Nate Oats and Alabama basketball borrowed a word from Tide softball coach Patrick Murphy: "Mudita."
It means deriving vicarious joy from the success of others. No player has embodied that more for Alabama than senior Houston Mallette, who has sacrificed playing time, shots, and his own body for the success of this basketball team.
Mallette is the ultimate glue guy. He wears the No. 95 to embody the 95% of the time you don't have the ball in your hands. He committed to doing all the little things it takes to win basketball games. He's done it all year, and he did it again during Alabama's 90-65 rout of Texas Tech in the 2nd Round of the NCAA Tournament.
And in the aftermath of his March Madness moment, Mallette couldn't help but pour out what this team - and this university - has meant to him.
"I don't want to leave Alabama. I will die for this school. I love this place," Mallette said.
Houston Mallette had his March Madness moment for Alabama
Mallette's quote came during the postgame press conference after the Alabama win. He said it while donning a hard hat, signifying he led the Crimson Tide in "blue-collar points." He's done that a lot this season.
But against Texas Tech, Mallette also made an impact by making shots. After going scoreless against Hofstra in the Crimson Tide's opening round win, the senior scored 15 points and connected on 5-of-7 from three-point range. He also led Alabama in rebounding with eight, including five offensively.
Mallette's ability to hit open shots keyed a huge effort from beyond-the-arc for the Crimson Tide, which hit 19-of-42. His ability on the glass keyed Alabama's effort, outrebounding Texas Tech 47-35.
It wasn't a banner night offensively for Labaron Philon. He managed 12 assists thanks to Mallette and Latrell Wrightsell's knockdown shot-making, but he was just 2-of-12 from the floor for nine points. Had you told me that stat before the game, I would have never guessed Alabama would beat Texas Tech by 25 points.
But they did. And Mallette was a huge reason why.
His "Mudita" and his love for his teammates and his school, will forever endear him to Crimson Tide fans, no matter what happens in Chicago next weekend.