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General

Redstone gun arrests, CHOOSE Act deadline: Down in Alabama

Gun arrests at Redstone

When the state’s permitless-carry law went into effect, it meant that Alabamians, in Alabama, no longer need a permit to carry a concealed weapon or take their legal firearm in a vehicle. It did not mean, however, that people can bring their guns to military bases.

AL.com’s Finn Lincoln reports that since that law took effect at the beginning of 2023, 99 people have been arrested for allegedly illegally taking guns to Redstone Arsenal. The frequency of the arrests is higher than at even the larger military bases in Alabama, and it’s been going up. There have been 37 already this year.

Why that’s the case is up for debate, but Redstone Deputy Police Chief Dennis Brown points to Redstone’s high percentage of non-military commuters and the base’s aggressive approach on the issue.

Brown said most of the cases involve external contractors who don’t work on the base, and even people who are lost. It’s a federal misdemeanor to bring an unapproved firearm onto the base, but in some cases the charges get a lot more serious when you also mix in possession of narcotics, drunk driving or outstanding tickets and warrants.

Finn spoke with a couple of people who said they mistakenly ended up at Redstone Arsenal with a firearm and spent hours or even days in jail while their cases were investigated and sorted out.

CHOOSE Act deadline

Parents of school-age children who’d like to use the state’s new school-choice option: You have one more week to apply for an education savings account, reports AL.com’s Rebecca Griesbach.

As you may recall, the CHOOSE Act provides students up to $7,000 in tax credits to be used for tuition to a private school, with lesser amounts available for home-schooled students.

The application process closes April 7 for next school year.

There are criteria that will give some students priority. The first 500 ESAs will go to students with disabilities. Others with some advantage in the distribution are some children of active-duty military members, siblings of other students in the program and low-income students.

Out-of-state abortions

U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson ruled that the Alabama attorney general can’t prosecute people or groups who help women travel outside the state in order to have an abortion, reports The Associated Press.

There haven’t been any such criminal cases, but state AG Steve Marshall had said he would be looking at whether helping an out-of-state abortion take place would violate the state’s criminal conspiracy laws. The Yellowhammer Fund, which assists those seeking abortions, and some medical providers then sued Marshall over the issue.

In his ruling, Thompson said that prosecuting those cases would violate the First Amendment and the right to travel.

Storm injuries

Two students were injured at Dothan Preparatory Academy as Monday’s storms rolled through, reports AL.com’s Carol Robinson.

The storm did include a tornado warning. The National Weather Service will investigate the effects of the storm to decide whether to confirm that it was a tornado that hit the school, damaged a roof and caused debris to fall.

The students were treated on the scene by paramedics.

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Born on This Date

In 1853 or 1854, self-taught artist Bill Traylor of Dallas County. Born into slavery, he moved at a young age to a Lowndes County plantation, where he stayed on after the war to work as a sharecropper. Late in his life he moved to Montgomery and started drawing and painting, developing a style that, along with a life experience that’s extremely rare among prolific artists, caused his legacy to take off decades after his death in 1949.

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General

Southeast Alabama under a dense fog advisory until Tuesday morning – limited visibility

At 3:06 a.m. on Tuesday, the National Weather Service released a dense fog advisory in effect until 9 a.m. for Coffee, Dale, Henry, Geneva and Houston counties.

The weather service says to prepare for, “Visibility one quarter mile or less in dense fog.”

“Low visibility could make driving conditions hazardous,” comments the weather service. “If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you.”

Fog safety: Tips from the weather service for safe travels

If a dense fog advisory is issued for your area, it means that widespread dense fog has developed and visibility often drops to just a quarter-mile or less. These conditions can make driving challenging, so exercise extreme caution on the road, and if possible, consider delaying your trip.

If you must drive in foggy conditions, keep the following safety tips in mind:

Moderate your speed:

Slow down and allow extra travel time to reach your destination safely.

Visibility priority:

Ensure your vehicle is visible to others by using low-beam headlights, which also activate your taillights. If you have fog lights, use them.

Avoid high-beams:

Refrain from using high-beam headlights, as they create glare that impairs your visibility on the road.

Keep your distance:

Maintain a significant following distance to account for abrupt stops or shifts in traffic patterns.

Stay in your lane:

To ensure you are staying in the correct lane, use the road’s lane markings as a guide.

Visibility near zero:

In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business, and stop.

Limited parking options:

If no parking area is available, pull your vehicle as far to the roadside as possible. Once stationary, turn off all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights are not illuminated, reducing the risk of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.

By adhering to these recommendations from the weather service, you can navigate foggy conditions with greater safety, mitigating the risk of accidents and prioritizing your well-being.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.

General

Today’s daily horoscopes: April 1, 2025

Freud said, “There are no jokes,” but whether he said it with a straight face or a gleam in his eye is a detail that’s eluded documentation. Today’s April Foolin’ will touch on truths that catch us off guard. Whether by delight, annoyance or other, surprise is the pulse of life itself — the unexpected rush is what makes the ride worth taking.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). How exactly does this plane of existence work? Is destiny a puppet master pulling strings, a mathematical equation charting odds, a poem sent to heavenly realms on the neck of a pigeon? Whatever theory you claim, the day will seem to prove it.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Not enjoying the work? It’s probably not the task — it’s the gap between what you know and what you need to know. Frustration is just the feeling of skill loading. Stick with it, stay curious, and soon, it’ll click.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Criticism isn’t a sign you should quit. The teacher is more likely to criticize a student with potential than one without. Hang in there with a willingness to try things a few different ways. And remember, teachers make mistakes, too.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Silk and denim garments both cover you, but one demands delicate care while the other can take a beating. Expensive tastes require sacrifice — whether in upkeep, exclusivity or sheer effort. The question is: Is the trade worth it?

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). It’s easy to see the flaws of others, but it takes an emotionally mature person to see what’s going on in oneself. Perhaps “flaw” isn’t the most helpful word — “adaptation” is better. Everyone is doing their best in this complex obstacle course.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). While most people wait for a reason to dive deep, you’ve always had the instinct to do it unprompted. No external push, just the steady call of your inner world, ready to measure what you have within. And here you go again …

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You’ll be enriched by the stories and information others share with you. But how do you open the vault? One excellent question is the key. This question will be casual, though it happens to hit where the lock is.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Everyone cares what other people think of them to some degree and often will go to great lengths to hide their concerns. Assume people are pretending not to be affected by what very much affects them. Be gentler than the situation requires.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Whether excited or unsettled, it’s the unpredictable and raw moments in which real growth and change take root. You can’t plan for or control the unknown, but you can roll with it with varying degrees of grace.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Your tenderness is a rare and beautiful gift, best invested where it’s most appreciated. Of course, there are those you’ll love unconditionally, and in those cases, the love you give is what loves you back, and anything else is a bonus.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Many people have some degree of social anxiety. Even the people who look very much in control could have secret doubts. And absolutely everyone says the wrong thing at times. Don’t focus on what went wrong. Just try again.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Taking on too much leads to diminished results in all categories. But how do you rein in the ambition that surges through you? Maybe you don’t. Instead of scattering your energy too soon, let the ideas incubate somewhere safe, such as a diary.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (April 1). This will be a year of extraordinary determination and focus. Dreams take shape in your mind and you live as though you’re already in them. The real world follows this mental blueprint you lay out. More highlights: Status in a social circle, a financial goal realized, and a new chapter in love that offers thrills, tenderness and stability. Aquarius and Virgo adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 7, 28, 4, 17 and 1.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Like an Aries, Susan Boyle has been retraining her voice after health setbacks and is preparing to star in an upcoming documentary and a potential tour. Aries lives by determination, courage and passion. Boyle auditioned for “Britain’s Got Talent” in 2009 despite facing initial skepticism due to her appearance. She continued to pursue a career in music later in life, releasing one hit album after another and touring all over the world, captivating audiences with her powerful voice and emotive delivery. Boyle has Venus in Aries as well.

Holiday Mathis’ debut novel, “How To Fail Epically in Hollywood,” is out now! This fast-paced romp about achieving Hollywood stardom is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit creatorspublishing.com for more information. Write Holiday Mathis at HolidayMathis.com.

General

Troy advances to Women’s NIT Fab 4 after overtime win

Troy is in the Fab 4 of the Women’s NIT for the second straight year after a 97-88 victory at North Dakota State on Monday night.

The Trojans outscored the Bison 16-7 in the extra period, connecting on 10 free throws to win going away at the Scheels Center in Fargo, N.D. Troy (23-13) advances to a semifinal game at Illinois State at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday for a shot at the NIT championship game.

“It’s remarkable to watch,” Troy coach Chanda Rigby said. “For all those watching, we appreciate you. This journey continues to be incredible. Now, we’re in the Fab 4 for the second time in a row. We are determined to keep this going and go for a national championship.”

Briana Peguero led Troy with a career-high 22 points, going 10-for-11 on free throws. Shaulana Wagner added 18 points, while Zay Dyer (14), Brianna Jackson (14) and Fortuna Ngnawo (11) were also in double-figures scoring.

Avery Koenen led North Dakota State (21-12) with 23 points and 14 rebounds, while Abby Schulte added 12 points and five assists. It was the Bison’s second loss this season to Troy, which also won 86-69 in the Great Alaska Shootout on Nov. 23 in Anchorage.

Troy won the rebounding battle 56-37, with Jackson grabbing 14 and Ngnawo 13. The Trojans shot 43% from the field and made 26 free throws.

“No matter the outcome, I was so proud of this team,” said Rigby, whose team lost to Minnesota in last year’s WNIT semifinals. “We were put in adverse situations all game long and this team persevered throughout. It was clear after the first half that they were going to score inside and at the line. So, we made those adjustments, and this team did a great job executing.

“It wasn’t just the big shots from (Peguero), it was how tough she played. She took it all to heart and played out of her mind. I’m also proud of Shaulana. She’s become a coach on the floor and knows how to get everyone involved.”

Buffalo hosts Cleveland State in the other Women’s NIT Fab 4 game on Wednesday. The WNIT championship game is set for Saturday.

General

‘They played their hearts out’: Texas puts on defensive clinic in victory over TCU

It was exactly the kind of performance Vic Schaefer loves to see from his team.

A wire-to-wire performance on Monday saw Texas hold TCU to its lowest point total of the season and hold the Horned Frogs to a mere 12-for-45 (26.6%) from the field, forcing a dominant 21 turnovers.

“They played their hearts out, y’all,” the longtime coach said of his team. “I think everybody in here would agree to that. They were tough, they made plays, and when we had to have some good offense they came up with it.”

A dominant defensive performance lifted the Longhorns to a 58-47 victory over TCU in the Elite Eight on Monday, punching the program’s first ticket to the Final Four since 2003.

But, it wasn’t anything that wasn’t expected.

“I expect these things, I expect all my teammates to step up,” Madison Booker said. “The thing is, throughout this tournament, everybody stepped up: everybody. It’s been like this throughout the season. Throughout conference, we had different people step up, and me and Rori, we’re just being leaders. We’re just talking, trying to set an example for the team. But, I expect it.

“It’s been like this all season so, why not keep doing it?”

TCU boasted the No. 23-ranked scoring offense in the nation (77.5 points per game) going into Monday’s matchup, with star player Hailey Van Lith fresh off of a 26-point performance against Notre Dame.

“I think everybody was talking about how efficient their offense has been all year, and it has been: they’re really, really good offensively,” Schaefer said. “They’ve got playmakers, they’ve got kids that can make plays when offense breaks down.

“I thought our press was number one thing. I thought it was really critical, even if we didn’t get a turnover, we really made them work hard to get it in. When they got it in, they had to try to figure out how to run some offense. I think we had them pushed out on the floor quite well.”

The Longhorns held Van Lith to a 3-for-15 shooting night from the field, with 10 of her 17 points coming off of free throws for the Horned Frogs.

Rori Harmon and Shay Holle draw the defensive assignment on Van Lith, noting how important it is to keep the ball out of her hands with the way the offense runs through her.

“Team defense always is the number one thing, trying to limit her touches as much,” Harmon said. “She’s a three-level scorer and a great basketball player, and she played really well for them.”

“Staying in front; I think with a good basketball player and ball handler like she is, like me personally I can’t gamble on dribbles and hesies, have to cut her off, get her to let go of the ball. A lot of their offense runs through her and she makes good plays. So getting the ball out of her hands is definitely one of the keys.”

Holle expressed pride in the defense — especially on Van Lith — which she said was a goal going into Monday’s matchup.

“When me and Rori got into switches, we did a really good job of switching out hard,” Holle said, Trying to get the ball out of her hands, she is a super talented guard. Being really consistent and like she said, not biting on her things. She is just really talented.

“I think we pressured her a lot and made other people try to run the offense a little bit.”

Ahead of a matchup in the Final Four with a talented South Carolina team, Schaefer can take a dominant showing on the defensive side of the ball into a matchup with loads of offensive firepower.

“Kyla Oldacre down here is denying their 5 player in the press, really making it hard,” Schaefer said. “Rori is always going to make it hard on somebody and I thought she did an amazing job on Van Lith, defended her exceptionally well, go with her in the press, made her work for everything.

“It’s just a combination of a lot of things that had to happen for us to have a chance to win, and this group did it.”

General

Hailey Van Lith’s final season of college basketball brought her more than just accolades

TCU’s locker room on Monday was met with a wave of emotional moments.

The group shared tears, laughter, stories and jokes, all of which being some of the last that would be shared together.

Hailey Van Lith will remember them all.

“I’m forever connected to these women and this coaching staff,” the star said on Monday. “I am just really honored to have them in my life and it was awesome to hear from everybody.”

A loss to Texas in the Elite Eight on Monday in Birmingham ended a historic basketball career for Van Lith, who is the only player to lead three different programs to an Elite Eight appearance.

But on Monday in a sacred locker room meeting, every point, win and championship took a backseat for Van Lith.

“A lot of it was just gratitude for each other,” she said. “We’ve all been on unique journeys, and we’ve all meant different things to each other at different points in our lives. It was a ton of gratitude, a ton of love and a lot of people spoke.

“It wasn’t just us four, it wasn’t just Coach Campbell, it was really awesome to hear. It broke your heart even more hearing each other talk because you realize tomorrow we won’t get to practice.”

In her final season of college basketball with TCU, Van Lith claimed Big 12 Player of the Year honors as she set the program’s single-season records in points (680) and assists (202), averaging 17.9 points, 5.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds a game.

She shot 46.3% from the field and 34.4% from beyond the arc, adding 42 steals and 22 blocks on defense in her lone season in Fort Worth.

“I have a hard time believing that anybody in any sport in one year can have a greater impact than what Hailey Van Lith has had at TCU,” coach Mark Campbell said. “Obviously, there’s the basketball piece and a single season of scoring record, a single-season assist record, and was the leader of this group that won 34 games and took us to an Elite Eight.”

Vocal about her mental health struggles, Van Lith noted how her faith and the teammates around her were as she transitioned from LSU to TCU out of the transfer portal and put together a historic season.

She said her journey over the last five seasons — the first three at Louisville — were nothing that she expected.

“It was a lot of nights of being, like, I feel like God has put this thing on my heart to be great, but it’s not working out right now,” she said. ‘A lot of times I had to look at myself in the mirror and just be like, ‘What do you want, Hailey? Who are you?’ I’m grateful for it. I’m grateful for the fact that He gave me a hard journey, because I would not be the woman I am sitting up here without it.

“I really praise God for the struggle and the suffering. I praise Him for the nights where I didn’t want to be alive anymore. I praise Him for the nights that I was on medication because I couldn’t sleep or eat. And it’s painful to talk about it but it’s really how beautiful life is.”

Campbell said that Van Lith being able to let her guard down and open up to those on the team changed him and helped make him a better coach.

“Her allowing me to go on that journey with her and walk through her struggles that she has had is one of the reasons the season that she had has unfolded,” he TCU coach said. “When her teammates get to see someone with her platform open up and allow me to coach her, challenge her, love her, encourage her, it breaks down walls for everybody.

“We have a group of those four young women that were all on their own journey and had different struggles and different insecurities and you guys it’s why this thing became such a tight-knit family. This thing is a freaking sisterhood. There were so many tears and laughter that were in that locker room after this game. As a staff, that means we’ve done our job well.”

Projected as one of the top picks in the upcoming WNBA Draft, Van Lith will take the best season in TCU history into her next step of basketball to cap off her historic college basketball career.

But, she assured Fort Worth of one thing: she isn’t going anywhere.

“I can’t wait to be a TCU alum,” Van Lith said. “I can’t wait to come back and give back to this program and continue having my relationship with coach. I think he will be around for the rest of my life.

“That’s the best part about this year.”

General

Byrne: ‘No truth’ to rumors of Nate Oats considering Maryland job

After Kevin Willard’s messy departure to Villanova opened the Maryland head coach job, Alabama basketball’s Nate Oats was one of the rumored candidates. Oats never showed any sign of potentially departing the Crimson Tide, and none of the rumors came from reputable sources, but still, UA athletics director Greg Byrne shot them down on Monday.

During an appearance on a Fox News podcast, Byrne was asked about the talk that his coach could relocate to College Park.

“I can absolutely tell you that there’s no truth to that,” Byrne said on the Will Cain Show.

News of Willard’s impending departure to Villanova broke before Maryland lost in the NCAA Tournament. He had previously been disgruntled with the Terps’ focus on football over basketball.

Oats received an extension last year, after the Michigan job opened. He would owe Alabama $18 million if he left in the first two years of the deal.

The Crimson Tide’s 2024-25 season came to an end on Saturday. Alabama, led by Oats, cruised through the first two rounds, then put up a record breaking shooting performance in the Sweet 16 to beat BYU.

Then, Duke got out in front of the Tide in the Elite Eight and Alabama was never able to catch up. UA fell a game short of its second Final Four in school history. After arriving back in Tuscaloosa, Oats and his staff got to work in the current transfer portal window.

Alabama lost Naas Cunningham, who redshirted his freshman year, but got a big pickup in the Patriot League’s reigning player of the year. Noah Williamson reportedly committed to the Crimson Tide Monday evening.

The transfer portal remains open through April 22.

General

Decatur police officer failed to prove he killed Steve Perkins in self-defense, judge rules

An Alabama judge ruled on Monday that a police officer did not prove that he was acting in self-defense when he shot an armed Black man who was standing in his own front yard, after body camera footage revealed the officer firing 18 bullets less than two seconds after identifying himself as law enforcement.

Mac Marquette, 25, is charged with murder in the fatal shooting of Steve Perkins shortly before 2 a.m. on Sept. 29, 2023, while accompanying a tow-truck driver to repossess Perkins’ pickup truck at his home in Decatur.

Morgan County circuit judge Charles Elliott denied Marquette’s motion to dismiss the case in a self-defense immunity hearing. The new trial date is set for June, but the defense can appeal Elliott’s decision with the state appellate court.

Alabama’s “stand your ground” law grants immunity from prosecution to any individual who uses deadly force as long as they are in a place they have a right to be and reasonably believe they are in danger.

Elliott wrote that the jury will have to consider whether Marquette was “acting in his capacity as a police officer” when he shot Perkins.

“It is on this hinge that the door of this case swings,” he said.

Tow-truck driver Caleb Combs was authorized by Perkins’ creditor to repossess the truck because Perkins was months behind on his payments, according to lien documents entered into evidence. But the ruling said that Marquette wasn’t authorized to assist Combs based on an Alabama law that requires a court order for law enforcement to be involved in a repossession, which the officers didn’t have.

The judge heard conflicting testimony in an earlier hearing about why Marquette and the two other officers, Joey Williams and Christopher Mukadam, were at Perkins’ house in the first place.

Marquette, Mukadam and Williams were dispatched to help Combs after Perkins pointed a gun at his chest when the tow-truck driver first tried to take Perkins’ vehicle, according to testimony from Williams and Mukadam. Combs met the officers at a nearby tow-yard.

Combs waited for the three officers to set up covertly around Perkins’ house before Combs’ returned to repossess Perkins’ vehicle for a second time. All three officers were intentionally hidden from Perkins’ front door when Combs returned and Perkins’ again emerged from his house with his gun, pointing it at Combs.

Body camera footage revealed that Marquette unloaded all the bullets in his gun less than two seconds after he emerged from where he was hiding on the side of Perkins’ house. Even then, the judge wrote, Marquette was partially obstructed by the bed of Perkins’ truck. Perkins turned to face Marquette, and briefly tried to move his gun away from the officer before Marquette started shooting, according to Elliott.

Before Combs returned to Perkins’ house, the order said that the officers should have told Combs “that he could take whoever he wanted with him to assist with the repossession, but it could not be law enforcement without judicial process.”

Both officers who were with Marquette testified that they were there to “keep the peace” and to “investigate” Perkins for pulling a gun on Combs, which could be a misdemeanor charge of menacing if Combs had decided to press charges.

The state agent who investigated the case testified that it was standard practice for officers to accompany people to help maintain order. But he also said that typically “visibility” is required to keep the peace, and that the way that the officers set up was “unusual” for investigating menacing because it is a method typically “used for an active crime scene.”

Because there was no active crime scene when the officers arrived, Elliott ruled that Marquette was “acting outside of the scope of his authority” to investigate a menacing allegation “and was therefore a trespasser” when he waited outside of Perkins house.

Elliott said that the jury will have to decide whether Marquette was at Perkins’ house to keep the peace.

Based on that determination, the ruling read, the jury will have to decide both whether that means Marquette was acting within the scope of his responsibilities as a police officer, and whether a “reasonable” officer would have killed Perkins in the same situation.

General

Alabama AG cannot prosecute those who help women travel out of state for abortion, judge rules

Alabama’s attorney general cannot prosecute people and groups who help Alabama women travel to other states to obtain abortions, a federal judge ruled Monday.

U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson sided with an abortion fund and medical providers who sued Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall after he suggested they could face prosecution under anti-conspiracy laws. Thompson’s ruling declared that such prosecutions would violate both the First Amendment and a person’s right to travel.

Marshall has not pursued any such prosecutions. However, he said he would “look at closely” whether facilitating out-of-state abortions is a violation of Alabama’s criminal conspiracy laws. The ruling was a victory for Yellowhammer Fund, an abortion assistance fund that had paused providing financial assistance to low-income people in the state because of the possibility of prosecution.

Alabama bans abortion at any stage of pregnancy with no exceptions for rape and incest.

“It is one thing for Alabama to outlaw by statute what happens in its own backyard. It is another thing for the state to enforce its values and laws, as chosen by the attorney general, outside its boundaries by punishing its citizens and others who help individuals travel to another state to engage in conduct that is lawful there but the attorney general finds to be contrary to Alabama’s values and laws,′ Thompson wrote in the 131-page opinion.

Thompson said it would be the same as the state trying to prosecute Alabamians planning a Las Vegas bachelor party since casino gambling is also outlawed in the state.

Yellowhammer Fund, an obstetrician and others had filed lawsuits seeking a court declaration that such prosecutions are not allowed.

“Today is a good day for pregnant Alabamians who need lawful out-of-state abortion care,” Jenice Fountain, executive director of Yellowhammer Fund, said in a statement. “The efforts of Alabama’s attorney general to isolate pregnant people from their communities and support systems has failed.”

A spokesperson for the Alabama attorney general’s office said i, “the Office is reviewing the decision to determine the State’s options.”

General

Alabama basketball lands huge transfer portal addition in Bucknell star: Report

Early on Monday, Alabama basketball saw its first transfer portal departure, in Naas Cunningham. Later in the day, the Crimson Tide made its first pickup since falling in the Elite Eight, when Noah Williamson committed to the Crimson Tide, according to Joe Tipton from On3.

Williamson, who began his college career at Bucknell, will provide a presence in the middle that UA was set to lose with Cliff Omoruyi out of eligibility. The 7-foot-0, 250-pound forward/ center from Latvia was the Patriot League’s player of the year last season.

Williamson averaged 17.6 points and 7.6 rebounds last season for the Bison. Bucknell won the regular season championship in the Patriot League, but fell in the conference tournament and did not make the NCAA Tournament.

The addition of Williamson means he is currently the tallest player on Alabama’s roster, just ahead of Aiden Sherrell and Jarin Stevenson. His presence could be huge for a Crimson Tide team that relied heavily on Omoruyi’s inside attack during the early rounds of the NCAA Tournament.

Williamson spent three seasons at Bucknell, leaving him with one year of eligibility for Alabama. In addition to the conference’s player of the year honor, he made the Patriot League all-defensive team for his efforts during the 2025-25 campaign.

He made 53.8% of his field goal attempts last season, and 61.7% of his free throws.

Alabama cruised through the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, leading to a Sweet 16 matchup with BYU. The Crimson Tide broke the all-time tournament record for threes in a single game during that matchup, and advanced to the Elite Eight.

However, the magic ran out against No. 1-seeded Duke. The Blue Devils got out ahead of Alabama, which could never close the gap and fell one game short of the Final Four.

Cunningham left the Crimson Tide after redshirting his freshman season. The transfer portal remains open through April 22.