Brandon Miller bounces back after going SCORELESS in first round with 19 points on Saturday
Brandon Miller bounces back after going SCOREDLESS in the first round with 19 points Saturday … as Alabama enters the Sweet Sixteen with a 73-51 win over Maryland
Alabama got a much more signature performance from their star man and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen when they beat Maryland 73-51 on Saturday night.
The No. 1 seed Crimson Tide led just 28-23 after a low-scoring first half, but rounded out their form in the final 20 minutes to comfortably reach the next stage of the tournament.
Key to the win was Brandon Miller, the team’s leading scorer this season and a projected lottery pick in the upcoming NBA draft, who shockingly went scoreless in the Tide’s first-round win against Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
Miller, according to his coach Nate Oats, was battling a groin injury in that game, but recalled his prime against Maryland, scoring 19 points and grabbing seven rebounds in the eventual blowout.
The first-team All-American showed off his chops during a dominant sequence early in the second half, when he blocked Maryland’s Jahmir Young at the rim before nailing a 3-pointer at the other end.
Brandon Miller had 19 points and seven rebounds in an impressive performance
His teammate, Jahvon Quinerly, led all scorers with 22 points, while Julian Reese had a team-high 14.
Young also added 12 for the Terrapins, and Charles Bediako added a 10-point, 10-rebound double for the Tide.
Miller’s name appeared last month in court testimony related to the capital murder case of former Alabama player Darius Miles and another man, accused of fatally shooting 23-year-old Jamea Harris on Jan. 15.
A police officer testified that Miles texted Miller asking him to bring Miles’ gun in the early hours of the morning of the shooting.
However, Miller has not been charged with any crimes as he continues to star in Alabama.
Alabama guard Jahvon Quinerly scored a game-high 22 points in a comfortable victory.
Maryland’s Hakim Hart reacts during the second half against Alabama on Saturday
The Tide (31-5) have now advanced to their second Sweet 16 in the last three tournaments and ninth overall.
Alabama has already done better than some of its top-seeded counterparts.
Before the game began, two of the top seeds, Purdue and defending national champion Kansas, had fallen, and No. 1 seed Houston trailed Tide rival Auburn by 10 points at halftime earlier in Legacy Arena before walking away.
Alabama will face fifth seed San Diego State in the South Region semifinals in Louisville, Kentucky on Friday.