Alabama State’s 70-68 First 4 win over Saint Francis (PA) on Tuesday night will not be going to be remembered as scientific masterpiece of basketball.
It was sloppy. There have been turnovers. At occasions the second appeared to be a little bit too massive for 2 small faculties combating for a No. 16 seed in a subject of 64. This footage will not be going to the Basketball Corridor of Fame anytime quickly.
These are groups — and gamers — not used to being within the highlight. They don’t seem to be solely human, they’re faculty children. Nerves are going to creep in.
However even with all of that being the case, it was nonetheless an incredible instance as to why these First 4 video games can nonetheless be magical, and why they are often the proper method to kick off March Insanity annually. Particularly when it’s the video games involving the 16 seeds.
This recreation had all of it, proper all the way down to a chaotic end.
ALABAMA STATE TAKES A LEAD IN THE FINAL SECOND #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/TktQHBcwo9
— NCAA March Insanity (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 19, 2025
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It additionally is an efficient counter-argument to the concept that the First 4 video games ought to solely be for the at-large bubble groups which are the final ones within the subject.
That is all about alternative. It is a chance for the smaller faculties and gamers to shine after they would in any other case be missed.
It is a chance for a college like Alabama State to say it received an NCAA Event recreation. And whether or not you consider these video games rely or not, the fact is, it is nonetheless a match win. It counts.
On the opposite aspect, it is a chance for an excellent smaller college like Saint Francis to expertise the heartbreak that may include a last-second, buzzer-beating defeat in March.
Beneath the 64-team format that didn’t characteristic the First 4 video games, faculties like this could have by no means had a possibility to expertise the drama and big-time strain of a recreation like this.
They might have merely been thrown proper into the lion’s den in opposition to a No. 1 seed, misplaced by 24 or extra factors to Auburn or Duke, after which went residence with a principally forgettable expertise.
However this? This was the precise March Insanity expertise in each single manner.
It was two evenly matched groups, enjoying a good, shut recreation that got here all the way down to a dramatic end that has one crew experiencing the most important second in its program historical past, and one other leaving with big remorse and the sensation of an enormous missed alternative.
It had all the pieces you possibly can presumably need in a match recreation. And it was nice.
Adam Gretz is a contract author based mostly in Pittsburgh. He covers the NHL, NFL, MLB and NBA. Baseball is his favourite sport — he’s practically midway by way of his objective of seeing a recreation in each MLB ballpark. Catch him on Twitter @AGretz
