Alabama hosted a Texas team that has lost six games against a tough slate in the early going and things didn’t go well for the home team, as the Longhorns walked out of Coleman with a 92-88 victory.
Texas looked nothing like an unranked, winless in SEC play team early on. They were on fire from three, making five of their first nine from deep and, as you so often see, that seemed to give them some juice on the defensive end. Sixth year senior Tramon Mark was particularly difficult to handle, pouring in 16 points in 17 minutes.
On the other end of the floor, Texas played like a team that was desperate to get its first SEC win. Alabama got their three point shots off but it wasn’t easy, as the Longhorns made a concerted effort to run them off the line. Coach Sean Miller called for drop coverage against the Alabama pick and roll, which kept the lane clogged up as well. As a result, Alabama was forced to take more midrange shots than Nate Oats would ever want.
Texas led by 11 a couple of times in the half, but a flagrant foul awarded after an appeal from Oats with just inside two minutes to play got the Tide back into the game. By the end of the half, Alabama had pulled within one at 46-45 on a buzzer beater from Taylor Bol Bowen. The Tide made 38% from three in the first half against 42% for Texas, and the two teams were dead even with 19 boards each.
Things didn’t start any better for the Tide out of the half. Texas guard Jordan Pope hit a long three to key a 15-3 run in the first four minutes, and the Longhorns got that 11 point lead right back. Alabama tried to battle back, but Pope knocked down two more from deep to run the lead out to 66-53 with just inside 13 minutes to play. Fortunately, another flagrant foul keyed a little Alabama burst to get back within six at the 10 minute mark.
Miller called timeout to stop the bleeding, and the intensity picked up on both ends. After starting off 1-6 from three as a team to open the half, London Jemison and Aden Holloway hit back-to-back to pull the Tide within one. After an exchange of buckets, Miller called another timeout nursing a 74-73 lead with 6:43 to play. The Coleman crowd was raucous, hoping to will the Tide to pull it out.
Aden Holloway then made one of two from the line to pull the Tide even at 74, but they couldn’t handle prosperity, allowing offensive rebounds on the next two possessions to push Texas back in front 77-74. Texas kept crashing the glass and Alabama kept fouling, but the Longhorns kept the Tide in the game with poor shooting from the stripe.
Holloway hit another three just inside four minutes to pull the Tide back within one, but once again they couldn’t get over the hump. Four straight made free throws for Texas sandwiched around a pair of misses from London Jemison had Texas leading by five at 85-80 with two minutes left.
Amari Allen then got loose on an inbound play. He made a layup and was fouled but, in what became a theme down the stretch, he missed the free throw and Texas maintained the three point advantage. After another free throw, Bol Bowen knocked down a three to pull within one yet again, this time 86-85 with a minute to play. Miller called another timeout.
The Tide got a stop, but Philon missed a three from the top of the key on the other end which led to a runout for Mark and a three point Texas lead. A stop and pair of free throws put the game out of reach.
The end of this game was frustrating as Alabama had every opportunity to get the win, but it was a late last ditch effort after watching Texas control the bulk of the action. This was a lackluster effort for most of the night, and a loss is exactly what they deserved.
Alabama is now 1-2 in conference play and not trending well. They will need to get it together headed into Starkville on Tuesday night lest they dig themselves a big hole. Oats will not be happy with this one.
Roll Tide.
