Alabama Basketball hit 18 threes, held Texas A&M to below 38 percent from the field, and generally played one of its best games of the year on both ends of the floor on Saturday afternoon.
Bama got its usual contributions, including 23 points from Mark Sears and eight combined three-pointers from Rylan Griffen and Latrell Wrightsell Jr., but an improved defensive effort made this an uncompetitive game for much of the way.
It was still far from a lockdown effort, but Bama made Texas A&M work for every bucket. When coupled with the Tide’s own blistering shooting splits, A&M had no chance to keep pace. As a result, the Aggies were beaten by double-digits in both halves in what proved to be a 25-point margin.
Alabama once again hit 100 points, a mark it has reached three times in its last six SEC games. The Tide has gone 5-1 in that stretch, averaging 97.2 points per game.
It has been established that Bama’s schedule will be tough down the stretch. The gauntlet includes trips to Lexington, Gainesville, and Oxford, and the Tide will also host Florida and Tennessee. If it can continue to play solid defense to complement its offense, it will fare much better through this stretch than anybody expected. Additionally, at least in theory, the improved defensive effort should keep Alabama in games when the shots aren’t falling.
In games at Tennessee and at Auburn, as well as during Bama’s three-game non-conference losing streak back in December, the Tide did not have its typical offensive performance and did not defend well enough to give itself a chance. The 2022-23 team was able to win games without its best shooting efforts, and the current team is working to reach that point.
Coleman Coliseum becoming a force
Alabama Basketball has been very tough to beat in Coleman Coliseum over the past two years, posting a 27-1 home record. The environment against Texas A&M was electric, particularly for an early tip-off.
The numbers speak for themselves: Alabama has absolutely eviscerated opponents at home, beating 10 SEC opponents by 20 points or more in Coleman.
Even as the fan base clamors for an upgrade, Coleman Coliseum is gradually becoming one of the more effective home court advantages in college hoops. Egged on by over 13,000 fans, including a special guest in Coach Nick Saban, the Tide played one of its more inspired games of the season.
The Crimson Tide will host Florida on Wednesday night before hitting the road for a two-game stretch away from home.