It’ll be the Tide versus the Lopes.

No. 12 Grand Canyon upset five-seed St. Mary’s to end the Spokane, Washington, regional’s first day of games. With a sizeable crowd traveling with the team from Phoenix — the site of this year’s Final Four —, Grand Canyon prevailed 75-66, and will now face Nate Oats and No. 4 Alabama (23-11).

The game will be broadcast Sunday on TBS at 6:10 p.m. Central.

UA advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 earlier Friday, returning to form against No. 13 Charleston in a 109-96 win. Both teams are one win away from advancing to Los Angeles, the West Regional site, where either No. 1 North Carolina or nine-seed Michigan State will be waiting.

“So we’re playing on Sunday. There’s only going to be 32 teams playing after tonight and we‘ll be one of ‘em. It’s a big accomplishment. We’re trying to be one of 16 playing left after Sunday, so I’m trying to keep the energy positive,” Oats said after UA’s victory.

Alabama is now 5-3 with Oats in March Madness.

Grand Canyon won its 30th game of the year under head coach Bryce Drew, previously at Vanderbilt. The Lopes won the Western Athletic Conference tournament and are riding a six-game winning streak after being projected to lose against St. Mary’s.

GCU ranks ninth on KenPom in effective field goal percentage defense (45.9%). The Lopes have conceded 75-plus points just six times since Jan. 1, 2024. Its defense smothered the Gaels in Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena to a 38.2% field-goal rate.

Grand Canyon is led by senior guard Tyon Grant-Foster, who scored a game-leading 22 points on Friday.

Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at [email protected].