After a prolonged absence from Coleman Coliseum, the highly ranked 8th Alabama Crimson Tide emerged victorious against the loathed Creighton Blue Jays on a Saturday night. Their last home game was on November 11th when they triumphed over McNesse. This win marked their first over Creighton in four attempts, with Coach Nate Oats improving to 1-2 against the Blue Jays.

Alabama's Dominance on the Court

First Half Struggles and Comebacks

The Tide began the game with solid defense, focusing on Creighton's big man Ryan Kalkbrenner, who averaged 17.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Aiden Sherrell made an early impact with a three-point shot, giving the Tide a 16-10 lead. However, Sherrell's shooting became erratic as he took more shots, finishing 1-9 from the field and 1-5 from deep in just 10 minutes.Youngblood's entry after the under 16 timeout was a game-changer. He hit his first three-pointer with 13 minutes left in the half, extending the Tide's lead to 16-7. Mo Dioubate and Omouryi also contributed, and when Sears made his first three-pointer, Bama led 27-10. But then, the Tide's offense faltered as they started taking quick three-point shots and missing them, allowing the Blue Jays to make a comeback. At halftime, the visitors had closed the gap to six points at 37-31. The Tide scored only nine points in the last eight plus minutes of the period.

Second Half Resurgence and Final Moments

In the second half, the Tide started well again with Sears hitting an early three to set the tone. They led 51-39 with 16 minutes remaining. A Derrion Reid dunk and another three from Sears gave the Tide a comfortable 68-55 lead with 5:10 left. But Creighton's 6'10" freshman Jackson McAndrew turned into a scoring machine, hitting three-pointer after three-pointer to keep the Jays in the game. Omoruyi and Sears sealed the deal with clutch free throw shooting to hold off the comeback attempt.

Player Performances

Sears had an outstanding game, scoring 27 points on 8-15 shooting with 4-7 from deep, along with six rebounds, four assists, and only one turnover in 34 minutes. He was named player of the game and won the Hard Hat Award. Philon was dominant at the rim, scoring 16 points with five rebounds and two assists. Reid played tough defense and scored 12 points with four rebounds and two assists. Nelson shot 1-6 but led the team with 10 rebounds. Omoruyi protected the rim well without fouling and scored eight points with four rebounds in 25 minutes. Youngblood played 16 minutes and scored five points, trying to get back in form.

Creighton's Performance

In the second half, Creighton shot 16-29 for 55% with 6-15 for 40% from deep and 6-7 free throws. Overall, they finished 27-60 for 45%, 8-27 for 30% from three, and 13-16 for 81% at the line. Pint-sized guard Steven Ashworth led with 20 points and nine assists. Kalkbrenner had 18 points and seven rebounds, but the Tide did a good job of controlling him. McAndrew scored 16 points in 19 minutes with 5-8 shooting from behind the arc. Jamiya Neal added 13 points and eight rebounds.

Coach's Perspective

After the game, Oats said, "We started great in both halves, but didn't finish either the way we should." He praised Sears for his best game and added that only three players scored in double figures, with two being freshmen in Philon and Reid. He noted that they need to work on the freshman mistakes. Oats also felt that this win would be significant in March. Regarding the Tide's offensive efficiency, he said, "Despite our poor shooting, it shows what we are capable of. When we start shooting well, our numbers will improve."

Next Up

The Tide is set for a long road trip to North Dakota. They will tip off at 8 p.m. CT against the University of North Dakota on the CBS Sports Network. Roll Tide! Blue Collar Basketball!