There was no such thing as a bad shot for Alabama in the Sweet 16. The Crimson Tide came out firing, fully aware that they were just two wins away from a return trip to the Final Four. And they weren’t about to let that slip away. They didn’t just win against BYU—they put on an absolute show. From start to finish, Alabama let it fly from deep, delivering a record-breaking performance that left fans, analysts, and even Skip Bayless in awe.

Dubbed “Mark’s Madness” by the All-American, it officially began with a bang as Alabama bulldozed No. 6 seed BYU, 113-88. The No. 2 seed Tide came ready to roll, and now waits for its next challenge: a showdown with Duke. And if they play like they did on Thursday night, well, let’s just say their opponents better start game-planning now.

And Skip Bayless also meant the same in one way or another. The commentator couldn’t hold back his praise, tweeting, “Man, Alabama was scary impressive tonight. BYU isn’t bad. Bama made ’em look bad. Bama-Duke could be a sight to see.” 

Is he wrong one bit?

Alabama didn’t just win—they obliterated BYU, putting on one of the greatest three-point shooting performances in NCAA Tournament history. They went 25-of-51 from beyond the arc. Yes, you read that right, a 49% from deep, setting a new tournament record for most threes made in a single game. 

Meanwhile, BYU struggled mightily, hitting just 6-of-30 (20%) from three-point land. Leading the charge? Mark Sears. Sears hasn’t had to shoulder Alabama’s three-point shooting burden the way he did last season, but when it mattered most, he stepped up in a big way. Just a day after facing criticism for his worst shooting year since joining Alabama, Sears silenced any doubts. 

He knocked down 10-of-16 from deep and finished with a jaw-dropping 34 points. His record-breaking 22nd three of the night put Alabama up 97-66, and when he checked out with over four minutes to play, he left to a standing ovation.  He finished just one three-pointer shy of Jeff Fryer’s all-time NCAA Tournament single-game record set in 1990.

Along with the captain, Aden Holloway chipped in with six threes, Chris Youngblood added five, and the Tide’s 25 makes marked the most in program history. Simply put, this was Bama at its absolute best. If they can replicate this kind of performance in the Elite Eight, they might just find themselves in the Final Four for the second straight year.

Alabama now prepares for Duke showdown

Now, after a big win that had all the on-court drama and even an officiating controversy, the road gets even tougher. For just the sixth time ever, Alabama faces off against Duke in what promises to be an epic battle. After clinching their third straight Sweet 16 win, the self-dubbed “New Blood” Crimson Tide now have the chance to prove themselves against one of college basketball’s biggest blue bloods.

Duke, a five-time national champion, presents a massive challenge, but Alabama isn’t fazed. “We’ve got to be better against Duke,” head coach Nate Oats admitted, despite his team’s dominant win over BYU. The Blue Devils boast an elite defense, limiting opponents to just 30% shooting from three while knocking down 38% themselves.

 If Alabama wants to pull off the upset, they’ll need another lights-out shooting night. Statistically, Alabama holds a slight edge on the boards, averaging 42.7 rebounds per game compared to Duke’s 38.5. But Duke has five players averaging at least four boards per contest, led by freshman phenom Cooper Flagg.

Alabama, however, has two more double-digit scorers than Duke, giving them a potentially crucial offensive advantage. One player to watch will be Jarin Stevenson. The Alabama forward has Duke ties in his DNA—his mother, Nicole (Walker) Stevenson, was a UNC legend, winning three ACC titles. If there’s ever a game for him to step up, this is it.

Both teams enter the Elite Eight nearly at full strength. Alabama’s Latrell Wrightsell Jr. (Achilles) and Houston Mallette (knees) remain out, but the Tide are still dominant. Meanwhile, Duke saw no lingering effects from Flagg’s recent ankle scare.

All in all, both squads are loaded, but not without a few weak spots. This Elite Eight matchup is shaping up to be an all-out war, and if Alabama can keep their shooting hot, we might just see a “New Blood” program take down a blue blood on the way to the Final Four.