LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- San Diego State Coach Brian Dutcher has insisted throughout the NCAA Tournament that if his team plays to its strengths, it doesn't matter what the opposition does.
The Aztecs certainly played the way they wanted to against the top overall seed in March Madness.
Darrion Trammell and San Diego State used a dominant defensive performance to knock Alabama out of the tournament, bottling up All-America freshman Brandon Miller in a 71-64 victory in the Sweet 16.
Trammell scored 21 points while Miller, whose outstanding season was marred by off-the-court complications, was held to nine points on 3-of-19 shooting and had six turnovers.
The fifth-seeded Aztecs (30-6) will face Creighton on Sunday in the South Region final as they seek their first Final Four in program history. Roughly 30 minutes later, the tournament's final remaining No. 1 seed, Houston, lost 89-75 to Miami, leaving March Madness without a single top seed among its final eight teams for the first time since seeding began in 1979. The other top seeds, Purdue and Kansas, lost during the tournament's opening weekend.
"It's just parity," Dutcher said. "That's what it is. There's not a lot of difference between the best team in the country and the worst team in the country. You're seeing that on this stage."
San Diego State trailed 48-39 midway through the second half before going on a 12-0 run and controlling the game from there. The Aztecs finished with eight blocked shots -- five by Nathan Mensah -- and forced 14 turnovers.
Trammell scored the first eight points of SDSU's big run. He made a three-pointer, stole the ball from Miller and converted a layup, and then buried another three-pointer.
"We're going to go on our run," Trammell said, "and I just took the opportunities they gave me. I took my shot, and I just made a play on defense. From there, our team was in it. That's when the momentum changed."
So did the Crimson Tide's season.
The March Madness run of Alabama (31-6) was clouded by its response to the Jan. 15 fatal shooting of a 23-year-old woman in Tuscaloosa, which led to capital murder charges against a then-Crimson Tide player, Darius Miles.
Miller was at the scene of the shooting and has not been charged, but police have said in court documents that Miles texted Miller to bring him his gun. Authorities have said Miller is a cooperating witness, and he did not miss any playing time. Miller has received armed security protection during the tournament.
Mark Sears had 16 points and Jahvon Quinerly and Charles Bediako scored 10 each for Alabama, which shot 32% overall and a miserable 3 of 27 (11.1%) from three-point range. The Crimson Tide fell short of the second Elite Eight berth in school history.
"We came to this game prepared as much as we could possibly," Miller said. "I think our shot-making could have been better. Our shot choices could have been better, but it's just that San Diego's a good group of guys. They're vets, so they have a lot of experience. I feel like they came out and played hard."
San Diego State's players knew they had to impose their will on Alabama's deep and gifted roster.
"Alabama's a great team. They have a lot of talented players and individuals," Trammell said. "We knew it was going to be hard. It was a dogfight. Very physical."
Sears' layup got Alabama within 66-64 with 46 seconds remaining, but Matt Bradley made two free throws and Micah Parrish followed by making three of four attempts, including two with 17 seconds left.
Jaedon LeDee finished with 12 points for the Aztecs.
San Diego State shot just 38% overall and was outrebounded 52-48, but made clutch shots to rally when Alabama seemed in control behind a faster pace after halftime. A technical foul on Dutcher also seemed to spark his seasoned team, which maintained its physical play and thwarted every attempt by the Tide to rally.
San Diego State's Miles Byrd (21) and Darrion Trammell (12) celebrate a win over Alabamaa in the second half of a Sweet 16 round college basketball game in the South Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 24, 2023, in Louisville, Ky. San Diego State won 71-64. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
San Diego State forward Keshad Johnson (0) shoots against Alabama center Charles Bediako (14) in the second half of a Sweet 16 round college basketball game in the South Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 24, 2023, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
San Diego State forward Keshad Johnson (0) shoots against Alabama forward Noah Clowney (15) in the first half of a Sweet 16 round college basketball game in the South Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 24, 2023, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
Alabama guard Mark Sears (1) and San Diego State guard Micah Parrish (3) collide in the first half of a Sweet 16 round college basketball game in the South Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 24, 2023, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
Alabama guard Jahvon Quinerly (5) shoots the ball against San Diego State forward Nathan Mensah (31) in the first half of a Sweet 16 round college basketball game in the South Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 24, 2023, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Alabama guard Rylan Griffen (3) battles for the ball against San Diego State guard Matt Bradley (20) in the first half of a Sweet 16 round college basketball game in the South Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 24, 2023, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
San Diego State forward Aguek Arop (33) and Alabama guard Rylan Griffen (3) battle for a loose ball in the first half of a Sweet 16 round college basketball game in the South Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 24, 2023, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Alabama guard Jahvon Quinerly (5) moves against San Diego State guard Matt Bradley (20) in the first half of a Sweet 16 round college basketball game in the South Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 24, 2023, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
San Diego State forward Keshad Johnson (0) celebrates a win over Alabama in the second half of a Sweet 16 round college basketball game in the South Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Friday, March 24, 2023, in Louisville, Ky. San Diego State won 71-64. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Alabama Coach Nate Oats looks at the scoreboard in the second half of the Crimson Tide’s 71-64 loss to San Diego State on Friday night in Louisville, Ky. (AP/Timothy D. Easley)