The peculiarities of collegiate gymnastics allow a team to throw out a low score on each apparatus, making a major gaffe forgivable as long as there isn't a second on that event.
The fourth-ranked University of Alabama took full advantage of that rule at Saturday's NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional, taking tumbles from the balance beam and on the floor exercise but counting neither to win with a score of 197.125 In front of a crowd of 10,116.
Alabama advances to the NCAA championships on April 15-16 in Fort Worth, Texas, joined by runner-up Cal, which scored 195.925. Boise State finished third, followed by Kentucky, West Virginia and Bowling Green.