Number 8 Alabama bounced back after their first loss of the season with a 100-87 win Wednesday over No. 25 Illinois in Birmingham. The Crimson Tide had no trouble scoring points despite Mark Sears being held scoreless on the night.
Hot Start For Nelson
Grant Nelson got the Crimson Tide offense off to a hot start hitting three straight three-pointers. He put up a dominating first-half performance, scoring 19 points in the opening half. Nelson had a much quieter second half but finished the game with a game-high 23 points while also pulling down eight rebounds.
Fast Paced
In the loss to Purdue, Alabama was never able to speed the game up to its pace, resulting in a loss. On Wednesday, the Crimson Tide dictated the tempo of the game and recorded 19 fastbreak points. Alabama once again reached the century mark by speeding up the game to its pace.
Tough Night For Sears
Mark Sears going an entire game without scoring a point is unusual, and you would most certainly assume that Alabama lost that game. However, not only did the Crimson Tide not lose but they thrived on offense despite his off night Wednesday. A trio of guards picked up Sears’ slack. Aden Holloway dropped 18 points while Labaron Philon and Latrell Wrightsell both contributed 16 points each.
Turnovers
Nate Oats’ high-speed intensity is great for offense, but it can be tough on protecting the ball. Given the pace of play, if Alabama is able to keep the turnovers in single digits, it is a success. Tonight, the Crimson Tide did an excellent job of limiting their turnovers to just seven while forcing Illinois to 13.
Here are a few takeaways from the game.
No. 8 Alabama will travel to Las Vegas to participate in the Players Era Festival. Their first game will be Tuesday November 26 against No. 7 Houston at 7 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on TBS.
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