Alabama
5-1,0-0SEC
#6 Houston
3-2,0-0Big 12
No. 9/9 Alabama Defeats No. 6/7 Houston in Overtime Thriller, 85-80, in Players Era Festival Opener
11/26/2024 11:19:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The Crimson Tide picked up its second straight top-25 win with Tuesday’s victory
LAS VEGAS – The No. 9/9 Alabama men's basketball team opened the Players Era Festival as it defeated No. 6/7 Houston in overtime, 85-80, Tuesday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The Crimson Tide (5-1) picked up the team's fifth win in the first six games and marked the second consecutive top 25 victory (defeated then-No. 25 Illinois last Wednesday night).
Alabama had two players record double-doubles in Mouhamed Dioubate (10 points, 16 rebounds) and Grant Nelson (13 points, 10 rebounds) to lead the way. In all, Alabama finished with five players in double figures led by Mark Sears' 24 points along with four rebounds and four assists.
The Cougars (3-2) had three players reach double-figure led by LJ Cryer with a game-high 30 points.
Head Coach Nate Oats Postgame Comments
"We told our guys that was going to be a cage match in Vegas. That's the toughest playing team in America. They've got more wins than anyone else in college basketball for the past five years for a reason. I've got a ton of respect of how hard they play and how they do it. To outrebounding a team like that by nine, you've got to have some tough guys on our team too. Proud of all of our guys."
Team Stats
- The contest was back-and-forth throughout, featuring 10 ties and 13 lead changes
- Alabama won its 20th game against an AP Top-25 opponent under head coach Nate Oats
- Alabama dominated the boards, outrebounding Houston 48-39 which included 20 offensive rebounds
- Going into Tuesday's contest, the most offensive rebounds Houston allowed this season was 11 (vs. Auburn)
- Alabama played in its first overtime game this season, and firs since March 9, 2024 (Alabama defeated Arkansas 92-88)
- Five players scored double-figures for Alabama led by Mark Sears with 24 points
- Mark Sears moved to No. 23 on Alabama's all-time scoring list with 1,353 career points passing Levi Randolph
- Sears converted 12 free throws, the most during his time at Alabama
- Mouhamed Dioubate grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds to go along with 10 points, picking up his first career double-double
First Half
- Alabama outrebounded Houston 25-18 in the first half including grabbing 14 offensive rebounds that led to 10 second chance points
- The Crimson Tide had seven players score in the first half led by Mark Sears' eight points
- The first half featured eight lead changes and was tied on four separate occasions
- Alabama committed four turnovers within the first two and a half minutes of the game as Houston jumped out to an 8-3 lead at the 15:41-mark
- The Crimson Tide responded by holding Houston to a nearly four-minute long scoring drought to cut Houston's lead to one point
- The Tide did not make a field goal for the final 3:26 of the half and trailed 36-34 at the break
Second Half & Overtime
- Alabama shot 66 percent (4-6) in its first six three-point attempts of the second half
- Houston went on an 10-0 run to take the lead (69-65) at the 4:28-mark
- Houston did not a make field goal for the final 3:17 of the game
- Latrell Wrightsell Jr. tied the game with a pair of free throws (78-78) with 27 seconds left in the game
- Sears scored nine of Alabama's final 14 points in regulation
- Entering overtime 78-all, the Tide outscored Houston 7-2 in overtime with four different players scoring
- Alabama took the lead at the 3:59 mark off a Sears' three-pointer and the Tide would never relinquish the lead
Up Next
- Alabama will play its second game in the Players Era Festival against Rutgers on Wednesday, Nov. 27
- Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. CT at the MGM Grand Arena and can be seen on TBS
