TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The No. 23/20 Alabama men’s basketball team dropped an 85-77 decision to Clemson in the ACC/SEC Challenge Tuesday night inside Coleman Coliseum.

 

Mark Sears led the Crimson Tide (5-2) with a game-high 23 points to go along with four rebounds and three assists in the losing effort. Aaron Estrada (16) and Grant Nelson (14) also reached double digits.

 

The Tigers’ (6-0) PJ Hall finished with a team-best 21 points to lead four players in double figures. Ian Schieffelin finished with nine points and a game-high 14 boards.

 

Head Coach Nate Oats Postgame Comments

“I just want to address the great crowd. I thought the student section was great. So, I just want to make sure we thank them. We'll have to see if the team can come out and play some better basketball for them. I thought (Clemson's) physicality bothered us on both ends, on their offensive end I thought that they [went inside] and hurt us in the first half. So our big’s need to do a better job. Our guards couldn't get downhill and they were very physical on our drives just couldn't really get in the paint to trade much. I think we were 12-for-32 from two on the night, which we've been one of the number one offense’s in the country. So, I think a lot of it is being able to get to and finish at the rim. They did not have a lot of real rim protection, but they just didn't let you really get to the rim. They did a great job and we finished 10-of-24 at the rim so we didn't handle their physicality well. We aren't getting downhill and creating help, threes end up being tougher threes, and we didn't shoot well from three. We just got to do a lot better job. I thought defensively we were good. Offense struggled, defense kept us in the game then offense came alive in the second half. I think we had three straight threes and went on a little run. Went up seven, they called a timeout and we don't have enough defensive drive to get stops. We have to get better on defense so we know what we have to do. Show some pride on the defensive end and we got to do a better job as a program.”

 

TEAM STATS

• Clemson finished the game shooting 53 percent (32-60) from the floor and 52 percent (11-21) from beyond the arc including knocking down 8-11 (73 percent) in the second half alone
• In comparison, the Tide shot 42 percent (23-67) from the field and 31 percent (11-35) from deep
• Alabama finished with a 16-8 advantage on the offensive glass but that translated into just 11 second chance points (outscored 12-11 in the category)
• The contest featured seven ties and six lead changes
• The Tigers reserves outscored the Tide’s bench 24-12

 

FIRST HALF

• The Tide trailed by as many as eight points early, 25-17, thanks in large part to missing its first nine three-point attempts
• Alabama rallied to finish the half 4-9 from deep while limiting Clemson to three baskets across its final 11 possessions to cut the lead to one, 33-32, at the half
• The Tide accumulated five first half steals, leading to an 8-0 advantage on the fast break
• Mark Sears (9) and Aaron Estrada (9) combined for 18 of the Tides’ 32 first half points

 

SECOND HALF

• With the score tied at 44-apiece with 15:21 left to play, Alabama went on a 9-2 spurt to take a 53-46 lead
• Immediately following a timeout, Clemson scored 16 of the game’s next 18 points over the next 3:05 to take control of the game at 62-55 with 9:47 remaining
• The Tigers would go on to lead by as many as 10 points before settling for the eight-point win

 

UP NEXT

• Alabama returns to action Monday, Dec. 4, facing Arkansas State in Coleman Coliseum
• The game will tip-off at 7:00 p.m. CT and air live on the SEC Network

 

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