For twenty brilliant minutes, Alabama State danced with destiny. The Hornets, fresh off their first NCAA Tournament victory in program history, stormed into the Round of 64 with the audacity of a team that had nothing to lose and everything to prove. 

Facing the top overall seed Auburn—a powerhouse with legitimate Final Four aspirations—Alabama State played like they belonged, and for a while, they did. They punched first—hard. Threes rained. The defense swarmed. The crowd, eager for chaos, roared. They were playing with the kind of belief that turns Cinderella stories into something real.

Alas, March is cruel.

The Tigers, battle-tested and built for deep runs, turned up the defensive pressure, turned rebounds into transition points, and flexed the kind of depth that wins championships. The Hornets, running on adrenaline and sheer belief, fought like hell to keep pace, but Auburn’s second-half surge proved overwhelming. Final score: 83-63. 

But make no mistake, Alabama State measured up to the moment. They put on for the culture, for Montgomery, for every kid at an HBCU hooping with a dream. 

Head coach Tony Madlock, speaking at the postgame press conference, didn’t dwell on the loss. “What a great run, man. I’m so proud of these guys and everything they stand for,” he said. “I’m just so proud and happy for what we’ve done for the city of Montgomery, for Alabama State University, for all the HBCUs.”

“I’m excited for the future,” he said.

That leaves three HBCU programs still dancing—Southern and Norfolk State holding it down for the women, while Norfolk State’s men keep the fight alive.