Alabama takes out frustration in rout of EKU

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama men’s basketball team (7-5) defeated the Eastern Kentucky Colonels, 111-67, Saturday afternoon inside Coleman Coliseum in its final game before the holiday break.

Rylan Griffen led the Tide scoring with a career-high 19 points while also hitting a career-best five three-pointers. Five others, Grant Nelson (19), Davin Cosby Jr. (12), Sam Walters (12), Aaron Estrada (12) and Mark Sears (11) also scored in double figures. To go along with Estrada’s 12 points, he also collected season-highs in rebounds (8) and assists (7).

The Colonels (4-8) were led by Isaiah Cozart posting a double-double, scoring 19 points and grabbing 12 rebounds.

“Today was a good win going into Christmas, we needed a win like that,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said afterward. “For 36 minutes we played really good basketball. Obviously the start of the second half wasn’t what we wanted, but we responded pretty well after the poor start.”

Alabama started the game efficient behind the arc draining 12 three-pointers. It was the third time this season UA has scored 50 points or more in a half. The Tide’s bench outscored the Colonels 19-1 in the first half.

Despite giving up a 13-0 run to start the second half, cutting its lead down to 16 points, the Tide weathered the storm, extending its lead to an eventual 46-point win. After missing their first five three-point attempts of the half, the Tide went on to finish the game 7-of-12.

“We told our guys we want them to play for each other and to get the ball moving,” Oats said. We want to really make sure that they’re playing unselfish basketball. I thought (Aaron) Estrada really lead the way of doing that, you know, almost a triple-double with 12 (points), eight (rebounds) and seven (assists) and I thought that was his best overall game he’s played here and Mark (Sears) had five assists and no turnovers. But I thought both those guys got the ball moving and took care of it.

“(I’m) happy with the win going into Christmas and it would be nice if after Christmas if we put 40 minutes together, but we’ll take 36 after the three-game stretch we had.”

TEAM STATS

• It’s the fourth time this season and 15th time under Oats that the Crimson Tide have crossed the century mark in a game.
• It’s the first time since Nov. 27, 2022 (vs. North Carolina) UA has had six or more players score double figures.
• Alabama scored 110 points or more in a game for the first time since Feb. 13, 2021 (vs. Georgia) This is the first time the Tide scored 60 points in a half since Nov. 28, 2021, when they scored 63 points in the second half against Miami .
• The Tide’s bench outscored its counterpart 41-3.
• Davin Cosby Jr. scored all 12 of his points in the second half

UP NEXT

Alabama returns to action Dec. 30, taking on Liberty in the C.M. Newton Classic inside Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama The game is slated for tipoff at 1 p.m. CT and will air live on SEC Network+