No. 17 Alabama dropped another home game with a 79-73 loss to Tennessee on Saturday.
The Crimson Tide were shorthanded on Saturday night with two of their top scorers being out with injury. Tennessee’s victory over Alabama extends its streak against the Crimson Tide to five straight, dropping Alabama to 13-6 overall and 3-3 in the SEC.
Here are a few takeaways from the game.
- Bediako Returns
Charles Bediako has spent the past 2.5 seasons in the G League after going undrafted in the 2023 NBA Draft. A temporary restraining order granted by an Alabama judge in Bediako’s favor has given him eligibility at least until Tuesday. Bediako joined the team and made an immediate impact. He provided Alabama with a tougher inside presence on defense and an athletic post presence on offense. Bediako played 25 minutes on Saturday and scored 13 points and three rebounds for the Crimson Tide.
- Two Key Pieces Missing
Alabama was without Aden Holloway and Amari Allen, two key offensive pieces. Holloway is Alabama’s second leading scorer, averaging 17.7 points per game, as well as one of their best three-point threats. Allen is the Crimson Tide’s third leading scorer with 11.7 points per game and top rebounder on the team, averaging 7.8 per game. Their combined 29-point average was heavily missed on Saturday.
- Philon Picks Up the Slack
With two of Alabama’s best scorers out, Labaron Philon had to carry the load on the offensive end. Philon finished above his 22 points-per-game average with 26 points. Philon also added seven assists and rebounds. Philon’s efforts, unfortunately, were not enough to get the victory.
- Below Average Three-Point Shooting
The Crimson Tide fell well below their three-point shooting average on Saturday. It was an off night for Alabama, hitting just six three-pointers on 26 attempts. The absence of Holloway was extremely noticeable as Alabama shot 23% from behind the arc.
Alabama will host Missouri on Tuesday at 8 p.m. The game will be televised on SEC Network.
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