Don’t look now, but the Alabama basketball team is red hot. Winners of the last six straight, the Crimson Tide (20-7 overall, 10-4 SEC) defeated a gritty LSU team on Saturday 90-83 at Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
For the Tide, things were good if your name was Aden (or Aiden). The team’s second-leading scorer, Aden Holloway, led Alabama with 17 points and four assists, while 6’10” forward Aiden Sherrell posted his second straight double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Amari Allen, who has scored in double figures in five out of his last six contests, chipped in 16, and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. added 14 for the Tide.
Labaron Philon Jr., the team’s leading scorer and one of the top offensive performers in the SEC, was held to only 8 points on 2-of-8 shooting.
Marquell Sutton led LSU (14-13, 2-12 SEC) with 21 points.
“I have a lot of respect for LSU players and staff,” said Alabama head coach Nate Oats. “I have watched them lose tight, one-possession games, so for them to be playing as hard as they are currently playing, keep fighting.”
The game was knotted at 21 with 6:44 left in the first half when Alabama went on a 15-5 run. Holloway led the Tide with 10 points at intermission as Alabama enjoyed a 43-40 lead.
In the second half, ‘Bama jumped out to a 71-58 lead with 7:55 remaining, but LSU clawed back to within six.
In the waning minutes, Alabama made seven free throws as the Crimson Tide escaped with its fifth conference road win of the season.
Alabama has now hit 10 threes in eight consecutive games and the team’s 30 made free throws on Saturday were the high mark from the charity stripe for the season.
After the game, Oats was impressed with Holloway’s play against LSU star Max McKinnon. “I thought that was the best game Aden Holloway has played on the defensive end all year. We put him on (Max) McKinnon to start, who ended up playing 30 minutes, took 16 shots, and it was only his second game in SEC play that he did not have double figures. Aden ended up with two steals, and his defensive leverage was tied for the highest on the team.”
Alabama returns to Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday to face Mississippi State. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. CT. TG
