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Alabama basketball didn't give Mississippi State a second to think that it was leaving Tuscaloosa with a win.
The No. 18 Crimson Tide won, 100-75, on Wednesday, Feb. 25, to claim its seventh straight victory in conference play. Shots won't land as seamlessly as they did against the Bulldogs in the gritty three-game stretch against Tennessee, Georgia and Auburn that lies ahead.
Nonetheless, based on Alabama's second-to-last performance of the season in Coleman Coliseum, the returning Elite Eight team is peaking at the right time with March Madness in view.
Freshman forward Amari Allen led the Crimson Tide with 23 points, highlighted by a near-perfect night from the perimeter, where he went 6-for-7. He was supported by four more players in double-figures, including Latrell Wrightsell Jr. (18), Aden Holloway (16), Aiden Sherrell (11) and Taylor Bol Bowen (10).
Even with no Labaron Philon to headline the starting five, or check in off of the bench, Alabama (21-7, 11-4 SEC) led Mississippi State for 39:45.
Here are seven takeaways from the showdown.
LOOKING AHEAD: Can Alabama basketball risk quiet March Madness from Labaron Philon?
REQUIRED READING: Remembering the night Pistol Pete Maravich went off for 69 points at Alabama
Four consecutive triples from Alabama went unanswered by the Bulldogs, which trailed 15-2 with 15:50 to halftime as a result. Allen started the run for the Crimson Tide with back-to-back threes before Holloway hit another from the logo and Sherrell kept the momentum going from the corner.
Alabama rested Philon in an effort to get him healthy before Tennessee. For Bethea, that meant the most time on the floor that he's seen since the Crimson Tide visited Mississippi State in January.
It wasn't the Miami transfer's best offensive outing, going 2-for-7 from the field, but he had four rebounds and lost the ball just once in 20 minutes.
Going into the break, Alabama was shooting nearly 60% from the arc and had 16 threes. That was better than the Crimson Tide's total through 40 minutes in 22 games.
Normally, Allen or Sherrell are at the top of the leaderboard for rebounds. Against Mississippi State, Latrell Wrightsell Jr. led the Crimson Tide with six at halftime. In the second half, Holloway took over as the lead rebounder with seven boards.
Alabama won the rebounding battle, 48-36, with six rebounds each from Sherrell and Bol Bowen as well.
The Bulldogs didn't make a single layup against the Crimson Tide in the first half as four attempts went unconverted.
Josh Hubbard had Mississippi State's first layup of the game with 12:55 to the final buzzer.
As Mississippi State turned the ball over 11 times, Alabama wasted no time capitalizing on the extra possessions. The Crimson Tide had 21 points off of turnovers.
Mississippi State had just eight points off of nine Alabama turnovers before ball security wavered for the Crimson Tide late in the second half. UA ultimately gave up 15 points off of turnovers.
After assisting Sherrell on a dunk, Holloway registered his second double-double of the season. He had 16 points and 10 assists, plus a team-best rebounds, in 29 minutes.
Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for The Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama basketball completes season sweep vs MSU: 7 key observations
Continue reading...
The No. 18 Crimson Tide won, 100-75, on Wednesday, Feb. 25, to claim its seventh straight victory in conference play. Shots won't land as seamlessly as they did against the Bulldogs in the gritty three-game stretch against Tennessee, Georgia and Auburn that lies ahead.
Nonetheless, based on Alabama's second-to-last performance of the season in Coleman Coliseum, the returning Elite Eight team is peaking at the right time with March Madness in view.
Freshman forward Amari Allen led the Crimson Tide with 23 points, highlighted by a near-perfect night from the perimeter, where he went 6-for-7. He was supported by four more players in double-figures, including Latrell Wrightsell Jr. (18), Aden Holloway (16), Aiden Sherrell (11) and Taylor Bol Bowen (10).
Even with no Labaron Philon to headline the starting five, or check in off of the bench, Alabama (21-7, 11-4 SEC) led Mississippi State for 39:45.
Here are seven takeaways from the showdown.
LOOKING AHEAD: Can Alabama basketball risk quiet March Madness from Labaron Philon?
REQUIRED READING: Remembering the night Pistol Pete Maravich went off for 69 points at Alabama
Early run starts Tide off strong vs Mississippi State
Four consecutive triples from Alabama went unanswered by the Bulldogs, which trailed 15-2 with 15:50 to halftime as a result. Allen started the run for the Crimson Tide with back-to-back threes before Holloway hit another from the logo and Sherrell kept the momentum going from the corner.
More minutes for Jalil Bethea as Alabama sits Labaron Philon
Alabama rested Philon in an effort to get him healthy before Tennessee. For Bethea, that meant the most time on the floor that he's seen since the Crimson Tide visited Mississippi State in January.
It wasn't the Miami transfer's best offensive outing, going 2-for-7 from the field, but he had four rebounds and lost the ball just once in 20 minutes.
Tide puts together best half of three-point shooting yet
Going into the break, Alabama was shooting nearly 60% from the arc and had 16 threes. That was better than the Crimson Tide's total through 40 minutes in 22 games.
Alabama's unexpected lead rebounders
Normally, Allen or Sherrell are at the top of the leaderboard for rebounds. Against Mississippi State, Latrell Wrightsell Jr. led the Crimson Tide with six at halftime. In the second half, Holloway took over as the lead rebounder with seven boards.
Alabama won the rebounding battle, 48-36, with six rebounds each from Sherrell and Bol Bowen as well.
Mississippi State finishes first half without a layup
The Bulldogs didn't make a single layup against the Crimson Tide in the first half as four attempts went unconverted.
Josh Hubbard had Mississippi State's first layup of the game with 12:55 to the final buzzer.
Points off of turnovers take Crimson Tide to another level
As Mississippi State turned the ball over 11 times, Alabama wasted no time capitalizing on the extra possessions. The Crimson Tide had 21 points off of turnovers.
Mississippi State had just eight points off of nine Alabama turnovers before ball security wavered for the Crimson Tide late in the second half. UA ultimately gave up 15 points off of turnovers.
Another double-double for Aden Holloway
After assisting Sherrell on a dunk, Holloway registered his second double-double of the season. He had 16 points and 10 assists, plus a team-best rebounds, in 29 minutes.
Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for The Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama basketball completes season sweep vs MSU: 7 key observations
Continue reading...
