Alabama Basketball: Tide loses Petty, loses game as NCAA chances fade

Alabama basketball came up short against Mississippi State after losing John Petty Jr. to injury in the first half. The Tide’s NCAA chances now just a glimmer.

The Alabama basketball season is not over. But it felt like it was, Tuesday night in Starkville, MS. Both teams badly needed a win to boost NCAA Tournament chances. The Bulldogs got one. The Crimson Tide came up short after another gutsy, but out-manned performance.

It would be easy to claim the game was lost with 7:34 to go in the first half. That was when John Petty Jr. left the game with an undisclosed, right arm injury. At that point, the Bulldogs led by a single point. Petty had eight of the Tide’s 28 points in nine minutes of first half play. Kira Lewis Jr. and Beetle Bolden filled in for Petty’s scoring for the rest of the half. The Tide trailed by two points at the break.

The Tide was 47.1 percent shooting threes in the first half. The second half was different. Without the offensive threat of John Petty, the Tide’s ball movement slowed while State could concentrate on Kira Lewis and Jaden Shackelford. Nate Oats’ team fought hard and Lewis played wonderfully, but it was not enough. Three-point shooting in the second half dipped to 20 percent.

The Petty injury and a three-point drought (the Tide missed 10 straight during an interval spanning both halves) don’t tell the whole story. Mississippi State won the game because it has rim protectors and the Tide does not. Rebounds were even in the game at 37. Points in the paint were not. The Bulldogs got 42 to the Tide’s 30. The Bulldogs blocked eight shots to the Tide’s four.

Also deficient for Alabama basketball was free-throw shooting. Neither team shot many frees, 19 for the Bulldogs to 15 for the Crimson Tide. State was plus-8 points at the foul line, making 84 percent to the Tide’s 53 percent.

Mississippi State won by seven, 80-73. For the Crimson Tide, State’s plus-20 points in the paint and at the line was too much to overcome. Too much without John Petty for 70 percent of the game.

An early guess is Petty may be able to play Saturday. The Crimson Tide now must win five straight for any NCAA Tournament chance.