On Saturday night, the Alabama Crimson Tide took the court in Newark, New Jersey needing only one win to return to the Final Four, facing off against the Duke Blue Devils in the Elite Eight of the 2025 men's NCAA Tournament.
The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in the East Region, this game however was all Duke, as the Blue Devils led throughout on their way to an 85-65 victory in order to advance to the Final Four. As for Alabama, the Crimson Tide also struggled offensively against Duke's defense, and saw their run in the NCAA Tournament come to an end.
A result that ended Alabama's season, here are some instant reactions to Alabama's loss vs. Duke on Saturday night in the Elite Eight.
Alabama struggles from three-point range after historic performance
After a record-breaking performance in the Sweet 16 vs. BYU, Alabama's three-point shooting struggled against one of the nation's top defensive teams Saturday night, shooting only a combined 8-of-32 (25%) from deep. In addition to this, Alabama also shot only a combined 35.4% from the field, while Duke shot 53.6% on a 46.2% mark from three.
Labaron Philon solid for Alabama
Freshman guard Labaron Philon was likely Alabama's most impactful player Saturday night, finishing with a final stat line of a team-high 16 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Philon also shot 4-of-9 from the field, as well as 3-of-6 from three.
Mark Sears struggles for Alabama
Alabama guard Mark Sears simply struggled Saturday night against Duke, ending with a final stat line of six points and six assists. Sears also struggled shooting the ball at a combined 2-of-12 clip, as well as 1-of-5 from three, while also committing five turnovers.
Alabama's 2024-25 season ends at 28-9 overall
As mentioned previously, this result ends Alabama's season with a 28-9 overall record. Making the Elite Eight, the Crimson Tide fell just one win short of making the Final Four for the second consecutive season.
This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama basketball instant reactions to Elite Eight loss vs. Duke
