Alabama

Can Alabama carry the banner for the SEC to the Final Four?

Published

4 weeks ago

March 24, 2026

Can Alabama carry the banner for the SEC to the Final Four?

OK, now it’s time to get real.

The first 2 rounds of the NCAA Tournament are annually chock-full of buzzer-beaters and 1-game wonders and upsets and choke-jobs. And boy did we get them all in the 2026 version of March Madness.

But now it’s time to get real.

That first weekend served as a very real reminder of the 1-and-done finality of the NCAA Tournament – where a barely-in squad like Texas stands tall after 3 games in 5 days while a supposed dynasty like Florida didn’t even escape the second round.

Without the mighty Gators, the question at hand is this: Does Alabama have what it takes to represent the SEC all the way to the Final Four?

After 2 games, at least, it would appear the answer is trending toward “yes.” Sure, pulling away from Hofstra in the first round in the Midwest Regional in Tampa looked better scanning the final stats than it did at the 35-minute mark with the Pride trailing by just 5. But the second-round squashing of Texas Tech sent a smidge of shockwave around the country for the ease in which the Crimson Tide advanced to the Sweet 16.

Why? Because after Aden Holloway disappeared into a cloud of his own (alleged) smoke, many would have pegged Alabama as a second-round departure fighting TSA lines on the way back to Tuscaloosa.

Instead, Nate Oats’ squad got better between Friday and Sunday – which isn’t great news for No. 1-seed Michigan. It’s as if it took the Tide those 35 minutes against Hofstra to figure out how to play as an elite team without Holloway and then proceeded to use that knowledge to bludgeon the Red Raiders with 19 3-pointers and a cakewalk victory.

Surviving the Wolverines won’t be a cakewalk. No. 1 seeds aren’t supposed to be easy outs. The 3 non-Florida No. 1s won their second-round games by an average of 26.7 points – with Michigan swarming past ninth-seeded Saint Louis 95-72.

But Alabama could well be uniquely suited to be the team to hand Michigan just its fourth loss of the season when the 2 teams meet Friday in Chicago’s United Center (7:35 p.m. ET, TBS/truTV). For starters, the Crimson Tide test a scoreboard operator even more than the Wolverines – leading the nation at 91.6 points per game (the Wolverines aren’t shabby either at 87.4 ppg) and ranking among the top 10 nationally in efficiency at 1.188 points per possession.

Alabama currently has an 18% chance to beat Michigan in the Sweet 16, per Kalshi:

Alabama has also uniquely turned Holloway’s absence into a positive, in that it has been a showcase for the Tide’s absurd bench depth – especially in the low post where Michigan feasts. Cycling in 7-footer Noah Williamson, Amari Allen, Taylor Bol Bowen and even London Jemison keeps the machine running at near-Mach speed.

And while Labaron Philon Jr. was perhaps the lone ineffective Alabama player against Texas Tech (9 points but with 12 assists), he also can single-handedly take over games – proof of concept coming via both his 29-point effort against Hofstra in the first round and his 35-point barrage against Arkansas on Feb. 18.

There is also a matter of being there before. The Tide are just 2 years removed from their first-ever Final Four appearance, and while only Latrell Wrightsell was on that 2023-24 Tide team that lost to UConn in the national semifinals, the current roster was built on the back of that unit. Michigan, on the other hand, hasn’t been to the Final Four since 2018.

Of course, Michigan isn’t the only team Alabama will have to worry about in the Windy City. The second-seeded Iowa State Cyclones and the sixth-seeded Tennessee Volunteers tussle in the other Midwest semifinal – but the Tide nipped Tennessee in Knoxville just last month and Iowa State simply hasn’t seen the kind of track meet the Tide can produce.

For Alabama to carry the SEC banner to the Final Four, though, taking down the big, bad Wolverines will be the key. That Michigan disdains shot-clock violations almost as much as Alabama actually plays into the Tide’s hands, so the resulting 40-minute sprint is bound to give a double-digit underdog a chance.

Is it a puncher’s chance? Sure. Is it the kind of odds that keep the lights in Vegas twinkling 24/7? Maybe. But survive Michigan, and Alabama could well be the best chance for SEC to represent in the Final Four now that the road to Indianapolis is almost complete.

Here are the latest Final Four odds, via Kalshi:

An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.

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Alabama

Alabama juvenile is charged with murder of missing 10-year-old girl found dead at a home

Published

4 hours ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

Alabama juvenile is charged with murder of missing 10-year-old girl found dead at a home

A “joyful” 10-year-old Alabama girl was found dead soon after being reported missing — with another juvenile charged with her murder.

Katheryn Bigbee, 10, was reported missing just before 11 p.m. Friday, when police were called to an undisclosed address in Calhoun County, AL.com reported.

“Officers responded immediately to the residence,” Piedmont Police Chief Nathan Johnson said in a statement. “They tragically discovered a deceased juvenile inside the home.”

Katheryn Bigbee, 10, was found dead in an Alabama home on Friday night, with another juvenile soon arrested. Piedmont Elementary School

It remains unclear where the house was, or whether it was the young girl’s family home — but another juvenile was soon taken into custody and hit with murder charges.

Their identity and connection to Bigbee have not been disclosed due to their age.

Bigbee’s cause of death also remains unclear, with police saying the investigation was still ongoing.

“Our family has been torn to pieces, and we have lost the most amazing, sweetest little girl,” relative Blake Trammel wrote on Facebook.

“She was a light in any room she walked into. I cannot express the pain, guilt, and emptiness that has come from all of this. We don’t have answers, only more questions,” he added.

The girl’s school also recalled her as a beloved member of its community.

“Our entire Piedmont Elementary School family is grieving as we remember a sweet little girl who brought smiles, kindness, and a bright light to our halls each day,” the school said in a statement.

“Katheryn had a joyful, spunky personality that made her truly special,” the school said. “She was an enthusiastic reader and will be remembered for the happiness she shared so freely.”

“She will always be a part of our school family, and her memory will live on in the hearts of her classmates, teachers, and all who knew and loved her.”

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Alabama

Alabama AHSAA softball key dates and top teams approaching the 2026 playoffs

Published

16 hours ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

Alabama AHSAA softball key dates and top teams approaching the 2026 playoffs originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Alabama’s AHSAA softball playoffs are just around the corner with three of the state’s top teams ranked in the national Top 15.

The No. 5 Orange Beach [AL] Makos, No. 10 Thompson [Alabaster, AL] Warriors, and No. 15 Wetumpka [AL] Indians are all ranked in the most recent edition of the MaxPreps Top 50 with the start of Alabama’s postseason less than two weeks away.

Orange Beach was previously ranked No. 1 before losing to the South Warren [Bowling Green, KY] Spartans last week. Both teams were undefeated going into the contest, and the Barbers Hill [Mt. Belvieu, TX] Eagles took the Makos’ place at the top of the rankings following the loss.

WATCH: ALABAMA AHSAA SOFTBALL ON THE NFHS NETWORK

Key dates for the Alabama AHSAA softball playoffs

DATE	PLAYOFF DEADLINES
5/1-5/26 Advertisement	Area Tournaments
5/11-14/26	Regional Tournaments
5/18-22/26	State Tournaments Advertisement

National Top 50 contenders by classification

Alabama’s three nationally-ranked teams all compete in different classifications.

Class 7A

The Thompson Warriors are 34-1-2, and they compete in the AHSAA’s top-level Class 7A ranks. The team’s only loss is to the No. 15 Wetumpka Indians in a 3-2 setback on April 3.

Class 6A

Wetumpka is 34-5, and as noted above, they are the only team to beat Thompson so far.

Class 4A

Orange Beach is the state’s top-ranked team despite competing at the AHSAA’s Class 4A level. Their loss to South Warren of Kentucky in a 6-1 setback on April 9 ended a 45-game win streak at the time. The Makos had only allowed 25 runs all season prior to the relative outburst by the Spartans.

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Alabama edge to pattern his game after 2-time Super Bowl Champ

Published

1 day ago

April 19, 2026

Press Room

Alabama edge to pattern his game after 2-time Super Bowl Champ

Photo comes via Rodger Champion of Alabama athletics

How electric could Alabama football be on defense this season?

Alabama edge updates development of 4-star inside linebacker

The answer comes down to how many players Kane Wommack can produce to affect opposing quarterbacks in the pocket.

He returns Yhonzae Pierre, a fourth-year edge rusher, following a season where he collected eight sacks (team-high), 14.5 tackles for loss (team-high), nine quarterback hurries (team-high), and three forced fumbles. Pierre will draw much attention from offensive coaches; however, the Crimson Tide has a sophomore ready to help him on the outside.

Justin Hill, a former four-star from Cincinnati, Ohio, has made it his mission to become a complete pass rusher.

Alabama edge Justin Hill (#8) is modeling his game after a former two-time Suer Bowl Champion.

3/25/25 MFB Spring Practice
Alabama Linebacker Justin Hill (8)
Photo by Kent Gidley

He provided some excitement in 15 games last year, posting 10 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and a pass breakup.

Former 4-star edge “will stand out” at Alabama in 2026 season, per Yhonzae Pierre

Who is Justin Hill modeling his game after?

The 6-foot-3, 244-pounder had a good spring, and the coaching staff looks at him as someone that brings speed, power, and edge-bending abilities to harass quarterbacks. Hill mentioned to reporters after A-Day that he wants to ‘go through’ quarterbacks in generating pressure.

He also wants to pattern his game after a former two-time Super Bowl Champion.

Hill detailed the former two-time Butkus Award winner he’s emulating.

“I am watching guys like Von Miller,” Hill said. “I’m watching a lot of speed to power guys.”

Hill stated Nik Bonitto of the Denver Broncos as another National Football League pass rusher he is studying. Bonitto has 37 sacks and 44 tackles for loss in four seasons with the Broncos – including a career-high 14 sacks in 2025.

Miller is one of the greatest pass rushers in the history of the league. He has 138.5 career sacks, including seven seasons with 10-plus sacks.

Miller has two Super Bowl rings, a Super Bowl Most Valuable Player honor, three first-team All-Pro honors, eight Pro Bowl nods, and is on the NFL’s 2010 All-Decade Team.

Hill learned to ‘cut it loose’ as an edge rusher from Pierre, so the combination of that and studying film on Miller should prepare him to be a force in the fall.

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Stephen M. Smith is a team writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.

Stephen Smith is a 2015 graduate of the University of Alabama.
He is a seasoned writer that has covered Alabama football for Touchdown Alabama Magazine since 2009. Smith has extensive knowledge within the program, which has made him among the most respected journalist in his field. Throughout his career, Smith has been featured on ESPN and several other marquee outlets as an analyst.

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