TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – It wasn’t pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but No. 2 Alabama came away from Friday night’s contest with a hard-fought win over the Arkansas State Red Wolves, 88-79.
The game was tied at 68 with just over 7 minutes remaining, but Alabama went on a 7-0 run in 2 minutes to open up a 9-point advantage over the Red Wolves with just over 3 minutes to go. The Crimson Tide wouldn’t relinquish the lead.
“We needed to be pushed,” said Alabama head coach Nate Oats.
“I think they exposed some stuff we’ve got to work on, but they gave us everything they had. I think our guys have got to realize, the teams we put on the schedule, if we don’t play well, we don’t move the ball, play selfish like I thought we did tonight at times, we’re not gonna beat some of these teams.”
Fouls and free throws defined the Crimson Tide’s second game of the season, with the teams combining for 52 fouls on the night. Neither team could take advantage at the line, as the teams both shot roughly 63% at the stripe. In total, 80 free throws were attempted.
“I’m not overly concerned, but our guys need to come locked it,” said Oats on the poor shooting from the line. “It’s not like these are guys that I expect to keep missing them… I think we’ve just gotta come in a little bit more focused.”
While neither team could seize the free points, Alabama fought their way to 21 second-chance points, something that Arkansas State head coach Bryan Hodgson largely credited the loss to.
“One thing about [Nate Oats] that we’ve tried to emulate in our program is when shots aren’t falling, find a way to win a basketball game, right? And so, you know, I thought we did that. They did a better job with that, they had 21 second-chance points, we only had 7.”
Hodgson worked under Nate Oats for 8 years before taking over the Arkansas State program, including during his tenure at Buffalo and Alabama.
Five Alabama players finished the night in double figures, led by veteran Mark Sears. Despite going 0-5 from deep, Sears made 11 free throws en route to a 19 point, 5 rebound performance.
Clifford Omoruyi continued his efficient play, scoring 12 points on 5-6 shooting. He also tacked on 9 rebounds and a block in just 17 minutes on the floor.
Grant Nelson came off the bench but played 27 minutes, his most since starting the season on a minutes-restriction. His 12-point, 6 rebound performance was perhaps outshined by his defensive effort that helped Alabama hold Arkansas State to 40% shooting on the night.
“I’ve been feeling good for the last week or so, but we’re just kinda limiting the minutes coming into the game, but I think tonight it’s just like, I was feeling good, coach thought I looked good, our trainer thought I looked good, so we kinda just talked it through… I should be playing pretty much as much as I possibly can moving forward.”
Derrion Reid made a few key plays down the stretch – including catching a lob from Sears –in his 10-point starting performance, and freshman Labaron Philon put up 12 points in his second start. Despite it being his “worst game offensively” per Oats, his defensive intensity has earned him minutes on a deep roster.
“I thought he maybe pressed a little bit, but we know he’s gonna play hard on defense. He’s got size and athleticism and he’s been playing the right way since he stepped on campus. Hopefully this was just an aberration on the offensive end,” Oats said.
Up Next
No. 2 Alabama will play McNeese State in Tuscaloosa on Monday, November 11 at 6 p.m. CT before traveling to take on No. 14 Purdue Friday, November 15.
