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Mark Sears, Alabama have record-setting performance from 3 in Sweet 16 vs. BYU
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Mark Sears didn’t make a 3-pointer in Alabama’s second-round win over Saint Mary’s. He only made 1 in the first-round win over Robert Morris. One make, 9 shots.
He saved them all for the Sweet 16.
Against BYU on Thursday night, Sears tied an Alabama program record with 10 made triples. His 10th came deep into the second half after he tried an alley-oop to Cliff Omoruyi, who couldn’t turn the pass into a dunk and instead gave it right back to Sears in the right corner.
Sears’ 10th triple was also Alabama’s 23rd make as a team. On an NCAA Tournament-record 51 attempts, Alabama broke the previous tournament record for 3s in a game (21) and finished with 25 makes as a team.
Alabama’s leading guard checked out of the game with a little more than 4 minutes remaining. He was unguardable all night, hitting pull-ups left and right. Sears had 17 in the first half and 17 in the second half to finish with a game-high 34 points. He hit 10 of his 16 triples and finished 1 made 3 shy of tying Jeff Fryer’s NCAA Tournament record for 3s set back in 1990.
Still, he became the first player with 8 made 3-pointers and 7 assists in an NCAA Tournament game in March Madness history. He also became the first SEC player with 30 points and 8 assists in a tourney game since assists became an official stat in 1984, according to ESPN.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
