Top-seeded Alabama advances to Sweet 16 with dominant win over Maryland

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Brandon Miller heated up, and so did Alabama, which avoided the fate of two other top NCAA Tournament seeds and brushed aside Maryland 73-51 behind a dominant second half on Saturday night.

The Crimson Tide (31-5) advanced to their second Sweet 16 in the past three tournaments and ninth overall. Alabama will face fifth-seeded San Diego State in the South Region semifinals in Louisville, Kentucky, on Friday.

Before the game even tipped off two top seeds, Purdue and defending national champion Kansas, had gone down, and No. 1 seed Houston trailed Tide rival Auburn by 10 points at halftime earlier at Legacy Arena before pulling away.

Alabama and Miller got off to a slow start, but the All-America freshman and top NBA prospect wound up with 19 points after going scoreless in the first-round game. Miller is nursing a groin injury and missed his first nine shots of the tournament.

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Brandon Miller #24 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates with teammates during the first half against the Maryland Terrapins in the second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Legacy Arena at the BJCC on March 18, 2023, in Birmingham, Alabama.  (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Jahvon Quinerly scored 22 points on the one-year anniversary of his left knee injury early in a second-round loss to Notre Dame, which still limited him earlier this season. Quinerly made 4 of 6 3-pointers.

Charles Bediako had 10 points and 10 rebounds. Alabama's starters hit the bench with a couple of minutes left to chants of "Sweet 16" in the friendly crowd.

Julian Reese had 14 points for Maryland (22-13) before fouling out.