Nate Oats scheduled a game against a Shaheen Holloway-coached Seton Hall squad in the non-conference because he wanted his team to be in a street fight.
That's exactly what Alabama got on Friday night at Coleman.
While the Crimson Tide had the edge in talent, they faced a team that was willing to fight, scratch, and claw their way through 40 minutes of basketball in Tuscaloosa. They never quit fighting, battling back from 17 down to produce some tense moments down the stretch.
The six-point win was significantly under the projected spread, but Alabama will be better going forward for getting a fight from the Pirates.
Here are the biggest observations from the Tide's 82-76 win:
1. Amari Allen is a superstar
Late in the first half, Alabama trailed Seton Hall 28-22. The Tide went on a 16-0 run from there to finish the half and take a 38-28 lead into the locker room. Amari Allen was a big reason why. He scored eight of the 16 points on the run, including a pull-up three in transition from way behind the arc in a 2-for-1 situation:
Pull up 5⃣ pic.twitter.com/dcCSlAYK5g
— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) November 14, 2026
Allen scored 24 points on an efficient 6-of-10 from the floor and dished out five assists without turning the ball over. He was in complete control all game long, making winning play after winning play. When Alabama needed a basket, it was going to No. 5.
Allen continues his torrid start to his sophomore season. He looks like one of the best players in the country so far.
2. Nate Oats is still figuring out his rotation behind Amari Allen and Aden Holloway
Amari Allen and Aden Holloway combined for 68 of 80 possible minutes on Friday night. Alabama is still looking for a third option behind those two, and the rest of the rotation is still pretty in flux.
Outside of Allen and Holloway, nobody played more than 23 minutes.
There's confidence that all four bigs - Drew Fielder, Brandon Garrison, Keitenn Bristow, and when healthy, Jamarion Davis-Fleming - are going to play every night. London Jemison, too. Otherwise, it remains to be seen.
Freshmen Qayden Samuels, Anderson Diaz, and Tarris Bouie all played 10 minutes are less against Seton Hall. Jaxon Richardson saw 11 minutes, but it's clear he's a player that has a lot of Oats' trust.
Oats threw out numerous lineup combinations all night long as he looks to sort through and find his best group.
3. Cole Cloer looked more like the preseason version of himself
It had been a rough start to the regular season for Cole Cloer after he looked like one of Alabama's best players in the two preseason games he played in. But he lost all of his momentum with an injury that forced him to sit out the Auburn game, and then he got off to a slow start to the regular season.
And while his shot still hasn't come completely around, he found a way to make an impact on Friday. He scored 11 points and grabbed 5 boards in 23 minutes, competing hard on both ends of the floor. Oats had been begging him to lose himself in the "blue collar" nature of the program, and the offense would follow.
He saw real proof of concept against Seton Hall.
4. Alabama's defense has taken a step
Alabama held Seton Hall to 38% from the floor and 27% from three. The Pirates stayed connected because they went 17-of-18 from the foul line.
But the Crimson Tide are noticeably better on the defensive end this year. Perhaps there's no better example of that than Holloway's competitiveness as a defender. He's much peskier, providing all-out effort on that end. Oats has to be ecstatic about that.
5. Qayden Samuels' turnovers kept him on the bench
Samuels only logging 10 minutes might seem strange with how big of a role he played during the exhibition slate and through the first three games of the regular season, but he was far too reckless with the ball against a Seton Hall defense that will force a ton of turnovers.
In just 10 minutes, Samuels turned it over four times. That kept him on the bench for a good chunk of the second half.
Alabama needs Samuels to take care of the ball so he can stay on the court. He's important to this offense with his ability to stretch the floor and get to the rim.
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