Alabama Basketball Continues To Excel In Tough Games
From the very beginning, players, fans and media alike could feel the intensity as Alabama and Arkansas took the court to face off in Fayetteville.
In regard to the Crimson Tide, it was a perfect storm for a road game: an elite opponent who was just as physical and had its own share of talent, a packed gym that viewed Alabama as the enemy, and the historical angle of not winning in Arkansas since 2012. It was a major test on the road that, at least in SEC play, was the toughest challenge so far this season.
"It was amazing out there," Mark Sears said about playing in Bud Walton Arena. "At times you couldn't even hear yourself talking, but that's why we came to 'Bama: to play in big games like that."
Sears was a big-time player in a big-time game, leading all scorers with 26 points on only 16 shots, including making all 10 of his free throws. The amount of trips to the stripe was indicative of how physical the game was from start to finish. Alabama went 25-for-36 from the free-throw line, while Arkansas went 15-for-23. Both teams had over 20 fouls (the Razorbacks edged the Tide 23-22 in that department), and each team finished with 37 rebounds.
The rebounding tie served as a foreshadowing to how back-and-forth the game was for most of the night. Yes, the final score was a 15-point spread, but before Alabama went on a 13-0 run to pull away late, each team had moments where it controlled the flow.
The physicality was also a major factor, especially in the first half. Alabama and Arkansas combined to shoot 2-for-13 on 3-pointers, but 36 points in the paint. Baskets were earned with hard drives to the basket, and rebounders had to attack the glass with aggression and force to have success. Sears even joked with Jay Bilas during postgame interview that there may be a little blood on his jersey.
"It was super physical," head coach Nate Oats said postgame. "It's a really tough game to officiate. [Arkansas is] a tough team. They preach toughness, and we do the same.
"If you're not tough, you're not gonna be able to win these big games."
Oats pointed to the Houston game, a team he believed is one of the toughest in the country, and the loss to UConn as examples of Alabama being prepared for a game like it just played against Arkansas.
"I thought our schedule in nonconference really prepared us for this game," Oats said. "We've been good in tough games."
The late run is what won the game for Alabama, but it was the physical battle leading up to it that setup Brandon Miller, who was quiet most of the game, to score all 14 of his points in the second half, including nine of Alabama's final 22 points.
Because of that, Alabama won in Arkansas for the first time in over a decade, while simultaneously breaking a couple of winning streaks for the Razorbacks.
The next challenge for the Crimson Tide will be LSU, who will travel to Tuscaloosa for a Saturday afternoon matchup in Coleman Coliseum. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT on ESPN.
See also: Nine Points in 49 Seconds: The Stretch That Flattened No. 15 Arkansas
No. 4 Alabama Uses Second Half Run To Pull Away From No. 15 Arkansas
Alabama Basketball Makes Cut List for Multiple Top 2024 Recruits
