No. 4 Alabama had two strong showings after an ugly loss against Ole Miss, as the team beat Kentucky and Vanderbilt. Here are the best standout performances from the past week by the Crimson Tide.
Grant Nelson vs Kentucky
After the Ole Miss disappointment, it was important for the team to bounce back with a win in Lexington, and the team did just that largely thanks to Nelson. He had a team-high 25 points and 11 rebounds in the 102-97 win over the Wildcats.
Much of Nelson’s production came in the first half, as he had 19 points in the first 20 minutes of the game. His free throw improvement was key, as he went only 3/7 from the stripe against Ole Miss but improved to 9/10 against Kentucky.
“Man, he’s good. We could use that out of him every game,” head coach Nate Oats said.
Mark Sears vs Vanderbilt
The guard performed much better at home than the previous home game against Ole Miss, when he scored only 11 points. Sears had 21 points against the Commodores on 5/12 shooting in the 103-87 win and did damage from the free throw line, going 10/13 from the stripe.
His playmaking was critical in the victory, as he dished out a team-high seven assists and didn’t turn the ball over once. He also reached 2,500 career points in the victory, becoming the 82nd player in Division 1 basketball history to do so.
Aden Holloway vs Vanderbilt
The transfer guard from Auburn continues to be a key addition for the Crimson Tide. He tied a team high in points with 22 on 8/11 shooting and made four of his six shots from downtown.
Holloway has now scored double-digit points off the bench in five out of six SEC games, and he credited his new coaching staff for his emergence this season.
“Last year was kind of abnormal for me. I just felt like I kept going downhill,” Holloway said. “This year, my coaching staff and teammates have put a lot of confidence in me.”
Mouhamed Dioubate vs Vanderbilt
The forward was impactful off the bench against the Commodores, as he had 22 points on an efficient 8/9 shooting from the field and a team-high 10 rebounds. He continued to make an impact defensively as well, with two blocks and a steal.
Dioubate won the hard hat award for the second straight game for his performance and has seen an increased role in scoring after performing well in practice, according to Oats, while also continuing to make an impact defensively.
“You kind of know what you’re going to get out of Mo,” Oats said. “He’s going to play hard. He’s going to be tough. He’s going to be physical.”
