NASHVILLE ― The SEC Match bracket was lining up utterly for Alabama basketball.
Teams the Crimson Tide confirmed it’d beat throughout the frequent season gained their video video games Friday. Teams to whom Alabama had misplaced throughout the frequent season (Tennessee, Kentucky) misplaced their video video games Friday and bowed out of the conference occasion.
If solely the Crimson Tide had gained its recreation Friday. That was the half that didn’t go so utterly.
Florida took administration of the game late throughout the first half and cruised to a victory, knocking Alabama out of the SEC Match quarterfinals with a 102-88 victory at Bridgestone Enviornment. The Gators gained two of three matchups with the Crimson Tide this season.
Listed under are observations and takeaways from the SEC Match quarterfinal recreation between No. 3 seed Alabama (21-11) and No. 6 seed Florida (23-10).
IT’S BRACKET MADNESS: Enter USA TODAY’s basketball occasion bracket contests for a chance at $1 million prize.
NATE OATS:What is going on to it take for Alabama basketball to keep up Nate Oats long-term? | Kelly
NICK SABAN COMMEMORATIVE BOOK:Relive Nick Saban’s epic occupation with our explicit e-book. Preorder proper right here.
ALABAMA BASKETBALL SCHEDULE:Alabama basketball schedule 2024: Listed under are the entire video video games, outcomes for Nate Oats’ crew
Alabama basketball begins scorching, then falls apart
Alabama couldn’t have requested for a considerably higher start.
The Crimson Tide began the game on a tear, scoring on 4 of its first 5 possessions. Within the meantime, the safety launched depth that stifled the Gators, who started 0-for-4. Alabama dominated on the glass early, and that translated to a fast lead. The Crimson Tide started in a method that impressed confidence in its functionality to take it to Florida.
Or so it regarded.
The brand new start cooled off. Alabama began to stumble offensively, discovering strategies to not score, whether or not or not as a result of turnovers, missed photos or avoidable errors. Alabama faltering offensively bled over into safety. The Crimson Tide stopped getting stops, and the Gators went to work.
Florida ended the first half on a 21-2 run over the final word 5:24 sooner than the break. Alabama went 1-for-10 sooner than heading into the locker room.
Halftime wouldn’t current improve
Little that Alabama did after halftime regarded similar to the stuff of comebacks.
The Crimson Tide didn’t come out of the locker room with renewed energy, swiftly getting defensive stops and draining photos. Instead, Alabama started 0-for-2 whereas Florida went 2-for-2.
Whereas these percentages modified for both sides, that about summed up the best way it went for the Crimson Tide as a result of the second half progressed. Alabama couldn’t catch ample of a scorching streak offensively with restricted success from previous the arc for lots of the half. Within the meantime, Florida saved chipping away on the offensive end and rising its lead.
It shortly turned clear a comeback wasn’t going to be going down. Alabama went on a small run in the direction of the tip of the second half, nonetheless it was too little too late.
What’s subsequent?
Alabama’s journey to Nashville ends after only one recreation. Instead of having fun with Saturday, the Crimson Tide will return to Tuscaloosa. Alabama will then be taught of its NCAA Match future on Sunday. The Crimson Tide has beforehand been projected as a No. 4 seed for March Madness heading into the week.
Nick Kelly is the Alabama beat writer for The Tuscaloosa Data, part of the USA TODAY Neighborhood, and he covers Alabama soccer and males’s basketball. Attain him at [email protected] or adjust to him @_NickKelly on X, the social media app beforehand typically often called Twitter.