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How Former Alabama Players Did in First Day of Sweet 16: Roll Call

Your daily briefing on what's going on with Alabama athletics and how to watch the Crimson Tide.
Mar 26, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) dribbles the ball against Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) in the second half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the West Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at SAP Center.
Mar 26, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) dribbles the ball against Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) in the second half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the West Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at SAP Center. | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

Alabama will play in its fourth straight Sweet 16 on Friday against No. 1 Michigan, but there were a few former Crimson Tide players on the court.

No. 1 Arizona beat No. 4 Arkansas 109-88. Both teams feature a former Alabama player. Jaden Bradley played for the Crimson Tide in 2023 and was part of the first Alabama to be a No. 1 overall seed. In his third and final year with Arizona, Bradley scored 14 points with four rebounds and five assists in the win.

Nick Pringle was also part of that 2023 team and Alabama's Final Four team in 2024. He then transferred to South Carolina and is now in his final year at Arkansas. Thursday's loss ended his collegiate career. Pringle played 18 minutes off the bench, finishing with six points, one rebound, steal and block.

Alabama will take on Michigan on Friday at 6:35 p.m.

Crimson Tide Roll Call: Friday, March 27, 2026

  • Former Alabama running back Brian Robinson Jr. is officially a member of the Atlanta Falcons. This will be Robinson's fifth season in the NFL after three seasons with the Commanders and one year in San Fransisco.
  • With a rivalry series at home against Auburn happening at the same time, Alabama baseball will be playing the men's basketball Sweet 16 game on a large screen in right field.
  • Mark Sears was known to have a strong performance or two for Alabama in the month of March. He had his best G League performance on Thursday with 33 points and 11 rebounds for the Wisconsin Herd in their win against the Raptors 905.

Dennis Kipruto set a new personal record and moved to No. 6 all time on the UA program list with his performance in the 5000m at the Raleigh Relays at NC State with a time of 13:37.75.

  • In big SEC news, Will Wade is back at LSU as the head coach of the men's basketball program. Wade and Alabama head coach Nate Oats had some pretty intense matchups during Wade's first tenure with the Tigers from 2017-2022, including the SEC tournament championship game in 2021. This just continues to make the SEC even deeper in men's basketball.

Alabama Crimson Tide Thursday results:

  • Track and field at Bulldog Relays (Starkville, Mississippi) and Raleigh Relays (Raleigh, North Carolina): Alabama track and field opened its outdoor campaign in a pair of meets, as four Crimson Tide athletes recorded all-time top-10 performances Thursday. 
  • Day One Top Results – Bulldog Relays

    Hammer Throw
    2nd: Catalina Rodriguez | women’s | 61.83m (202-10) | No. 8 all-time UA
    5th: Noelle Igberaese | women’s | 53.64m (176-0)


    Day One Top Results – Raleigh Relays

    3,000m Steeplechase
    3rd: Ezekiel Pitireng | men’s | 8:29.64 | PR, No. 3 all-time at UA
    5th: Bismack Kipchirchir | men’s | 8:34.71 | No. 5 all-time at UA
    5,000m
    4th: Dennis Kipruto | men’s | 13:37.75 | PR, No. 6 all-time at UA
  • Men's swimming and diving at NCAA championships in Atlanta: After the second day of events, the Crimson Tide is in 31st place with eight points. Sean Niewold highlighted the Crimson Tide's day with a school record in the 100 butterfly of a 44.98 to finish in 17th.
  • Women's tennis: Florida 4, Alabama 0

Alabama Crimson Tide Friday schedule:

  • Track and field at Raleigh Relays, Raleigh, North Carolina, All Day, WatchLive Results
  • Track and field at Bulldog Relays, Starkville, Mississippi, All Day
  • Swimming and diving at NCAA Championships, Atlanta, Georgia, 9 a.m. CT, WatchResults
  • Softball vs. North Dakota State, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 6 p.m., SEC Network+
  • Men's tennis vs. South Carolina, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 6 p.m., Watch
  • Baseball vs. Auburn, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 6 p.m., SEC Network+

Countdown to Alabama Football's 2026 season opener

162 days

On this date in Alabama Crimson Tide history:

March 27, 1990: Former Clemson head coach Danny Ford, a 1969 Alabama captain, returned to Tuscaloosa to view an Alabama practice session. During his visit to Tuscaloosa, Ford was reunited with a pair of his ex-coaches, Bill Oliver and Woody McCorvey, the secondary and receivers' coaches for Gene Stallings.

March 27, 2019: The University of Alabama hired Buffalo's Nate Oats as its new head basketball coach, athletic director Greg Byrne announced. The move came just three days after Alabama parted ways with Avery Johnson, who spent four years with the team.

Nate Oats introductory press conference
Nate Oats introductory press conference | UA Athletics

Alabama Crimson Tide Quote of the Day:

"It doesn't take a scientific rocket to figure that out." – famous paraphrased quote attributed to Danny Ford

We'll leave you with this...

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Katie Windham
KATIE WINDHAM

Katie Windham is the assistant editor for BamaCentral, primarily covering football, basketball, gymnastics and softball. She is a two-time graduate of the University of Alabama and has covered a variety of Crimson Tide athletics since 2019 for outlets like The Tuscaloosa News, The Crimson White and the Associated Press before joining BamaCentral full time in 2021. Windham has covered College Football Playoff games, the Women's College World Series, NCAA March Madness, SEC Tournaments and championships in multiple sports.

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