Follow all of Sunday's NCAA Tournament second round games withUSA TODAY Sports' live updates.
The last entrant into this year's Sweet 16 will either beTexas TechorAlabama.
Both are dealing with major absences in their lineups -- for two very different reasons.
Texas Tech star JT Toppin, the 2025 Big 12 Player of the Year,tore his ACL on Feb. 18and will miss the rest of the season. The Red Raiders went 3-3 entering the NCAA Tournament without him.
March Madness conference records:Big Ten leads at 12-2; How are SEC, Big 12 doing?
Alabamawill be playing without its second-leading scorerAden Hollowayafter hewas arrested on two felonieson March 16, for possession 2.1 pounds of marijuana in his residence. The University of Alabama released a statement and said Holloway was removed from campus and won't return to the team until the university's office of student conduct finishes its investigation.
A Texas Christian University Horned Frogs cheerleader practices before the game during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
See best of March Madness 2026, from mascots and fans to celebrities
A Texas Christian University Horned Frogs cheerleader practices before the game during a first round game of the men's2026 NCAATournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, SC.
But even with those two missing, there's still a matchup of stars worth your attention: Texas Tech's Christian Anderson vs. Alabama's Labaron Philon.
The winner of tonight's game will advance to next week's Sweet 16 where it will face No. 1 Michigan in Chicago.
Here's what you need to know for tonight's game:
HIT REFRESH FOR UPDATES.
Texas Tech vs Alabama live score
What time is Texas Tech vs Alabama?
Time: 9:45 p.m. ET, Sunday.
What channel is Texas Tech vs Alabama? How to watch, streaming info
The game is airing on TBS, streaming via Fubo.
Texas Tech vs Alabama prediction, odds
Odds provided byBetMGM, as of 4:30 p.m., Sunday.
Advertisement
∎Nathan Giese, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech 82, Alabama 79
One thing Texas Tech has going for it is the plethora of offensive weapons beyond Anderson. Alabama, meanwhile, has to rely on Philon to carry much of the offensive burden without Aden Holloway. The Red Raiders do well when they can let one player do the damage and take everybody else out of the equation.
∎Emilee Smarr, Tuscaloosa News:Alabama 84, Texas Tech 80
John Leuzzi: Texas Tech
Jordan Mendoza: Texas Tech
Ehsan Kassim: Texas Tech
Blake Schuster: Texas Tech
Moneyline: Alabama (-110); Texas Tech (-110)
Spread: Texas Tech (-1.5)
Over/under total: 164.5
Why isn'tAden Hollowayplaying for Alabama? Latest arrest details on drug charges
Holloway was arrested on Monday, March 16 and charged with first-degree possession of marijuana and failure to affix a tax stamp after the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force found 2.1 pounds of marijuana in his residence.
He was transported to the Tuscaloosa County Jail and was set with a $5,000 bond, according toThe Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. The University of Alabama later released a statement and said he was removed from campus and won't return to the team until the university's office of student conduct finishes its investigation.
Duel between Labaron Philon vs Christian Anderson will be must-see
Texas Tech's Anderson averages 7.5 assists to rank No. 3 in the country, trailing just Braden Smith of Purdue and Jeremy Fears Jr. of Michigan State. Meanwhile, Philon's 4.8 assists struggle to crack the top 75. That being said, Alabama had one more elite option to dish out the ball in its nationally-acclaimed backcourt prior to the arrest of Aden Holloway on Monday, March 16.
Both sophomores can shoot, too. Philon touts a field-goal percentage of better than 51% to average 22 points per game, but Anderson isn't far behind, shooting 48% from the floor to average 19 points per contest.
Where is JT Toppin? What happened to Texas Tech star?
Toppin, a first team All-Big 12 pick, started 25 games before his season-ending ACL tear against Arizona State on Feb. 18. At the time, Toppin was averaging career-highs in points (21.8) and rebounds (10.8) per game, shooting 54.8% from the field.
This isn't the JT Toppin show anymore, and it hasn't been for a while. Texas Tech has had to move on. While Toppin is still very much part of the team — he was on FaceTime with several Red Raider teammates in the locker room after the Akron game — it's unfair to the players still on the floor to make it about the guy who isn't there.
"It's tough because we all care for JT," Petty said. "I love him. He's my brother. It's tough."Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reporter Nathan Giese contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Texas Tech vs Alabama live score updates, highlights from March Madness Round 2
