Alabama Basketball secured a dominant 90-69 victory over Georgia on Saturday afternoon, showcasing strong shooting, rebounding, and defense. This win marked the Crimson Tide’s eighth SEC victory and 19th overall, extending their winning streak to six games. Ten Alabama players saw double-digit minutes in the game, contributing to the team’s success.
Alabama’s proficiency from beyond the arc continued, as they drained 11 three-pointers at an impressive 42% accuracy. In contrast, Georgia struggled significantly, making only 17% of their 23 attempts from three-point range. Overall, Alabama shot 53% from the field, while Georgia managed just 36%. The Bulldogs’ shooting woes were largely due to Alabama’s aggressive defense. Head coach Nate Oats praised his team’s effort, emphasizing that their defensive intensity was exactly what he had been looking for—aside from a brief lapse at the start of the second half. He specifically highlighted Mark Sears’ leadership on defense, stating that if the team can maintain this level of defensive effort while refining their offensive execution, they are on the right track.
This momentum comes at a crucial time for Alabama. They have a midweek break before facing Arkansas in Fayetteville on Saturday. However, after that, their schedule becomes significantly more challenging. The final eight SEC regular-season games will include matchups against seven teams projected to make the NCAA Tournament, making the road ahead particularly tough.
One of the key areas Alabama must improve is ball control. Despite their decisive win, the Crimson Tide committed 20 turnovers against Georgia. Mark Sears had a standout performance, scoring 20 points, grabbing five rebounds, and dishing out six assists. However, he also accounted for six turnovers. Oats acknowledged the need for improvement, stating that the team would focus heavily on reducing turnovers in the upcoming practices. He pointed out that 12 of the team’s 20 turnovers came from three of their fifth-year seniors, hoping they would recognize that lessons can be learned from victories just as much as from losses.
Mo Dioubate, despite playing only 11 minutes due to a minor injury, continued his impressive streak by earning the Hard Hat Award for the eighth time this season. His closest competitor in this category is Grant Nelson, who has won it six times. Remarkably, Dioubate averages just over one hard hat point per minute played—an efficiency surpassing Herbert Jones’ mark from his SEC Player of the Year season in 2021.
