Alabama staved off Southland Conference preseason favorite McNeese State’s comeback bid in a 72-64 victory.
The first half featured the Cowboys bringing defensive pressure and good shooting early, but Alabama began to turn defensive stops into offensive continuity late in the first half. This came in the form of deep 3-point makes and tough shots in the paint by players across the roster.
It appeared that the Crimson Tide was on its way to routing the Cowboys, starting the second half hot with a lead as large as 21. The lead was washed away as McNeese State continued to apply pressure to the Alabama offense, turning turnovers into points. A 9-0 Cowboys run midway through the second half cut the Alabama lead down to single digits late in the contest.
The large lead that the Crimson Tide had previously built up, combined with timely free throws from multiple players, helped to hold off the Cowboys’ comeback effort.
“I’d like to see us pull away a little bit,” head coach Nate Oats said. “I thought they played really hard, and I think it’s good for our guys to go against different types of playing styles.”
Oats said the team took its foot off the gas after taking a large lead in the second half.
“I didn’t think our effort was great once we got a 21-point lead, and that’s an issue,” he said. “We have to be competitive no matter what the scoreboard is.”
Chief among Alabama’s contributors was forward Grant Nelson, who scored 22 points with three assists and seven rebounds. He also converted on two of his four 3-point attempts and eight out of his 10 free-throw attempts.
“This was a game where if he doesn’t play as well as he did, we might not win the game,” Oats said. “It’s great to have him.”
Guards Mark Sears and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. also put together good performances despite the Cowboys’ best efforts to shut down the pair’s shooting all night. Sears had 15 points, shooting three of five from 3-point range. Wrightsell also had 15 points, making five 3s in the game.
“I give props to all of my teammates and coaches for giving me confidence and finding me when I’m open,” Wrightsell said. “I’m just thankful for them.”
This was Alabama’s last game against a non-power conference team before it heads to the Midwest to take on North Dakota on Dec. 18.
The Crimson Tide’s next test is on the road against Purdue on Friday at 6 p.m. CT on Peacock.
