Hempstead, NY - The Hofstra University men's basketball team learned its NCAA Championship destination Sunday night as the field was announced. The 13th-seeded Pride will face the Midwest Region No. 4 seed Alabama Friday in Tampa, Florida at Benchmark International Arena.  

Hofstra (24-10) is making its fifth NCAA appearance at the Division I level and the first since 2001. The Pride, winners of seven consecutive games, earned the automatic bid from the CAA after winning the conference championship. It was Hofstra's second CAA Championship after winning in 2020 before the NCAA Tournament was canceled due to COVID-19. 

Alabama is 23-9 this season. The Crimson Tide lost in the SEC Quarterfinals to Ole Miss, 80-79. This will mark the first meeting between Hofstra and Alabama in men's basketball. The Pride and Crimson Tide do share a hardwood connection as former Pride star Aaron Estrada, a two-time CAA Player of the Year (2022, 2023), finished his collegiate career at Alabama during the 2024-25 season. 

The game will tip at 3:15 p.m. on Friday and will air on truTV.