Alabama basketball defeats Houston in OT

Alabama faced sixth-seeded Houston in the Players Era Tournament tonight, winning a hard-fought contest 85-80 in overtime.

This game was a physical, defensive exchange from the start. Alabama turned the ball over four times in its first five possessions, but stayed in the game with a top-notch defensive performance. It took a while for Mark Sears to get going again, but Grant Nelson and Aden Holloway filled the scoring void. However, the intensity was the story. The way these two teams played, you would have thought it was an Elite Eight game.

Sears made it to the free throw line a few times to break his scoring drought, finally breaking through with a whopping three-pointer fifteen minutes into the game. He ended up leading a balanced Alabama attack with eight points, just ahead of Nelson and Holloway with seven points each.

The second half was just as stressful, but Alabama began to assert itself somewhat as the game progressed. The Tide kept the pressure on Houston on both ends, limiting the Cougars offensively and piling up fouls on Houston by attacking the hoop on the other end. Mo Dioubate seemed to be everywhere, on the glass, blocking shots and creating movement on offense. The rest of the team seemed to benefit from his energy as the Tide opened a seven-point lead with just over ten minutes to play.

Alabama held a small lead for about three minutes of play, but Houston’s elite three-point shooting fueled a 10-0 run to take a four-point lead with just under five minutes to play. For all the good the Tide had done up to that point, this stretch was just brutal, with hot shooting from Houston and a few bad turnovers from Alabama. And the Tide had no answer for Cougars guard LJ Cryer, who easily led both teams in scoring that night. Houston saw its other two starting guards, Emanuel Sharp and Milos Uzan, commit a foul.

Houston maintained the lead down the stretch, but Alabama refused to be pulled away. Sears got to the line and pulled the Tide within two points with just over a minute to play, but then got within one point after two free throws from Houston with a big three-pointer to make it 77-76. Houston star J’wan Roberts was fouled on the other side and made one of two goals, leaving the door open for the Tide, and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. took advantage with two free throws of his own, tying the score at 78 after 27 seconds. Standing from the left.

Houston saved the final shot and everyone in the building knew the play would be Cryer’s. Derrion Reid used his length to hinder the jumper, Dioubate grabbed the rebound and it went into overtime.

Cryer opened the extra frame with an ugly three-point attempt and both teams turned the ball over, perhaps showing some fatigue after a bitter 40-minute battle. Sears opened the scoring with a three-pointer from the wing and the Tide managed to keep the Cougars at bay. Mark ended up leading the Tide with 24 points.

You really can’t overstate the performance of these national title contending teams. Everyone has a game tomorrow night and you have to wonder how much is left in the tank. This Alabama team still has the best guards, but also has the guys who can win battles above the rim. If they keep playing at this level all season long, the sky is the limit.

Cliff Omoruyi gets to play against his former team Rutgers tomorrow night.

Roll Tide.