No. 8 Alabama hosted No. 2 Purdue in a battle of top 10 teams and dropped its first game of the season 87-80.
The Crimson Tide tied it up at 80 apiece before Purdue went on a 7-0 run to end the game and seal the victory. The size of the Boilermakers was too much for the Crimson Tide as Alabama split its two-game stretch against top 10 teams. Alabama dropped to 2-1 overall on the season with the loss.
Here are a few takeaways from the game.
- Holloway Stays Hot
Aden Holloway followed up his 21-point performance against St. John’s with 21 points against Purdue. Holloway got off to a hot start, scoring 14 first-half points, but cooled off in the second half like the entire Crimson Tide team. Holloway led the team with five made three-point baskets.
- More Disciplined Defense
In the last game, Alabama’s defense came with way too many fouls, tallying 27 against St. John’s. Thursday night, the defense played with more discipline, fouling Purdue only three times in the first half and finishing with a total of 19 fouls for the game.
- Three Point Shooting
Alabama’s shooting from behind the arc started off hot but cooled off significantly in the second half. The Crimson Tide went 10-for-21 in the first half but shot just 6-for-23 in the final 20 minutes, finishing with a 36.4 shooting percentage from three-point range. Eight of Alabama’s 10 players who logged minutes made a three-point basket, led by Holloway’s team-leading five made threes.
- Dominated Down Low
The size of Purdue down low was too much for the Crimson Tide to handle. The Boilermakers had their way inside the paint, bringing down 52 rebounds to just 28 for Alabama. Purdue utilized its size on the offensive end of the court, scoring 30 points in the paint, and pulled down 19 offensive rebounds, resulting in 16 second-chance points.
Alabama will travel to Illinois on Wednesday, November 19, at 8 p.m. The game will be televised on FS1.
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