responded in a Facebook post.
“May God bless our men and women in uniform,” Moore posted. “Please join me in praying for strength, wisdom, and safety for President Donald J. Trump and all of those keeping our nation safe.”
United States Congresswoman Terri Sewell representing Alabama’s 7th District offered one of the few dissenting opinions from local lawmakers and politicians. Although she acknowledges Iran’s history, Sewell expresses her concern for the lives of U.S. citizens now that peace talks have been abandoned.
“Iran has oppressed their people and supported terrorism in the region for decades,” Sewell said in an official statement. “This fact does not change the President’s obligation under the Constitution to work with Congress on military actions that put our troops in harm’s way and could drag our country into another prolonged war in the Middle East.”
Sewell goes on to say that she’ll work with Congress to arrange a vote on a war powers resolution.
“I am also calling on the Administration to immediately provide a briefing on this ongoing military action, including their justification for abandoning diplomatic talks, as as their strategy for avoiding an extended regional conflict that is not supported by the American people,” Sewell continued. “I am praying for all the service members in the region and their families.”
Alabama
How to watch Tennessee Volunteers: Live stream info, TV channel, game time | Feb. 28
Labaron Philon’s No. 18 Alabama Crimson Tide (21-7, 11-4 SEC) hit the road to match up with Ja’Kobi Gillespie and the No. 22 Tennessee Volunteers (20-8, 10-5 SEC) at Thompson-Boling Arena on Saturday, Feb. 28. The game starts at 6 p.m. ET.
We have more details below, including how to watch this matchup on ESPN.
Prepare for this matchup with everything you need to know ahead of Saturday’s college hoops action.
Tennessee vs. Alabama: How to watch on TV or live stream
- Game day: Saturday, February 28, 2026
- Game time: 6 p.m. ET
- Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
- Arena: Thompson-Boling Arena
- TV Channel: ESPN
- Live stream: Fubo – Watch NOW (Regional restrictions may apply)
Check out: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll
Watch college basketball on Fubo!
Tennessee vs. Alabama stats and trends
- Tennessee ranks 78th in the nation with 80.5 points per game so far this year. At the other end, it ranks 62nd with 69.1 points allowed per contest.
- The Volunteers are thriving when it comes to rebounding, as they rank third-best in college basketball in boards (39.9 per game) and second-best in rebounds allowed (25.9 per contest).
- So far this season, Tennessee ranks 30th in college basketball in assists, averaging 17.1 per game.
- With 11.8 turnovers per game, the Volunteers are 257th in the country. They force 10.7 turnovers per contest, which ranks 224th in college basketball.
- This season, Tennessee is making 6.9 threes per game (271st-ranked in college basketball) and is shooting 34.7% (139th-ranked) from three-point land.
- With a 30.2% three-point percentage allowed this season, the Volunteers are 22nd-best in the country. They rank 182nd in college basketball by giving up 7.8 three-pointers per contest.
- Tennessee has taken 67.3% two-pointers and 32.7% three-pointers this year. Of the team’s buckets, 75.8% are two-pointers and 24.2% are three-pointers.
Tennessee vs. Alabama Odds and Spread
- Spread Favorite: Volunteers (-4.5)
- Moneyline: Tennessee (-222), Alabama (+179)
- Total: 164.5 points
NCAA Basketball odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Saturday at 4:11 a.m. ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub.
Watch college basketball on Fubo!
Follow the latest college sports coverage at College Sports Wire.
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