3 sequences that shaped Alabama basketball's NCAA Tournament win over Saint Mary's

Alabama basketball is back in the Sweet 16 for the third consecutive season following an 80-66 win over Saint Mary's in the Round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament.

The Gaels were a quality opponent, but Alabama kept them at arm's length for the majority of the evening. It was a strong defensive effort - particularly in the first half - and the Tide's offensive firepower and depth ultimately proved overwhelming for a Saint Mary's squad that plays only a seven-man rotation.

Nate Oats got contributions from pretty much everyone. Six Crimson Tide players finished in double-figures scoring led by Chris Youngblood's 13 points. Cliff Omoruyi had a double-double of 10 points, 11 rebounds, and while Alabama only hit seven three-pointers, they connected on a 41.2% clip.

Turnovers were an issue in the first half, but that got corrected in the second half as Alabama only turned it over three times in the game's final 20 minutes.

So how did we get here? Let's examine three plays that shaped the Tide's 14-point win over Saint Mary's and proved integral to their ability to advance to the second weekend of the tournament.

3 plays that shaped Alabama's win over Saint Mary's

1. Chris Youngblood hits a banked three in the corner

Chris Youngblood paced Alabama's offense in the first half. He scored all 13 of his points in the first half and connected on all three of his attempts from three. His third and final three of the game was the most significant.

With 2:33 to play in the first half and Alabama leading by 10, Youngblood caught an inbounds pass in the corner and rose up to fire a three. It looked like he had missed, badly, but the shot in the top corner of the backboard and banked in.

A miraculous shot that put the Crimson Tide up 37-24 late in the first half. It was the type of shot that always seems to go in against Alabama, so it was nice to see one of those fall in the Tide's favor.

2. Mo Dioubate drains a three in the second half to end a Saint Mary's run

Early in the second half, Saint Mary's was making their push. A little over four minutes into the second half and the Gaels had cut Alabama's 13-point lead down to just seven at 48-41. The Crimson Tide was facing some game pressure for the first time and needed a basket.

As he often does, Mo Dioubate stepped up when the Crimson Tide needed him. Off of a screen, Dioubate hit a step-back three-pointer to push Alabama's lead back to double digits:

Dioubate has morphed into one of the most reliable three-point shooters on the team right now and he seems to love that elbow three. He is now 4-of-4 from deep in the NCAA Tournament, hitting two each against Robert Morris and Saint Mary's.

3. Labaron Philon's alley-oop to Grant Nelson

With 5:20 remaining and Alabama leading by 10, you might think it is time to slow things down and run some clock. But this Crimson Tide team is always all gas, no brakes. They keep the pedal to the floor as long as they can.

Following a turnover, Labaron Philon started a break and saw Grant Nelson running toward the rim with a Saint Mary's big in chase. There wasn't a ton of room to fit the pass, but Philon threw it anyway, lobbing the ball toward the rim.

Nelson, with an injured knee and all, went up and got it, slamming it down and adding an exclamation point to the Crimson Tide's win:

That sequence was the final nail in the Saint Mary's coffin and is a perfect encapsulation of the shrewd confidence that this Alabama team plays with.