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Texas takes down TCU to advance to first Final Four since 2003

Vic Schaefer’s Longhorns keep on making history.

Texas advanced to its first Final Four since 2003 with a wire-to-wire 58-47 victory over TCU on Monday in Birmingham.

Following a 3-pointer by Rori Harmon with 5:25 left in the first quarter to make it a 501 game, Texas led the rest of the matchup.

A smothering defensive effort from the Longhorns saw them hold a high-octane TCU team to its lowest point total of the season.

The Horned Frogs shot just 26.7% from the field in the matchup and went 4-for-20 from beyond the arc as Texas forced 21 turnovers.

SEC Player of the Year Madison Booker keyed the Longhorns with a game-high 18 points and tied for the team lead with 6 rebounds; she shot 8-for-17 from the field and added 2 steals.

Rori Harmon added 13 points — 11 coming in the first half of the matchup — and dished out a team-high 5 assists, while Taylor Jones added 7 points and 6 rebounds.

The loss marked the final game for star Hailey Van Lith, who scored a team-high 17 points and grabbed 8 rebounds for the Horned Frogs.

Madison Conner scored 9 points and dished out 3 assists for TCU.

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Greg Byrne: Alabama not as ‘flush’ financially as Texas, other top schools

Alabama athletics plans to add 40 scholarships across all of its sports following the House vs. NCAA settlement’s presumed approval later this year. However, Greg Byrne made clear during a Fox News podcast appearance on Monday that he doesn’t think the Crimson Tide will be in the same zip code as some of the schools fans would consider peers, including Texas.

“Chris Del Conte is one of my best friends, the AD at Texas” Byrne said on the Will Cain Show. “They’re a bit of an outlier in terms of how they’re managing the scholarship number because they have the financial flexibility to do that. I’m Alabama, which people think we’re flush. We don’t have that same flexibility, OK?

“We’ve had some challenging conversations with some of our coaches in saying,’ You’re gonna have this number of scholarships to work with. There will be schools that have more than you do.‘”

Texas announced in February that it plans to add around 200 scholarships across its sports. Elsewhere in the SEC, Georgia plans to put an additional 100 athletes on scholarship.

The House settlement would eliminate scholarship limits, in favor of roster limits, eliminating walk-ons. While the NCAA will limit football rosters to 105 players, the SEC announced it will limit its teams even further, down to 85, which was the previous scholarship limit.

“As much as sometimes people think we have an unlimited supply of money, there are limited resources,” Byrne said. “And so we’re gonna have to make decisions on what takes place.”

Byrne also said he was concerned about some athletic programs disappearing after the house settlement goes through. The settlement would allow revenue sharing with players for the first time.

“And I’m at Alabama, and we’re committed to have as many sports as we can,” Byrne said. “But at some point, you’ve already seen some schools– St. Francis, I believe I’m saying the university right– Just went from Division I to Division III the other day. I know Loyola Marymount, which again, isn’t maybe the same brand as some others, but still a Division I school, they just cut a number of sports.

“It will be interesting to see, if in fact the House settlement does go through, some of the financial decisions that people are going to have to make. And I’m at Alabama, again, we’re having to make some tough financial decisions in what we do on a daily basis to support our young people.”

Byrne said Alabama spends around $195,000 per year on each of its scholarship athletes.

Alabama athletics brought in $234.8 million in Fiscal Year 2024, but spent $262.8 million, according to its latest NCAA revenues and expenses report, obtained by AL.com via an open records request. That’s more revenue than at least 10 other SEC schools, though Texas and Georgia are among those with more, with the Longhorns reporting $331.9 million in revenue and the Bulldogs bringing in $241.8.

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‘Free Doroudi!‘: Crowd gathers to protest detainment of Alabama graduate student

“Say it once. Say it twice. Free Doroudi. No more ICE!”

Those were some of the chants heard as more than 100 people marched and chanted in front of Tuscaloosa’s Richard Shelby Federal Courthouse on Monday to protest the detainment of an Iranian doctoral student from the University of Alabama.

Organizations including UA’s College Democrats, Tuscaloosa County Democratic Party, UA’s International Student Association and Grace Presbyterian Church gathered to speak about Alireza Doroudi’s detainment.

Doroudi, a mechanical engineering student, was detained by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement at about 3 a.m. on March 25 in an apartment he shared with his fiancée, Sama Bajgani.

“We decided to put boots on the ground and get ready, because we knew something like this would have to happen,” said Braden Vick, a senior studying political science and president of UA’s College Democrats.

He said the ultimate goal is to free Doroudi and get him back to his fiancé. He said the “most terrifying part” is they don’t know why a respected researcher like Doroudi is in custody.

“We can only speculate that this was a fundamentally racist and bigoted act by ICE,” Vick said.

A mathematics and computer science senior heard about the protest in the student newspaper, The Crimson White.

“I have been wanting to get more politically active for a while, and (because of school) it’s something I’ve kind of pushed aside,” he said. “So I’ve decided to come out.”

Doroudi was sent to Pickens County Jail then transferred to a federal detention center in Jena, La.

“ICE HSI made this arrest in accordance with the State Department’s revocation of Doroudi’s student visa. This individual posed significant national security concerns,” a DHS spokesperson has said.

Doroudi’s attorney, David Rozas also said ”he is legally present in the U.S., pursuing his American dream by working towards his doctorate in mechanical engineering.”

Bajgani organized a GoFundMe fundraiser for her fiancée’s legal fees and raised more than $25,000.

In an update to donors, she said Doroudi had an F-1 visa “unexpectedly revoked” six months after he came to the United States.

“As soon as he got the revocation email, he inquired with the university officials, who assured him that his student status would remain valid, allowing him to continue his studies at the University of Alabama legally,” Bajgani said.

While several students from college campuses nationwide have been detained for supporting pro-Palestinian causes, a student organization said Doroudi wasn’t involved in their protests.

Students for Justice in Palestine said in a statement on Instagram that they were “outraged to learn” about Doroudi’s detainment but wanted to “express that Doroudi was not involved, nor has he ever been involved, in any organizing or protest related to our organization.”

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Mobile County teen allegedly driving 100 mph faces murder charge in crash that killed college student

A Mobile County teen previously charged with manslaughter now faces a murder charge after allegedly driving drunk during a fatal crash in November.

The upgraded charges for the 17-year-old were confirmed by the Mobile County District Attorney’s Office.

“We presented all of the evidence to a Mobile County Grand Jury and they chose to indict as murder,” the district attorney’s office said.

The fatal accident occurred Nov. 23 when Nolan McDavid, 19, collided head on with the 17-year-old, officials say.

McDavid was pronounced dead at the scene of the wreck. At the time of his passing McDavid was attending college at the University of South Alabama.

According to Fox10 News, an Alabama Law Enforcement Agency state trooper testified that the teen was allegedly drunk at the time of the accident.

The 17-year-old allegedly had a blood alcohol content level of .111 and was driving 100 miles per hour, according to court testimony.

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New England Patriots expecting former Alabama defensive tackle back after illness

New England Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore is expected to begin the NFL team’s offseason program on time after a health issue wrecked his 2024 season, coach Mike Vrabel said on Monday.

“By all accounts, he’s going to participate in the voluntary offseason program,” the Patriots’ new coach told reporters at the AFC coaches breakfast at the annual league meetings in Palm Beach, Florida.

On July 28, New England announced Barmore had been diagnosed with blood clots. The former Alabama standout did not practice again with his teammates until Nov. 14, and Barmore played 21 defensive snaps in the Patriots’ 28-22 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 17 in his 2024 debut.

Barmore played 66 defensive snaps across the next two games, and he got his first sack of the season on Nov. 24, when he took down Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, a former Alabama teammate.

But on Dec. 19, Barmore’s fourth NFL season ended when the Patriots placed him on reserve/non-football injury because of “recurring symptoms that required further evaluation” related to the ailment.

“He popped in the other day to see the doctors,” Vrabel said on Monday. “I knew Christian from when I saw him at Alabama. Haven’t really had any interaction with him. And when he walked into the training room, just his energy and presence, so I know that he’s feeling better. We’ll continue to evaluate him. It’s something very serious.

“We take the health of our players extremely serious, especially when you’re talking about something like blood clots, and we’re going to have a great plan for him. We’re going to do right by him whatever is necessary, however we can get him to help us based on days of practice, based on everything that he needs. And we don’t have that plan yet, but we’re continuing to work through it.”

Barmore joined New England from Alabama’s 2020 undefeated CFP national-championship team in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft. After playing in every game as a rookie, Barmore played in 10 in 2022 because of injuries.

In 2023, Barmore reached career highs with 64 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, 16 quarterback hits and six pass breakups.

After that season, New England signed Barmore to a four-year, $83 million contract extension.

This offseason, the Patriots signed free agent defensive tackle Milton Williams from the Philadelphia Eagles to a four-year, $104 million contract.

New England’s offseason program is scheduled to start on April 7.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.

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Finebaum comes out swinging at SEC basketball critics: ‘They have broken their jaw’

Paul Finebaum came out swinging Monday, a day after half of the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four is populated by SEC teams.

The SEC Network’s analyst’s targets were all the critics of the conference’s basketball programs.

“The SEC has completely silenced the critics,” Finebaum told “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning” on Monday. “They have not only silenced them, they have broken their jaw and emptied their mouth of teeth.”

The numbers are staggering. The SEC had 14 teams in March Madness, set a record with seven teams in the Sweet 16. Four teams made the Elite Eight.

“It is such a remarkable achievement that 2 SEC schools have made it to the Final Four, but it almost seems like a letdown after what we have seen this basketball season and really during the last couple days of the tournament,” he said of both Auburn and Florida advancing to the final weekend. “Because there was a moment Saturday when I was thinking ‘You know what, they might all get there (to the Final Four)‘.”

H/T Saturday Down South

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.

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Braves’ star gets 80-game MLB ban for PED violation: ‘I would never knowingly do anything to cheat’

The Atlanta Braves’ Jurickson Profar will serve an 80-game suspension Monday as a result of testing positive for a banned substance, it was reported.

The outfielder tested positive for chorionic gonadotropin, a performance-enhancing drug, ESPN reports, according to Major League Baseball.

Mike Rodriguez was the first to report the news.

As part of the suspension, Profar will be ineligible for the 2025 postseason as part of his suspension.

“This is especially painful for me because anyone who knows me and has seen me play knows I am deeply passionate about the game,” Profar wrote as part of his statement, per ESPN. “There is nothing I love more than competing with my teammates and being a fan favorite. I want to apologize to the entire Braves organization, my teammates, and the fans. It is because of my deep love and respect for this game that I would never knowingly do anything to cheat it.”

Profar added that he was tested eight times for PEDs in 2024 and “never tested positive.”

Profar will be eligible to return June 29 against Philadelphia and would lose $5,806,440 of his $12 million salary.

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.

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What Bruce Pearl said about facing one of his former assistants in the Final Four

Saturday’s Final Four game between Auburn and Florida will feature familiarity on multiple levels.

Not only is it a rematch of the two teams’ Feb. 8 meeting, but it’s another matchup between Bruce Pearl and Todd Golden, who worked together on Auburn’s staff from 2014-2016.

Golden was one of Pearl’s first assistant coaches when he became Auburn’s head coach, and since then Golden spent time as both an assistant and the head coach at San Francisco before landing at Florida.

Pearl made an appearance on the Paul Finebaum show Monday afternoon and was if it’d be weird to face a coach he’s been so close with in the Final Four.

“It is, because the relationship is that close,” Pearl said on the show. “If we have to play each other, let’s do it for a championship. So, I’m so proud of Todd and so happy for him.”

Pearl also said that for the last two months, he’s thought Florida is the best team in the country. Part of that two-month stretch for the Gators included beating Auburn in Neville Arena, one of the Tigers’ two home losses this season.

The rematch between Auburn and Florida in the Final Four is set to tip off at 5:09 p.m. Saturday. The game will be televised on CBS from the Alamodome in San Antonio.

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at [email protected]m

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Robertsdale football coach Cris Bell steps down after 1 season

Cris Bell has resigned after one season as head football coach at Robertsdale High.

Bell confirmed his resignation to AL.com on Monday afternoon but did not want to comment further. He did say he has accepted another coaching position in the state.

The Golden Bears went 2-8 in his only season. The defeated Chickasaw and Elberta to open the season before losing the final eight games. The Chickasaw win broke a streak of 24 straight losses by the school.

Bell spent his first 9 years as a head coach at Oak Mountain, accumulating a 47-49 overall record. He then spent three years at Scottsboro, leading that team to a 18-15 mark.

It’s been a tough go for Robertsdale, which hasn’t made the playoffs since 2004 and hasn’t won a playoff game since 2001.

The Golden Bears play in Class 7A, Region 1 along with Alma Bryant, Baker, Daphne, Davidson, Fairhope, Foley and Mary G. Montgomery.

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Live updates on TCU vs. Texas from March Madness in Birmingham

Two star-studded teams from the Lone Star State will be facing off in Birmingham.

Texas is set to face off against TCU in the Elite Eight at Legacy Arena for the final game of March Madness in Birmingham.

TCU is aiming for the program’s first Final Four appearance, while Texas is hunting for its fourth and first since 2003.

Monday’s matchup will be broadcast on ESPN.

RELATED: Madison Conner almost said no to TCU. Here’s why she changed her mind

Rewinding South Carolina’s Elite Eight victory over Duke in Birmingham

The winner will face off against South Carolina in the Final Four in Tampa, Florida, on Friday.

Follow along here for updates from the matchup.

5:32 p.m., Heading back: The Horned Frogs are making their way to the locker room for final talk before a matchup against Texas.

5:25 p.m., Getting set: TCU is warming up before heading to the locker room for the final time before the game starts against Texas.

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