Alabama men’s basketball saw its season end in an 85-65 loss to Duke in the East Region final on Saturday. The team struggled on offense, which heavily contributed to the loss.
The tough offensive showing came after the Crimson Tide set the NCAA Tournament record for most 3-point makes and attempts in a game in a 113-88 win Thursday over 6-seed BYU.
The team failed to score over 70 points for just the second time this season, the other being a 74-64 loss at home to Ole Miss. It also failed to reach the same efficiency it did in Thursday’s victory over BYU, shooting 35.4% from the field, which was 17.6% worse than Thursday’s 53.0% rate.
The team was outrebounded 41-30 overall and 34-20 on the defensive glass. It also shot 12 of 25 at the rim, a 48% mark.
Alabama head coach Nate Oats said his team had a tough night.
“We’ve got to figure out ways to win when we don’t shoot it well,” Oats said.
Alabama’s struggles at the rim have been an Achilles’ heel for the team this season and appeared once again against an efficient Duke defense.
Oats gave credit to Duke center Khaman Maluach, saying, “when they’ve got a rim protector, it’s hard to get rim shots.”
In losses to Tennessee and Auburn, the team shot 12/29 and 14/30 at the rim, respectively.
Guard Mark Sears scored 6 points on 2/12 shooting and 1/5 from 3 in his final game for the Crimson Tide. He was also responsible for five of the team’s 11 turnovers.
Sears’ tough night followed his impressive performance against BYU, where he scored 34 points on 11/18 shooting and 10/16 from 3. Duke’s shutdown of Sears compromised Alabama’s offensive attack, and the team never was able to get going.
While Sears did not end his Alabama career with a memorable performance, Oats praised Sears for his time in Tuscaloosa.
“You’ve got to put him up there with the greats,” Oats said.
Guard Chris Youngblood said that the program’s capability of winning a national championship is impressive in itself, after not being in the conversation before Oats was hired.
“Just a few years ago, man, people would have been celebrating this Elite Eight,” Youngblood said. “Now we’re mad because we didn’t get to a national championship, because we’re more than capable.”
