Road wins are huge in the SEC. An Alabama Crimson Tide, SEC road win over a highly ranked team can be a linchpin in championship success. Saturday night in College Station the Alabama Crimson Tide had a 15-point lead with 7:26 left in the second half. The lead was far from insurmountable for an Aggies' comeback.
A furious rally by Texas A&M twice got the Aggies within three points of the Crimson Tide. Many road teams in that situation would have folded. Alabama did not.
The game was a physically intense foul fest. For much of the game, Alabama basketball fans felt as if the Crimson Tide was playing 5 vs. 8. There was a discrepancy in foul shots, but the Aggies only shot eight more than the Crimson Tide. Fortunately for Alabama, Texas A&M only scored one more point than the Tide at the foul line.
A summary of the game could be that Mark Sears pouring in 27 points, and Cliff Omoruyi, returning to the game after a second-half ankle injury were the difference. Omoruyi finished with seven points and 10 rebounds and a gimpy ankle. After the game, Nate Oats talked about the Tide center, "A lot of guys would have just sat that one out after they rolled their ankle like he did. And he manned up, wanted to play, wanted to be there for his teammates."
Such a short summary would be far from complete. It was a team win for Alabama. The Crimson Tide needed all the contribution it got from at least five more players. Labaron Philon struggled shooting and scored only eight points. But in 26 minutes of play, Philon had six rebounds, seven assists, and just one turnover. Grant Nelson also had a tough shooting night but was the Tide's second-leading rebounder with eight. In 15 minutes of play, Derrion Reid contributed 11 points, along with two rebounds.
Two Key Alabama Crimson Tide Players
Two more Alabama Crimson Tide players each played 18 minutes. What they each did in their 28 minutes was outstanding. Aden Holloway scored 15 points, with a rebound and an assist. Chris Youngblood scored 14 points with five rebounds, an assist and a steal. Nate Oats credited Youngblood's defense on the Aggies leading scorer, saying "I thought he did the best job on Phelps tonight and that’s with him still not 100% because he’s still trying to get back from the ankle surgery. So, his competitiveness, his winning attitude and then, boy it was great to see him drop some shots."
Fifteen more SEC games lie ahead and few wins will come easily, but Alabama showcased its depth against the Aggies. Depth that is not just numbers, but is also talent. No other SEC team may have as much.