Sexton, Petty lead Crimson Tide
Alabama moves on to face Villanova
PITTSBURGH — Collin Sexton scored 21 of his team-high 24 points after halftime to lead Alabama to an 86-83 victory over Virginia Tech on Thursday night for the Crimson Tide’s first NCAA Tournament win in a dozen years.
John Petty kept ninth-seeded Alabama (20-15) in it while Sexton struggled during a sluggish opening half and finished with 20 points while shooting 6 of 8 on 3-pointers. Sexton found a rhythm in the second half, including a handful of big shots over the final five minutes to give the Crimson Tide a bit of breathing room in a game that featured 10 lead changes, with no team ever being up by more than seven points.
Alabama will face top-seeded Villanova in the East Region’s second round on Saturday. The Wildcats had little trouble dispatching Radford earlier Thursday.
Things weren’t nearly as easy for the Crimson Tide, who needed their freshman backcourt mates and a serious uptick in defensive intensity in the late going to advance to the second round for the first time since 2006.
Sexton and Petty were in elementary school back then. Now they’re the centerpiece of coach Avery Johnson’s dynamic attack with the Crimson Tide. Alabama shot 61 percent (14 of 23) from the floor in the second half, including a 17-footer from Sexton that hit the back of the rim and dropped in to put the Crimson Tide up 70-64 with 5:11 to play.
He knocked down a turnaround jumper with 1:35 remaining to push Alabama’s advantage to 77-72.
Justin Robinson and the eighth-seeded Hokies (21-12) kept coming. Robinson finished with 19 points but was called for an offensive foul with 48 seconds remaining and Virginia Tech down 78-74. Hokies coach Buzz Williams earned a technical foul after throwing paper onto the court in frustration. Sexton made one of two free throws and then added two more on Alabama’s ensuing possession to give the Crimson Tide just enough of a cushion.
At Pittsburgh, Jalen Brunson scored 16 points and Villanova hit 14 3-pointers in a romp over Radford. The Highlanders (23-13) posed no threat at becoming the first 16 seed to ever knock off a No. 1 in the tournament. Villanova (31-4) played to near-perfection for the first 30 minutes and everyone played a role. Mikal Bridges had 13 points, Eric Paschall scored 11 and Omari Spellman had 10 points and seven rebounds.
At Dallas, Egor Koulechov scored 20 points and Florida eased past St. Bonaventure (26-8),
No. 1 Villanova 87, No. 16 Radford 61 — No. 6 Florida 77, No. 11 St. Bonaventure 62 —
ending the Bonnies’ postseason run two days after their first NCAA Tournament victory in 48 years. Jalen Hudson scored 16 points and Chris Chiozza had 11 assists for the Gators, who have reached the Elite Eight the past five times they’ve been in the tournament. Florida (21-12) will face Texas Tech on Saturday.
At Dallas, the Red Raiders avoided another first-round exit when Keenan Evans scored 19 of his 23 points after halftime and they surged late to top Stephen F. Austin. Evans is accustomed to leading second-half rallies for the Red Raiders (25-9), the Big 12 runner-ups in coach Chris Beard’s second season. SFA (287), the Southland Conference tournament champion, led by eight points early in the second half and was trying to take down a Big 12 opponent in an NCAA opener for the second time in three seasons. The Lumberjacks beat West Virginia in their last tournament appearance two years ago before losing to Notre Dame.
No. 3 Texas Tech 70, No. 14 SF Austin 60 —