Alabama Basketball: Key saves the day as Tide outlasts Mississippi State
By Ronald Evans
Alabama basketball cruised in the first half and scratched and clawed through the second half to hold on against the MSU Bulldogs for a 68-62 win.
The Alabama basketball win over Mississippi State Saturday night in Tuscaloosa was like two different games. The Tide raced out to a 41-22 lead at the half. The second game without injured Collin Sexton saw an undeterred Tide move the ball briskly, make the extra pass and consistently help on defense. It looked like the Bulldogs might as well just bus on back to Starkville at halftime.
The Bulldogs hung around. To Mississippi State coach, Ben Howland’s credit, his team did not panic. Alabama started the second half cold, while the Bulldogs put together an 11-2 run, mostly on three, 3’s from Lamar Peters.
As the Tide struggled to regain its first-half rhythm, the Bulldogs fought back, cutting the lead to three points at the 9:32 mark. The Alabama basketball team slowed the run with baskets by Herbert Jones and Avery Jr. pushing the lead back to seven points.
At 7:43 the younger of the Bulldogs’ Weatherspoon brothers, Nick hit a three cutting the lead to four. Older brother Quindarry scored six points in the next two minutes. The Tide held on to the lead with a three by Braxton Key.
The Tide ‘D’ shut down the Bulldogs late
At the 3:08 mark the game was tied 58-58. Tough Tide defense and composure led to a 10-4 close for Alabama basketball. Dazon Ingram hit four clutch free throws. Braxton Key grabbed an offensive rebound and scored. John Petty and Herbert Jones added the other four points.
Without Collin Sexton and with an obviously still-recovering Donta Hall, the Tide needed its veterans even if they are only sophomores. Dazon Ingram and Braxton Key kept the young Alabama basketball team from fading late.
Braxton Key was key for the Tide
Braxton Key’s stats were 16 points, five rebounds and four assists. Daniel Giddens added 13 points and four boards. Dazon Ingram only scored seven points (all from the foul line) but he had eight rebounds and six assists. John Petty had an off night shooting, scoring nine points but he added four rebounds and four assists.
Alabama shot poorly from the foul line (57 percent) but committed only 11 turnovers and held the Bulldogs to 38 percent shooting.
Check out Avery Johnson’s post-game comments in the tweets below.
Avery Johnson on SEC Network (paraphrased): We love our freshmen and we're glad they're getting hype, but Braxton Key and Dazon Ingram are super important players for us. Glad to see them playing well.
— Alabama Crimson Tide (@forevercrimson_) January 21, 2018
Avery Johnson: "This was a great learning lesson for us, but man, we played some terrific basketball in the first half."
— Charlie Potter (@Charlie_Potter) January 21, 2018
Terrific first half basketball indeed and tough determined second-half play in the last eight minutes. Avery also said not playing Sexton was “not a game-time decision…he wasn’t close to ready.”
Next: How Mike Locksley became the Tide OC
Alabama basketball travels to Oxford, MS Tuesday night to play Ole Miss. The last Alabama basketball win in Oxford was in 2009. The current streak of road losses to Ole Miss is six games.