Alabama and Texas A&M faced off in a much anticipated matchup tonight, and the Tide prevailed 100-97.
Alabama
Victory Thread: Alabama outlasts Aggies
This one was played at a breakneck pace from the beginning. Alabama started off hot and led by as much as nine early, but the Aggies battled back and tied things up at 46 headed into the locker room. Texas A&M shot a scorching 45% from three on 20 tries, including 2-for-3 from old friend Rylan Griffen. London Jemison shot it well to lead the Tide with 10 points, followed by nine from Latrell Wrightsell.
Alabama narrowly won the rebounding battle led by six from Aiden Sherrell. Most encouraging was Alabama successfully limiting turnovers to only two against the hyper-aggressive Texas A&M defense. The Tide didn’t shoot it particularly well from three.
Things stayed close to open the second half, as both teams kept pushing the pace and firing threes. With just over 12 minutes to play, Nate Oats was called for a technical foul after a loose ball foul on Charles Bediako with Alabama up 1. The Aggies made all four of the free throws , then got a stop and made a three on the other end. Houston Mallette answered with a three of his own, and the Aggies took a 70-67 lead into the second TV timeout.
A bucket from Rashaun Agee, a 25-year-old playing on a temporary injunction that seems to bother no one, pushed the lead out to five. Alabama pulled within three, but Jemison was called for a three-shot foul after knocking the ball away from Griffen as he loaded to shoot. It looked like Jemison got all ball, but that’s the way the call went and Griffen made all three for a 77-71 lead with just under nine minutes to play.
After an Alabama timeout, Labaron Philon knocked down a long three to pull within three. A stop on the other end set up Aden Holloway, who got into the paint for a floater and a foul to tie things up at 77 at the eight minute mark. Both teams were already in the double bonus at that stage, each with several players in foul trouble owing to the pace of play and physical nature of the game.
The two teams traded buckets for a couple of trips, but Alabama was able to go on a little 8-0 run to open up a 90-83 advantage. Agee was able to stop it with a strong move on the block and the Tide took a five point lead into the final TV timeout. Amari Allen was fouled headed into the break.
Allen made one of two when play resumed. Charles Bediako managed to grab the offensive board on the miss, but the Aggies forced a jump ball from Holloway to gain possession anyway. Alabama led by six at that stage, but the Aggies immediately went on a 6-0 spurt to tie things back up at 91 apiece with three minutes left.
The barnburner sustained, as neither team could keep the opposing guards out of the paint. A Wrightsell three from the corner put the Tide put 97-95 with a minute to play. The Aggies missed at the other end and Alabama was able to secure the rebound. Holloway then made the play of the night.
With the shot clock running dangerously low, Aden managed to get to the baseline and convert a circus shot through contact. He missed the free throw but Alabama still led by four with only 22 seconds left. It shouldn’t be lost on anyone that the Tide missed three free throws very late in this contest that would have put things out of reach.
Hill quickly took the ball to the hole and cut the lead to 99-97 with 15 seconds to play. Aggies coach Bucky McMillan called his final timeout to set up the full court press, and it worked. The ball was loose on the floor and a jump ball was called with 5.1 seconds left on the clock. Exactly 9.9 seconds had elapsed since the ball was inbounded, meaning that the Tide was all of one-tenth of a second from a 10-second violation.
The ball was inbounded to Allen and he was fouled immediately, but again made only one of two. Nate Oats chose to foul up three and it worked out. Agee missed the first unintentionally and the second intentionally. Griffen did get a fortuitous bounce for an open look at a three to tie, but he left it short and Alabama escaped.
This Texas A&M team is a pain to play and will continue to be. They play fast and hard, and can score in bunches. The Tide sorely needed this win.
Next up is a trip to Auburn. Charles Bediako’s attorneys have a conference call tomorrow to determine whether his injunction hearing will proceed on Friday as scheduled, or if his requested continuance will be granted. If Chuck is still eligible to play on Saturday, that game is going to be a circus.
Alabama
Kevin Turner Prattville YMCA Golf Tournament welcomes Auburn, Alabama players as guest hosts
PRATTVILLE, Ala. (WSFA) – One of the most anticipated golf tournaments of the year happens Monday — the 29th annual Kevin Turner Prattville YMCA Golf Tournament.
This year’s guest hosts are both placekickers — former Alabama kicker Michael Proctor and current Auburn kicker Alex McPherson.
Proctor, a Pelham High graduate, came to the Crimson Tide in 1992, a year after Turner was drafted by the Patriots. But he still remembers the Prattville native’s infectious personality that resonated with teammates. “I had heard about the tournament through the years,” Proctor said. “It’s a big deal. Kevin is a big deal. When he was playing here, and even after his unfortunate passing, he’s well remembered and respected. Anything I can do to help anything in his name, I would be willing to do. I met him when I was there. He came back, obviously knowing people on the team that he had played with. Anything I can do for his name … I’m sure anybody at Alabama or anybody that knew him would be willing to do anything for him because he would do the same for you.”
McPherson, a Fort Payne High graduate, came to Auburn in 2022, weathered an inflammatory bowel disease that sidelined him in 2024, and is now preparing for his fifth year as the Tigers’ kicker. And even though he never knew Turner personally, he’s looking forward to the tournament.
“I’m honored,” McPherson said. “I heard what the tournament was about, Kevin and his story. I heard that one of the former Alabama kickers was going to be in the tournament and that they would love to have a kicker from Auburn. They thought that I would be a great fit.”
Proctor was recruited as one of the nation’s top prep kickers and went through a high school and collegiate career where he made 184 of 185 extra points. He kicked a then-record 60-yard field goal at Pelham and nine of his 26 field goals were longer than 50 yards. He finished a four-year career as the Crimson Tide’s second leading scorer with 326 points, earning All-American honors in 1993 and 1994 after winning a national championship in 1992 and returning as the Southeastern Conference’s top kicker a year later.
McPherson was recruited as one of the nation’s top kickers and kicked a record 61-yard field goal in high school before joining the Tigers. Like Proctor, his breakout year came as a sophomore (in 2023) where he made 13 of 13 field goal attempts and 40 of 40 extra point attempts in becoming a Lou Groza Award semifinalist.
Turner went through a five-year battle with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), which was triggered by CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), a disease that hits home with many collegiate players from that era who witnessed it first with Turner and more recently with former Tide running back Kerry Goode.
The tournament helps fund the “Coach A Child Scholarship Fund Campaign” which provides financial aid to make YMCA services available to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay.
The Prattville YMCA has provided financial aid to more than 3,300 people, many of them children, at a cost of more than $400,000. This year, the goal is to raise $285,000 for the Coach A Child Fund Campaign.
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Alabama
Alabama softball No. 1 overall seed in NCAA Tournament: Who does Tide play?
Alabama softball is the cream of the crop heading into the 2026 NCAA softball tournament, cemented as the No. 1 overall seed for the first time in 16 years.
The Crimson Tide’s ranking means it will host a regional and, if it advances, a super regional. The regional field will consist of USC Upstate (36-21), Belmont (40-11) and SE Louisiana (46-14).
The Tuscaloosa Regional is double-elimination. Action will run through May 15-17 on SEC Network.
It marks the 27th straight NCAA Tournament appearance for Alabama and the 21st-straight season it is hosting a regional at Rhoads Stadium, not including the canceled 2020 season. The Crimson Tide has advanced to the Women’s College World Series 15 times and is looking to do so for the first time in two years.
Alabama has one national championship, which came in 2012.
Alabama is coming off a championship game loss in the SEC Tournament. Seven unanswered runs led to a 7-1 fall to Texas, securing the Longhorns their first SEC Softball Tournament title during their second year in the conference on Saturday, May 9.
Friday, May 15
- Game 1: Alabama vs. USC Upstate, noon CT
- Game 2: Belmont vs. SE Louisiana, 2:30 p.m. CT
Saturday, May 16
- Game 3: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner, TBD
- Game 4: Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser, TBD
- Game 5: Game 4 Winner vs. Game 3 Loser, TBD
Sunday, May 17
- Game 6: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner, TBD
- Game 7: Game 6 Winner vs. Game 6 Loser (if necessary), TBD
Amelia Hurley covers high school and college sports for The Tuscaloosa News and USA TODAY Network. You can find her on X at ameliahurley_ or reach her at ahurley@usatodayco.com.
Alabama
Alabama mom sentenced to life for hiring hitman to kill her child’s father over custody dispute
An Alabama woman was sentenced to life in prison Friday after authorities said she hired a hitman to kill her child’s father in a custody dispute.
Jaclyn Skuce, 43, of Madison, was convicted of capital murder after hiring a man to kill the child’s father in order to prevent him from gaining custody or further visitation, the Morgan County District Attorney’s Office said.
The Hartselle Police Department was dispatched on July 24, 2020, to a residence for a welfare check after Anthony Larry Sheppard failed to appear in court for a scheduled custody hearing.
His attorney had asked officers to check on him, investigators said.
Upon arrival, police discovered Sheppard’s storm door shattered and the main door ajar.
Officers later found Sheppard dead with multiple gunshot wounds.
Investigators determined that Skuce hired Logan Delp to kill Sheppard in order to prevent him from gaining custody or further visitation with his child.
Prosecutors said Skuce used social media to hire the hitman, who lived in Hartselle, according to the Hartselle Enquirer. She allegedly offered to pay $30,000.
“There are never any winners in a case like this,” Chief Assistant District Attorney Garrick Vickery said following the verdict.
“This jury was incredibly thorough and took their time to make sure they made the right decision, both for Mr. Sheppard and for the defendant.”
Vickery added, “We are glad that they convicted her for the choice she made to take Mr. Sheppard away from his family.”
Skuce was found guilty of three counts of capital murder: murder for hire, murder of a witness, and murder committed by shooting into an occupied dwelling.
Four other defendants have been charged with capital murder in connection with Sheppard’s death.
Delp was convicted of capital murder in October 2025, the DA’s office said. Another defendant has pleaded guilty, and two others are awaiting trial.
Skuce will be imprisoned without the possibility of parole in the Alabama Department of Corrections.
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