It was a bit maddening in the beginning, but Alabama handled a decent Georgia team with relative ease at Coleman today.
Alabama won the first half, but that’s about the only good thing you could say about it. They got a lot of help from Georgia not being able to throw it into the ocean from outside, and improbable combined 3-3 from deep for Jarin Stevenson and Aiden Sherrell. Mark Sears had another terrible half with five turnovers and 33% shooting, though he did have seven points. Grant Nelson struggled offensively as well, but he did contribute four rebounds and four blocks. All told, the Tide went into the half with a 39-28 advantage despite 12 turnovers.
Something tells me that Nate Oats delivered a message to Sears and Nelson in the locker room, as the pair combined for the Tide’s first 11 points out of the break. Georgia coach Mike White lost it on the officials with about 14 minutes to play, upset that a Georgia player was called for a foul after diving on top of Mo Dioubate with the ball underneath him but Sears wasn’t on the next possession for actually tying up the basketball on the floor. That became a key turning point in the game, as Sears made both free throws and Dioubate got free for a dunk off the ensuing inbound, staking Alabama to a comfortable 16 point lead.
Georgia never threatened again. Alabama managed not to turn the ball over as much and predictably, points followed. After some early season struggles from beyond the arc, the team has been on fire the past two games and are now at 37% in SEC play. Aden Holloway continues to be instant offense when he comes into the game, and Dioubate was all over the place as usual. Jarin Stevenson made three from deep, which is a welcome sight. If he can get cooking out there, that will bode very well. This was also perhaps Aiden Sherrell’s best college game.
It’s tough to fault the effort in this one, as the Tide held Georgia to a substandard shooting percentage and dominated the glass. When the team we saw in the second half shows up, they are a tough out. Unfortunately the mistake prone group we saw in the first half can make an early exit in March.
Hopefully we get mostly Good Bama from here on out. The calendar has turned to February, which only increases the stakes.
Roll Tide.
