Alabama star Labaron Philon’s confident message amid monster game vs. Hofstra

Nate Oats commented on Labaron Philon’s determination to win following the Alabama Crimson Tide’s 90-70 blowout win over Hofstra in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament on Friday night.

Philon stands out as the star scorer for the Crimson Tide. He led them to an At-Large bid for the Big Dance, looking to get them on a deep tournament run.

In 36 minutes of action, Philon torched the Pride’s defense. He finished with a stat line of 29 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. He shot 10-of-18 from the field, including 3-of-7 from beyond the arc, and 6-of-7 from the free-throw line.

Oats reflected on Philon’s performance after the game, via The Next Round. The Crimson Tide coach had high praises for his star player for helping his team secure the victory and advance them to the next round.

“Labaron told me he wasn’t going home, and shoot, he’s pushing a triple double, ends up with 29 [points] eight [rebounds] and seven [assists]. That’s a pretty solid night from him… So a lot of good things from a lot of our guys. March, you gotta win or you go home, and we were able to figure out a win here, particularly in the second half. Now, we face a really tough team in Texas Tech on Sunday,” Oats said.

"Labaron told me he wasn't going home, and shoot, he was pushing a triple-double." – Nate Oats after Alabama's win over Hofstra to advance in the NCAA Tournament pic.twitter.com/PRRehldYt3

— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) March 20, 2026

How Labaron Philon, Alabama played against Hofstra

Labaron Philon showcased himself as a star on the big stage, leading Alabama to the comfortable win over Hofstra in the first round.

Five players scored in double-digits for Alabama in the win, including Philon. Aiden Sherrell delivered a strong performance with 15 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks. He shot 4-of-12 overall, including 2-of-6 from downtown, and 5-of-6 from the charity stripe. Taylor Bol Bowen came next with 15 points and three blocks, Amari Allen had 11 points and five rebounds, while Latrell Wrightsell provided 11 points and four rebounds.

The Crimson Tide will look forward to their next matchup in the second round of March Madness. They take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders as the game takes place on March 22.

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