SPOKANE, Wash. − Noses bloodied. Guys scrapped. Gamers hit the ground. The matchup between Alabama basketball and Grand Canyon could not have been way more bodily.
There wasn’t a significantly better time for the Crimson Tide to name on true blue-collar basketball. Alabama had no shot of profitable the March Insanity battle with out it.
However the Crimson Tide gamers introduced their arduous hats till the very finish. Because of this, Alabama beat Grand Canyon 72-61 on Sunday to advance to the Candy 16. It is the third Candy 16 look for Alabama in 4 seasons.
Listed here are observations and takeaways from the sport between No. 4 seed Alabama (23-11) and No. 12 seed Grand Canyon (30-5).
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Protection exhibits up early and infrequently in rock battle for Alabama basketball
The primary half wasn’t for the faint of coronary heart. There was physicality, there was depth and there was protection.
Not a complete lot of factors, although. Not less than not for a great chunk of the primary half. Good factor Alabama did not let offensive points have an effect on its protection.
The Crimson Tide introduced the defensive depth wanted when pictures weren’t falling.
By the primary timeout, Alabama had gone 2-for-10. Grand Canyon could not capitalize, although. The Crimson Tide protection made positive of it. Alabama fought and battled all through, seldom giving up simple buckets. Because of this, Grand Canyon began 1-for-11. The Crimson Tide held the Lopes to .833 factors per possession within the first half, a powerful mark.
Ultimately, Alabama began to get extra pictures to fall, largely due to Mark Sears and Rylan Griffen. Every tallied 13 factors earlier than intermission, making 4 pictures apiece. Griffen stepping up offensively was a lot wanted with Latrell Wrightsell Jr. exiting the sport with a head harm.
Alabama shot solely 38% within the first half however nonetheless held a 38-30 lead going into the break.
Fouls plague Alabama basketball in second half, however Mo Dioubate steps up
The Crimson Tide needed to keep busy substituting within the second half. Foul after foul racked up, and several other gamers discovered themselves in foul hassle.
Particularly the bigs. Jarin Stevenson fouled out with 6:46 left. By that time, Grant Nelson had already picked up his fourth foul, and shortly after, Rylan tallied his fourth.
Then GCU did its injury from the free-throw line. The Lopes had already crossed 20 free throws made earlier than the sport crossed into the ultimate 5 minutes.
Nothing Mo Dioubate could not repair. The bench ahead stepped into the sport and asserted his will. He grabbed rebounds, he made buckets and he sunk free throws.
In the long run, he all however willed Alabama to a victory.
What’s subsequent for Alabama basketball?
Alabama will advance to the Candy 16, dealing with No. 1 seed North Carolina in Los Angeles on Thursday. This marks the third journey to the Candy 16 for coach Nate Oats at Alabama.
Nick Kelly is the Alabama beat author for The Tuscaloosa Information, a part of the USA TODAY Community, and he covers Alabama soccer and males’s basketball. Attain him at [email protected] or observe him @_NickKelly on X, the social media app previously often known as Twitter.