Live Updates From No. 16 Alabama Basketball Hosting South Florida

TUSCLOOSA, Ala. -- No. 16 Alabama basketball returns to Coleman Coliseum as the non-conference schedule begins to come to a close. The Crimson Tide welcome the South Florida Bulls who are led by a familiar face. Former assistant coach Bryan Hodgson is in his first year on the South Florida sideline and brings a squad that's 6-4 on the season.

Follow along for live updates and analysis from Coleman Coliseum. Be sure to refresh your browser as the most recent events will be placed at the top of this page.

Final Score

Alabama 104, South Florida 93

Second Half

1:10 - Labaron Philon's layup takes Alabama over the century mark. Alabama leads 101-88.

2:07 - Alabama is leading 98-84, but has still given up 24 offensive rebounds on the night for 26 second-chance points. The problem persists for the Crimson Tide.

2:19 - Josh Omojafo makes a 3-point shot for South Florida, cutting the Alabama lead to 96-84, but then fouls Latrell Wrightsell to send him to the line for two shots. Wrightsell makes both free throws, taking his scoring total to 10 and bringing Bama back to a 14-point lead.

3:33 - Josh Omajafo makes two free throws to cut Alabama's lead to 11 points, and then South Florida immediately fouls Alabama before the ball is inbounded, continuing the free throw contest.

Play is stopped as South Florida coach Bryan Hodgson is appealing the call.

TIMEOUT, 3:33 - Alabama leads 92-79 and the last few minutes have been a mixture of sloppy play and a free throw contest. Labaron Philon leads all scorers with 26 points, but South Florida forward Izaiyah Nelson has come on of late, scoring 23 points while grabbing 11 rebounds.

4:06 - Wes Enis sends Houston Mallette to the free throw line as South Florida has been full court pressing over the last few minutes. Mallette extends Alabama's lead to 92-77 making one of two from the charity stripe.

6:25 - It's a free throw party in the second half. Alabama is up to 10 personal fouls and South Florida is up to nine in the second half. The Crimson Tide has made 21-of-24 from the free throw line, South Florida has made 19-of-26 and the Tide leads 85-71.

6:29 - Davion Hannah draws his fourth foul reaching in again.

TIMEOUT, 7:54 - Davion Hannah fouls the dribbler on the other end to stop play. Hannah is up to three fouls on the night. He, Aiden Sherrell and Latrell Wrightsell are the only Crimson Tide players with three thus far. Alabama leads 79-62.

8:31 - Taylor Bol Bowen draws a foul, taking South Florida into the bonus. Alabama's continued its strong performance at the free throw line, making 16-of-19 from the charity stripe from the night.

9:40 - Wes Enis keeps firing. He makes his sixth 3-point basket of the night and cuts Alabama's lead to 74-61.

12:15 - Joseph Pinion and Aden Holloway trade 3-point makes as the Crimson Tide is staying hot from deep. Alabama's made 6-of-9 from beyond the arc in the second half.

TIMEOUT, 12:43 - South Florida calls a timeout as Alabama's run continues. Labaron Philon hits his third 3-point shot of the game. The Crimson Tide is on a 17-4 run and Alabama leads 69-53. Philon has 21 points, Houston Mallete has 13 points, Aden Holloway is up to 12.

14:00 - Aden Holloway makes a 3-pointer and keeps Alabama going on a 12-2 run. The Crimson Tide is 9-of-25 from beyond the arc as a team and Holloway is up to 10 points scored after being held scoreless against Arizona.

14:42 - Alabama re-extends its lead to 10 points after and efficient stretch on offense and defense. The Crimson Tide holds a 61-51 lead.

15:42 - Labaron Philon shows nice touch and gets a runner to go. He hits a 3-pointer on the next possession. Philon is up to 18 points scored and has overtaken Houston Mallette and Wes Enis for top scorer in the game.

16:00 - Nate Oats challenged for a flagrant foul and won in the break. CJ Brown was charged with it for South Florida on Keitenn Bristow.

TIMEOUT, 16:00 - Alabama leads 52-49 but the Bulls opened the second half with a 10-6 run. Nate Oats has gotten on his team this season for slow second-half starts, and seems to be in the middle of another.

Alabama is 2-of-9 from the floor to open the half, while South Florida is 5-of-8 with three dunks.

16:25 - Keitenn Bristow and Joseph Pinion get tangled up and Bristow forces a jump ball call. The Bulls have opened the second half on a 10-6 run.

17:20 - Taylor Bol Bowen is called for an offensive foul, the Bulls can tie the game with a 3-pointer after a strong open to the half.

Alabama trainer Clarke Holter is back on the Crimson Tide bench to start the second half but London Jemison is not with him. https://t.co/Pg0d1Gf77H
— Hunter De Siver (@HunterDeSiver) December 18, 2025

18:45 - Labaron Philon makes his first 3-point shot of the night, taking Alabama's lead to 52-43.

Halftime

The Crimson Tide takes a seven-point halftime lead into the locker room. Alabama guard Houston Mallette leads the team in scoring with 13 points, making 3-of-5 from deep. South Florida's Wes Enis leads all scorers at the break with 17 points, making 5-of-9 from beyond the arc. Labaron Philon is the only other player in double-figures with 10 points.

South Florida's mustered 10 offensive rebounds for 10 second chance points as defensive rebounding continues to be an issue for Alabama, but the Crimson Tide is out-rebounding the Bulls 32-22 on the whole.

Mallette is also leading the Crimson Tide with seven rebounds, Taylor Bol Bowen and Aiden Sherrell have six boards a piece.

First Half

:01 - Aiden Sherrell scores a bucket from an inbounds play with just a single second left. The play is under review but if it counts the Crimson Tide will take a 46-39 lead into halftime.

TIMEOUT, :32 - Houston Mallette pulls down an offensive rebound and leads all Crimson Tide scorers with 13. The Crimson Tide leads 44-38 and now has 15 offensive rebounds for 11 second-chance points.

1:11 - Houton Mallette has the hot hand from deep. He just made his third 3-point make of the night and extended Alabama's lead to 42-38.

2:08 - Labaron Philon makes two free throws as the Crimson Tide continues to stretch its advantage at the charity stripe. Alabama is 11-of-14 from the line, while South Florida is 4-of-8. The Crimson Tide leads 39-36.

TIMEOUT, 3:21 - Alabama clings to a 33-31 lead. An Alabama fan just made the $5,000 putt for dough challenge in the break. The Crimson Tide could use some of his deep accuracy as they're 4-of-15 from beyond the arc in the first half.

4:42 - Enis is on fire. He's now 5-of-8 from 3-point range and ties the game for South Florida at 31-31.

6:17 - Wes Enis makes his fourth 3-point basket of the night for South Florida. Enis is up to 14 points and is 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. His make cuts Alabama's lead to 29-26.

TIMEOUT, 6:43 - Alabama leads 29-22. Josh Omajafo takes South Florida's defensive rebound coast-to-coast and draws a foul. He'll shoot two free throws when we return from break and they'll be the first two free throws for the Bulls in the game. Most of the statistics are even outside of the Crimson Tide's advantage at the charity stripe. Wes Enis leads all scorers with 11 points, while Houston Mallette has eight points for the Crimson Tide.

7:28 - Houston Mallette makes his second 3-point shot of the night and extends Alabama's lead to 29-22. Mallette leads the Crimson Tide with eight points on the evening.

9:10 - Tristan Beckford gets an offensive rebound and takes advantage of a Crimson Tide defensive miscue for a dunk. Painful possession as the Crimson Tide still struggles clearing the defensive glass. South Florida is up to seven offensive rebounds for five second chance points.

10:18 - Joseph Pinion cuts Alabama's lead to three with a 3-point make, but Alabama re-extends it with a London Jemison 3-point make. The Crimson Tide has seemed to answer each Bull 3-point make with one of their own and leads 24-18.

11:58 - The Coleman Coliseum PA announces fans can move down closer to the floor as the attendance is rather sparse.

TIMEOUT - Alabama has a 21-13 lead and has a nice advantage at the free throw line. The Crimson Tide is 7-of-8 from the charity stripe, while the South Florida Bulls haven't taken one yet. Wes Enis leads all scorers with nine points. Houston Mallette leads the Crimson Tide with five points.

12:17 - Aden Holloway missed a layup, Aiden Sherrell got an offensive rebound but missed the put back. Taylor Bol Bowen got two offensive rebounds but missed both put backs and was fouled. Nice to see the Crimson Tide get three offensive boards on the same possession. Bol Bown makes both free throws for a 21-13 Alabama advantage.

12:58 - Aden Holloway swipes the ball away from Joseph Pinion and Alabama pushes the pace but can't capitalize. The Crimson Tide leads 19-11.

14;08 - Play is stopped for a review. Officials are are taking a look at a foul situation. Joseph Pinion is charged with a flagrent foul on Jalil Bethea.

14:31 - Taylor Bol Bowen records his first block of the game. The Crimson Tide now has four rejections in the first five and half minutes.

15:00 - Wes Enis makes another 3-point basket, but Alabama's Aden Holloway answers back with one of his own. Holloway didn't score in the Crimson Tide's last outing.

TIMEOUT, 15:30 - Alabama leads South Florida 10-8, but has allowed five offensive rebounds in the game's first four and a half minutes. The Crimson Tide has been focused on defensive rebounding, but is still struggling in that area. Wes Enis leads all scorers with six points. Houston Mallette and Latrell Wrightsell each have three points to lead Alabama.

16:43 - Wes Enis answers with a second 3-point make, tying the game at eight. Enis is 2-of-4 from deep in the early moments of the game.

17:08 - Latrell Wrightsell gives Alabama its first lead driving to the basket for a bucket. His free throw make gives the Crimson Tide an 8-5 lead. Keitenn Bristow subs in for Aiden Sherrell.

18:02 - Wes Enis makes the game's first 3-point shot, but Houston Mallette answers right back with one of his own, tying the game 5-5.

18:29 - Sherrell blocks a second shot and is becoming quite the rim-protector for the Crismson Tide.

18:46 - Aiden Sherrell gets his first block of the night. Sherrell had eight blocks in the last outing against Arizona.

19:25 - South Florida wins the tip, and Izaiyah Nelson scores on the first possession. Aiden Sherrell answers with a basket on the other en,d and we are underway in Coleman Coliseum.

Pregame

Alabama freshman London Jemison is in line to make the first start of his career.

Head coach Nate Oats said in his midweek availability that several players may be held out due to health concerns, but every Alabama player outside of Collins Onyejiaka appears to be warming up.

Starting Lineups:

Alabama Starting Lineup

G - Labaron Philon
G - Latrell Wrightsell
G - Houston Mallette
F - London Jemison
F - Aiden Sherrell

South Florida Starting Lineup

G - Wes Enis
G - Joseph Pinion
F - Tristan Beckford
F - CJ Brown
F - Izaiyah Nelson

How to Watch: Alabama Against South Florida

Who: No. 12 Alabama (7-3, 0-0 SEC) vs. USF (6-4, 0-0 American)

What: Alabama's 11th game of the regular season (fifth at home)

When: Wednesday, Dec. 17, 7 p.m. CT

Where: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Ala.

TV: SEC Network+

Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network (Play-By-Play: Chris Stewart, Color: Bryan Passink). The pregame show will begin one hour prior to tipoff.

SiriusXM: Channel 192

Series: The two programs are tied 1-1 with the first matchup occurring on Dec. 7, 2013.

Last Meeting: The Crimson Tide took the Bulls down 82-71 on Dec. 2, 2014, in Tuscaloosa following a big first-half performance. Rodney Cooper led Alabama with 20 points, but fellow starters Ricky Tarrant and Levi Randolph scored 17 and 14. respectively, while Justin Coleman and Michael Kessens combined for 20 points off the bench. Tarrant also recorded eight assists and five steals.

Last time out, Alabama: The then-No. 12 Crimson Tide fell to No. 1 Arizona 96-75 on Saturday night in Birmingham. It was the fourth-largest losing margin under Oats. There's no doubt that the differences in the offensive rebounding category were the main story, as the Wildcats won that battle 22-3. Alabama guards Labaron Philon Jr. (24 points) and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. (21) combined for 45 points, but the rest of the offense struggled. Defensively, the Tide could not stop Arizona guard Brayden Burries, who scored 28 points.

Last time out, South Florida: The Bulls outlasted Charleston 81-75 at home on Dec. 10. The Cougars had four players tally 10-plus points compared to South Florida's three, but the Bulls trio of Joseph Pinion (21 points), Izaiyah Nelson (17) and Tristan Beckford (17) combined for 55 points. Nelson and Beckford each recorded nine rebounds and two blocks, but eight of Nelson's boards came on the offensive glass — Alabama's main weakness.