Crimson Tide Hold On To Beat Feisty Mississippi State, 66-63

After every week on the highway with two large victories, the Crimson Tide got here residence to host cellar-dweller Mississippi State on Wednesday evening. The Tide moved as much as quantity two within the nation on this weeks polls, however didn’t play prefer it tonight. Bama was due for an off recreation, and so they had one, however one way or the other have been in a position to pull out the victory. The Tide improved to 18-2 total and 8-0 within the league in entrance of a packed crowd in Coleman Coliseum. MSU fell to 12-8 and 1-7 within the SEC. The slim win was the groups first SEC recreation win of lower than 12 factors. The margin for victory in convention video games was 21 factors previous to tonight.

Coach Nate Oats used the identical beginning lineup of Mark Sears, Jaden Bradley, Charles Bediako, Noah Clowney, and Brandon Miller. State scored the primary basket of the sport earlier than Miller drove for a dunk to tie the sport up. That was as shut because the Tide would come for almost all of the sport. The Bulldogs pushed the lead out to 10-2 because it appeared the house group was sleep strolling via the sport. Oats substituted early and infrequently, looking for the trouble and execution that he was searching for.

With 11:36 left Dom Welch hit a 3 pointer, his second make of the season, to chop the result in 14-9. Each time the Tide would make a little bit mini-run the Canines would reply. Nick Pringle got here in and gave Bama a spark after not seeing the ground within the Tide’s final recreation, at Missouri. Sears made two free throws on the 6:14 mark and the lead was right down to 24-19 for the guests. With 12 seconds left MSU had pushed out to a ten factors lead. Welch was introduced in after a timeout and a play was arrange for him. The graduate switch knocked down a nook three because the clock ran out and the Tide went into the locker room with some momentum, trailing 36-29.

Bama shot solely 10-30 for 30% within the half with 3-16 from deep for 19%, however made 6-7 free throws. The group had 16 rebounds, 16 bench factors, 4 steals, six assists, and 7 turnovers on the break. Welch and Miller led the group with six factors every. Mississippi State shot 17-30 for 57%, 2-6 for 33% from three level vary, and 0-3 on the free throw line. The Canines had 18 rebounds, 9 assists, eight turnovers, 10 bench factors, 4 blocks, and 4 steals. Tolu Smith led the best way with 10 factors.

The Tide opened the second half with the identical starters, and scored two fast baskets to chop the result in 36-33 with 18:44 left within the recreation. Seemingly the Tide was prepared to show the tables and take off for a straightforward win. Not so quick my pal. The Bulldogs scored the following 5 factors to take a lead of 41-33 with 17:10 remaining. When Miller was fouled on a 3 level try he hit 2-3 from the road to chop the result in 46-43 with 11:48 left within the recreation.

The Tide made a hoop to chop the result in one, and when Rylan Griffen nailed a 3 pointer Bama had their first lead of the sport at 48-46 with 9:10 left. Absolutely now was the time for the Tide to go on a run and put the sport away. Assume once more. Dashawn Davis was fouled by Griffen on a wild three level try and made all three freebies for a 51-48 lead for the Canines. Jahvon Quinerly made two free throws to make it a one level recreation after which Miller drained a triple for a 53-51 Bama lead with 7:07 left within the recreation. Absolutely this was the turning level the place the Tide would run away with the sport. Assume once more.

Clowney made a basket on an important move from Quinerly, and Quinerly adopted with two free throws giving the Tide a 61-55 lead with 4:50 left. Bama widened the result in eight at 63-57 with 2:32 left. That needed to be the time when the Tide put the Canines away. Nope. The Bulldogs stored chipping away and the Tide made some in poor health suggested three level makes an attempt within the final minute of play. When Quinerly made 1-2 from the road it left the door open for the Canines. With 49 seconds left and the ball a missed Bama three gave MSU the ball with an opportunity to tie the sport up. Noah Gurley made an enormous block of a 3 level shot and the ball bounced round lengthy sufficient for the clock to expire, giving Alabama a battle win of 66-63.

Within the second half, the Tide shot 11-27 for 40%, 2-12 for 16% from three, and 13-15 for 87% from the road. Total Bama shot 21-57 for 37%, 5-28 for 18% from three, however 19-22 for 86% from the free throw line. The Tide completed with 36 rebounds, three blocks, 11 assists, 5 steals, and 12 turnovers.

Quinerly was the main scorer with 14 factors to go together with 4 assists and 4 rebounds in 27 minutes of play. Miller added 13 factors with 6 rebounds, two assists, three steals, and one block in 37 minutes. Clowney had 13 factors, eight rebounds, and made 7-8 free throws. Pringle had seven factors in solely eight minutes, Welch had six factors in 10 minutes, and Griffin scored 5. Bediako and Bradley performed solely 12 minutes every, regardless of beginning each halves.

MSU shot solely 9-26 within the second half for 35%, 1-9 from three, and 8-9 from the charity stripe. Total the Canines shot 26-56 for 46%, 3-15 for 20% from deep, and 8-12 for 66% from the road. The Bulldogs had 33 rebounds, 12 assists, eight steals, six blocks, and 15 turnovers. Smith had 15 factors and 7 rebounds whereas Davis had 14 factors with 4 rebounds.

Clowney was awarded the participant of the sport whereas Miller garnered the onerous hat award. Nevertheless, Quinerly was the engine that made the group go tonight. The stretch of the final three video games has Quinerly beginning to resemble the SEC Event MVP that he was two seasons in the past. Welch’s two three level makes have been a shot within the arm for a group that struggled from behind the arc all evening. Miller was 1-4, Clowney 0-6, Sears 0-5 and Quinerly 1-3.

This can be a recreation the Tide would have misplaced final yr. To play as listless as they did and pull out a win speaks volumes of this years unit.

After the sport Oats mentioned “truthfully we most likely ought to have misplaced that recreation,” including “generally it’s important to work out how you can win a detailed recreation, its good to be put in these conditions and work out how you can pull it out, this is not going to be our final shut recreation.”

Oats praised Mississippi State saying, “the SEC is hard, that group has solely gained one convention recreation and also you noticed how powerful it was for us to win tonight.”

Subsequent up for Bama is a visit to Norman, Oklahoma to face the struggling Sooners within the Huge 12/SEC Problem. The sport will likely be at 1 p.m. CT and can proven on ESPN or ESPN2 or ESPNU.

Roll Tide

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