No. 23 Alabama men’s basketball snapped its two-game home slump with a 90-64 drubbing of the Missouri Tigers on Tuesday at Coleman Coliseum.
Five Crimson Tide players scored in double figures, including guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. Wrightsell tied his season high with 21 points on 7/11 shooting, which included a career-high seven made 3-pointers. Wrightsell’s career night was also his most efficient effort from deep since Dec. 30, 2023, when he knocked down 5/7 from beyond the arc in the team’s 101-56 win over Liberty.
“I put in a lot of work to get where I am now,” Wrightsell said postgame. “I know it hasn’t been shown with the numbers, but I’ve been putting up a lot of shots, and in due time, I know I’ll ball out.”
The Crimson Tide put up one of its strongest defensive performances of the season. It held Missouri to its lowest point tally of the season and just 0.889 points per possession. The Tigers also shot 4/21 from 3-point range and 8/23 from the free-throw line.
Alabama head coach Nate Oats said postgame that his team spent a lot more time on preparation after its 79-73 loss to Tennessee on Saturday.
Former G-League player and Alabama center Charles Bediako continued his strong play in his second game since being granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA. Bediako started the game and notched 14 points on 4/5 shooting.
The career 49.6% free throw shooter also went a perfect 6/6 at the charity stripe. Bediako starting at center helped counter Missouri’s size, and also allowed center Aiden Sherrell to play more outside the paint.
Sherrell notched his fourth-highest point tally of the season with 16 points on 4/7 shooting. He also racked up multiple blocks for the first time since his three-block effort in the team’s 97-82 win over Mississippi State on Jan. 13.
Oats said that starting Bediako alongside Sherrell in the frontcourt allowed Sherrell to get “a little more comfortable playing on the perimeter.”
Star guard Aden Holloway made his return to the lineup after missing the team’s loss to Tennessee on Saturday. He opened the scoring with a triple, which started an efficient 4/7 shooting effort from Alabama in the opening 4:23.
Despite the Crimson Tide’s solid start, the team entered a scoring drought lasting nearly three minutes following the first media timeout.
The team’s offense found its rhythm again and roared back with a 6-0 run with 10:52 to play in the half, after star guard Labaron Philon Jr. and forward London Jemison connected on back-to-back triples. The Tigers tied the game at 21 with 7:53 left, but the Crimson Tide closed the first half on a 21-8 run, propelled by Philon, who had 11 points on 4/8 shooting.
Alabama’s offense kept pouring on points after the break, as Wrightsell caught fire in the second half and knocked down five of six attempts from 3-point range. It scored on 21 of its 36 second-half possessions and its lead soared to as high as 29 points.
The Crimson Tide will return to the floor on Sunday in Gainesville, Florida to take on the Florida Gators. Tipoff is set for noon CT and the game can be streamed on ABC.
