🏀 Alabama vs. South Dakota St. - Alabama Buries a Season-High 19 Three-Pointers to Defeat South Dakota State 105-82

[UA Press Release]

No. 5/6 Alabama Buries a Season-High 19 Three-Pointers to Defeat South Dakota State 105-82 - Alabama Athletics

The No. 5/6 Alabama men's basketball team picked up its first win after Christmas with a 105-82 win over the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, Sunday afternoon...

rolltide.com

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The No. 5/6 Alabama men's basketball team picked up its first win after Christmas with a 105-82 win over the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, Sunday afternoon inside Coleman Coliseum.

The Crimson Tide (11-2) had its most successful outing from beyond the arc this season, burying a season-high 19 three-pointers, led by Aden Holloway with eight of his own, marking a new career-high.

Nate Oats' squad had three others in double figures, including Labaron Philon (21), Mark Sears (20) and Grant Nelson (17).

South Dakota State was led by Oscar Cluff's 21 points off 9-for-17 shooting from the field, along with 15 rebounds.

Head Coach Nate Oats Postgame Comments​

"That wraps up the non-conference, I thought it was a good one for us to get some confidence with some shooters. Our defensive intensity, I thought was pretty good for most of the first 20 minutes. I did not like the start of the second half. Matter of fact, the second half period, we gave up 49 points. This is a good offensive team, I thought defensively we were locked in and we built the big lead at the half, we were up over 20. We just didn't play as hard as we needed to, to start that second half. So, little disappointed with our focus being locked in on the defensive end to start the second half.

All in all, we made 19 threes, would be nice if Grant (Nelson) had a couple or Aden on the one with his foot on the line. I like the aggressiveness that Sears and Holloway were taking them. Mo Dioubate, you know what you're going to get out of him. Seven offensive boards in seventeen and a half minutes. So, we need some other guys to bring the effort that he brings. I thought particularly there in the second half, we needed some energy and effort and he gave it to us. Grant had a really good start, almost a double-double again and then we had 3 guys with over 20 points. I thought the ball moved from backcourt between Sears, Labaron and Holloway. Those guys were really scoring it. And we did a great job with the turnovers, season low in turnovers. I've been stressing that and I think our guys did a good job with that."

 

[bama alum]

This team wlll go as far as the D takes them or should I say the D improvement. Good 1st half D. Bad 2nd half D.

Not disagreeing with that, but Bama's played a few games where it either folded or came damn close to capitulating (NDSU) when the opposing team made a run. SDSU started making a run (another "here we go again..." moment), but Bama stomped out that run this time.

 

[mando]

Not disagreeing with that, but Bama's played a few games where it either folded or came damn close to capitulating (NDSU) when the opposing team made a run. SDSU started making a run (another "here we go again..." moment), but Bama stomped out that run this time.

They did continue to keep a good lead due to the offense. Hitting 19 3's will do that. The D just has to get better becasue 19 3's is not going to be the norm. Had they not done that could this have been more like the NDST game? Now the kid hitting 40 points at NDST was just crazy and also the only way NDST would be able to stay in the game.

I do believe SDST is a good offensive team but giving up 49 in a half is just not good D.

 

[alabama mike]

I got to listen to the first half driving to Bama from Ohio. That’s about as good of a half that we have played in a long time. Defensive intensity, rebounding, outlets, ball movement and hitting the three was all solid. 2 nd half giving up 49 points was not good at all. This was an expected win but we have to play an entire solid game when we get in SEC play. A bad half, long stretch’s of a scoring drought or turnovers will end up with a loss.

 

[TerryP]

12 3's in the 1st half... Bama's on pace to break their record of 23 in a game...

When "less than six inches" actually means something good.

What were there, three where it was counted as '2' because the foot was on the line? "A game of inches?"

CO is too easily backed down in the post.

I know how I would react. I would be looking to lower my "center of gravity" but I'm about a foot shorter ... a little hard to envisualize.

We can point to lower body strength. We saw that with Sherrell a few times: he's been difficult to move.