With a Sweet 16 spot on the line, Alabama and Saint Mary’s squared off in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Both teams had survived close first-round games—Alabama, the No. 2 seed, held off No. 15 Robert Morris, 90-81, while No. 7 Saint Mary’s edged past No. 10 Vanderbilt, 59-56.

From the jump, Alabama came out firing, running up a 78-63 after the halftime lead. But instead of celebrating, some fans on social media found something—or someone—else to focus on: senior guard Mark Sears. One twitter user stirred things up by posting, “Alabama is better with Sears on the bench,” a comment that quickly took off and turned Sears into the punchline of the night.

Of course, anyone who’s followed Alabama this season knows Sears has been a key player. He led the team with 24 points in an OT win over Houston earlier this year. Even after he got benched against LSU, he bounced back strong, logging 31 minutes and dropping 20 points, six assists, and five rebounds in the next game against Georgia. But against Saint Mary’s, a familiar storyline emerged—Sears found himself sidelined for much of the first half, and the online chatter reignited.

His LSU benching had already sparked speculation. Sears played just 17 minutes, didn’t pick up a single foul, and was fully healthy. But head coach Nate Oats made the call to sit him in the second half, looking to tighten Alabama’s defense after going into halftime tied at 40. The move worked—Alabama pulled away for an 80-73 win, even with Sears going scoreless.

Fast forward to the Saint Mary’s game, and once again, questions surfaced when Sears wasn’t a major factor early on. But this time, he responded. He finished with 12 points and three assists, including a highlight-reel lob to Clifford Omoruyi for a reverse dunk that extended Alabama’s lead to 14.

The game itself was a battle of contrasting styles. Saint Mary’s slowed the pace, using as much of the shot clock as possible, while Alabama looked to push the tempo. Sears himself had emphasized that pace would be key, saying pregame, “Try to make them play to our pace. Try to get the ball out fast and push the ball out fast with the four seconds to get the ball up.”

Early on, Alabama executed that plan well, limiting Saint Mary’s to one-shot possessions and running in transition. But turnovers plagued the Tide, leading to some tense moments. At one point, a frustrated Oats was caught shouting, “We gotta stop turning the f****** ball over.”

Sears’ rollercoaster tournament has put him in the national conversation. From an unexpected benching to playing a crucial role in Alabama’s latest win, his ability to adjust—and how Oats continues to manage him—will be key as the Tide push deeper into March Madness.

Mark Sears Struggles, and Alabama Fans Let Him Hear It

Mark Sears had a night to forget, and Alabama fans weren’t shy about calling him out. Known for his scoring, Sears had zero rebounds, and three assists and turned the ball over twice. With Alabama boasting the highest-scoring offense in the country, his struggles stood out in a big way.

One fan sarcastically compared Sears’ night to a dying fish gasping for air: “Nate Oats: Help us Mark! We need points!
Mark Sears: A video of a breathless fish almost dying”

Alabama thrives on high-scoring games, and when Sears isn’t contributing, it throws the whole system off. Coach Nate Oats has called Sears his most consistent scorer, but on this night, he wasn’t living up to that title.

“Mark Sears is somehow gonna be the only mf this weekend to chalk a PrizePicks discount” This fan joked about Sears’ recent cold streak, pointing to his inconsistency. The numbers back it up—Sears has hit just five of his last 31 three-pointers (16%) since Alabama’s March 5 game against Florida. That’s a brutal stretch for someone expected to be a go-to scorer.

“GET MARK SEARS OFF THE COURT” another fan didn’t hold back, demanding Sears be benched. While harsh, it’s not totally unwarranted. Alabama ranks 332nd out of 364 teams in scoring defense, and Sears isn’t exactly a lockdown defender. If he’s not making shots, his defensive weaknesses become harder to overlook.

“Mark Sears is actually the most overrated ‘star’ in college basketball. He is short and doesn’t contribute anything except his 40.4% shooting. Bama does better with him on the bench.” A frustrated fan questioned Sears’ overall value. Sears has been crucial to Alabama’s success, helping them win an SEC title and make a Final Four run last season. But his 40.4% shooting isn’t elite, and at 6-foot-1, he’s a defensive liability. If he’s not scoring, his impact is limited.

Even Levi took to the participation, reacting, “Walter Clayton Jr. is who Mark Sears thinks he is. Jeez.” Walter Clayton Jr. has been Florida’s backbone, leading in points, assists, and efficiency, while Mark Sears has struggled with consistency, shooting just 40.4%. Given Clayton’s well-rounded impact and Sears’ inefficiency, the fan’s reaction comparing them feels fair, though slightly harsh.

“Mark Sears dumpster juice” Brutal, but it sums up fan frustration. Sears had a bad game, and Alabama fans expect more. Still, he remains confident: “The same looks I get, when I’m wide open, I’m going to shoot ‘em every time.”

And history says he will. Sears recently became just the 82nd player in NCAA Division I history to reach 2,500 career points. He knows how to score—he’s just in a rough stretch.

Sears has been a key part of Alabama’s rise under Oats. One bad game doesn’t define him, but in March Madness, every performance is under the microscope. The best way to shut up the critics? Get back to scoring.