No. 12 Alabama cruised past UTSA, leading from start to finish, with a 97-55 victory on Sunday.
Shooting from the outside wasn’t where Nate Oats would like it to be, but the stingy defense helped lead to easy buckets in the paint. The win brings Alabama’s record to 7-2.
Here are a few takeaways from the game.
- Active Hands
Alabama’s defense took a front and center seat on Sunday. The Crimson Tide defense stayed active, making it a purpose to make a difference in the game. Alabama forced 18 turnovers, leading to 34 points off turnovers and fast breaks. The Crimson Tide took care of the ball and only turned it over five times.
- Injuries Adding Up
The Crimson Tide have not been healthy all year. It seems like when one of their injured players returns, another one goes down with injury. The positive news about the injuries is that they all seem to be day-to-day, not long-term. Starting guard Aden Holloway missed his second straight game with a wrist injury and Keitenn Bristow also was out with a lower leg injury. A third Alabama player was placed on the injury report as Taylor Bol Bowen sat out on Sunday with back spasms.
- Big Game for Bethea
Miami transfer Jalil Bethea, who missed multiple games to begin the season due to injury, benefited from players being unable to suit up for the Crimson Tide. He saw more minutes for Alabama and made the most of them. The sophomore guard had his best game with the Crimson Tide, scoring 20 points and seven rebounds.
- Cold Three-Point Shooting
The volume was there, but the accuracy was not. Despite struggling from behind the arc, Alabama continued to launch three-point attempts. Bethea was the only Alabama player to find consistent success from behind the arc, going 5-for-10. As a team, the Crimson Tide took a season high 57 three-point shots and made 16 for 28% from three.
Alabama will play top-ranked Arizona on Saturday, December 13, at 8:30 p.m. in the C.M. Newton Classic. The game will be televised on ESPN.
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