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The 2025 NCAA Tournament wasted no time delivering drama, as No. 16 seed Alabama State stunned Saint Francis, 70-68, in the First Four on Tuesday night. A last-second play, culminating in a decisive basket by Amarr Knox, sealed the thrilling victory and marked an unforgettable start to March Madness.
With just 3.4 seconds remaining and the game tied, Alabama State executed a full-court inbounds play in a desperate bid for the win. The landed in heavy traffic, where two Saint Francis defenders attempted to deflect the ball. Instead, it bounced perfectly into Knox's hands under the basket.
The sophomore guard calmly sank the go-ahead shot as the clock ticked down to under a second. "We wanted to throw the ball in long, and we put our tallest, most athletic person to go get the ball," Knox said after the game. "Fortunately, the ball landed with me, I got the rebound and made the layup."
A leader to look up to
Knox led Alabama State with a team-high 16 points, including 10 in the second half, as the Hornets clawed back from a nine-point deficit. The improbable victory propels Alabama State into the first round of the NCAA Tournament, where they will face No. 1 overall seed Auburn on Thursday in Lexington, Kentucky.
Tip-off for that game is scheduled for 2:50 p.m. ET, in what seems to be a game where they could be on the wrong end of a loss, however the momentum from this victory could carry on towards the next round in the NCAA Tournament.
The win underscores the magic of March Madness, as Alabama State, a program often overlooked on the national stage, delivered a moment for the ages. For Knox and his teammates, it's an opportunity to relish their Cinderella moment and continue their fight against the tournament's toughest competition.