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A lot of worries started to surface in the first half of the Alabama Crimson Tide vs. Hofstra Pride game. Coach Nate Oats could not find the proper schemes and rotations to pull away from the 13th-seeded squad. Labaron Philon Jr. started heating up just like he did back in 2025's March Madness and it all started to click. The result? They now have a Round of 32 NCAA Tournament meeting against the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
Philon Jr. gets real on Alabama's winning March Madness philosophy
The Crimson Tide had a rough first half. They only had a slim 37-35 lead over Hofstra and there were a lot of problems to fix on the defensive side of the court. Coach Oats started to signal the need for someone to step up and Philon was the one who answered the call. He played 36 minutes and tormented the opposing defense which led to a 90-70 first round win.
Philon Jr. outlined how they managed to pull through and outscore Hofstra 53-35 in the second half, via CBS Sports.
"Like I said in the pregame ritual, we came ready and I think we prepared the best. I feel like all the coaches were ready. So, we were ready to get out there. We got rid of the first game, so we just have to be ready to move on. It's just about the grittiness. I mean, everybody wants to fight hard. We want to win games, we came here to prove something. I think it's close early but we kind of pulled away," the Alabama basketball star declared.
Coach Oats had his offense revolve around Philon Jr. to win in this March Madness clash. The star sophomore notched 29 points through shooting 56% from the field and knocking down six of his seven free throws. He also proved that the Hofstra defense along with other schools in March Madness should be guarding him on all levels of scoring. Philon was able to sink three shots from beyond the arc on seven attempts.
More than that, he was also a facilitator for Alabama. Philon Jr. dished out seven assists to get their offense going. On the defensive side of things, he was also amazing. The star sophomore from Alabama closed possessions well which got him eight rebounds. Not to mention, he was also a menace when playing on-ball and his three steals showed that.
Texas Tech is their next challenge in March Madness. However, there is not much worry for Philon Jr. and Alabama. He claimed that they had a deeper squad than the Jaylen Petty-led No. 5 Red Raiders.
"We got a lot of depth and the next team we play, they are going to be really good. So, we got to be ready because they play just like us," Philon added.
Alabama has been progressing really well in their March Madness performances. Coach Oats notched an Elite Eight berth last year and he may have found a star which could lead them to win the NCAA Tournament despite only being a four-seed.
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