Alabama rolled into Las Vegas tonight ready to face an excellent Gonzaga squad, and things didn’t go so well as the Zags pulled away late for a 95-85 victory.
We got some tough injury news before the game,
as Latrell Wrightsell Jr. was ruled out for the Players’ Era tournament with a right leg ailment. The saving grace is that it is not the same leg that he missed most of last season with, and it is apparently a minor injury.
As far as the game goes, it lived up to the billing from the opening tip. Both teams were playing hard on both ends of the court with a sense of urgency that felt like yet another March game in November. Neither team was shooting the ball well from three early on, but the action in the paint was quite exciting and both squads prefer a frenetic pace. Birthday boy Labaron Philon led the way for Alabama, slicing and dicing his way to 13 points on 62% shooting, while star big man Braden Huff led the Zags with 12.
Both teams were sloppy with the ball in the first half, combining for 15 turnovers, and Gonzaga predictably won the rebounding battle, particularly on the offensive end. Fortunately for Alabama, the Zags left several points at the foul line and thus took only a three point lead into the break at 45-42.
The second half started much like the first, Philon carrying the offense for Alabama and Gonzaga hitting the offensive glass. At the 17 minute mark it was 53-48 Zags, with Philon contributing all six of Alabama’s points. The Zags heated up to open it up to nine at 16 minutes, and the game felt as if it could get away from the Tide.
On cue, Alabama cranked up some pressure on defense and went on a 10-0 run of their own, capped off by a nice shooter’s roll three from freshman London Jemison to put the Tide back in front at 61-60 with eleven minutes left. It was broken by a Zags three pointer, after which Aiden Sherrell blew a wide open layup that led to a runout on the other end.
Philon kept battling, but ball movement was non-existent as everyone seemed to stand around and wait for him to make something happen. With just under nine minutes left, Labaron was able to find Aiden Sherrell under the hoop for a layup. He was fouled but missed the free throw, and Gonzaga led by two. After a stop, Keitenn Bristow grabbed an offensive board and was fouled a minute later but missed the front end. Amari Allen grabbed the board and missed a three, but Sherrell rebounded and was fouled. He made only one of two, however, and the Zags still had the lead by one.
The Tide locked down on defense again and managed to grab the board this time. Philon pushed the ball up the floor and found Aden Holloway in the right corner for a transition three and a two point lead at the seven minute mark. It was Holloway’s first make from deep after six consecutive misses, and Zags coach Mark Few elected to call timeout.
The Zags executed a Few special out of the timeout for an alley-oop to tie the game, setting off a short Gonzaga run for a four point lead at the five minute mark. Three straight free throws pulled the Tide within one, but the Zags had another spurt in them. Tyon Grant-Foster ripped the ball away from Allen for a breakway dunk and five point advantage, then Keitenn Bristow missed a layup headed into the four minute timeout. Bristow was once again Alabama’s workhorse on the glass, but this was an ugly offensive night for him with a couple of ugly shots from deep and several missed layups.
It all fell apart for Alabama at that point. Zags guard Steele Venters hit his fourth three off the bench coming out of the timeout, Philon turned the ball over again, and Ike cashed in a layup for a ten point lead. Holloway hit another late three but it wasn’t nearly enough.
Philon was nothing short of sensational in this one, leading all scorers with 29 while adding six assists, but he just didn’t get enough help. If you’re going to give up a slew of second chance points then you’d better shoot well from deep, but on this night they could not. Alabama undoubtedly missed Wrightsell, but Holloway and Houston Mallette combined for a brutal 2-12 as the team finished at only. The Tide also forgot how to shoot free throws in the second half and ended up making only 61%.
Huff, Ike and Grant-Foster all had standout performances for Gonzaga, each scoring well into double digits with some fine work on the glass and Venters added 12 key points on 4-8 from three.
The early gauntlet continues against UNLV on Wednesday, in what will be a de facto home game for the Runnin’ Rebels.
Roll Tide.
