Alabama men’s basketball put its multi-faceted roster on display in Birmingham against Illinois.
The roster that has a variety of players, and ways, to beat you.
On Wednesday night, Alabama showed the one that can score in bunches, even without Mark Sears contributing.
Sears scored zero points, and yet the No. 8 Crimson Tide cruised offensively against No. 25 Illinois. Everyone from Aden Holloway and Labaron Philon to Grant Nelson and even Aiden Sherrell stepped up. It was all needed, considering Illinois certainly didn’t let the Crimson Tide run away with it.
But Alabama pushed through and the Crimson Tide beat Illinois 100-87 on Wednesday in the CM Newton Classic at Legacy Arena.
Here are three takeaways from the nonconference game.
3-pointers return early and jump start Alabama
After a rough night from beyond the arc against Purdue, the Crimson Tide (4-1) sstarted the Illinois game in a much different way.
Alabama missed its opening shot on the first possession, but then the Crimson Tide heated up.
Alabama hit the next four shots, all 3-pointers, to grab a fast 12-9 lead. Grant Nelson hit three of those in a row.
The Crimson Tide started 5-for-6 from deep, which served as the catalyst to Alabama jumping out to a big lead.
The 3-pointers slowed down, as the Crimson Tide only hit three more the rest of the half. But that spark ignited the Alabama offense that scored 52 points and averaged 1.368 points per possession in the first half.
Mark Sears a non-factor, but other guards step up
Alabama’s preseason All-America selection had his lowest scoring output ever with the Crimson Tide.
His previous low was two points against Tennessee back during the 2022-23 season. Sears played 21 minutes and scored zero points while shooting 0 for 5 and 0 for 4 from deep.
Sears also didn’t have his best game against Purdue, shooting 33.3% and 16.7% from deep to go with four turnovers. But he did score 15 points.
Sears didn’t have as many turnovers against Illinois (only two), but he also didn’t have the points.
No worries, said Labaron Philon, Aden Holloway and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. All three scored in double figures and provided problems all day for Illinois.
Philon scored 16, Wrightsell scored 16 and Holloway scored 18. Holloway, the former Auburn guard, hit 3 of 4 from deep. Philon had nine assists, making him one assist away from a double-double.
Alabama is at its best when Sears is, but the Crimson Tide proved it can cruise even when Sears is a non-factor.
A Grant Nelson game
It wasn’t quite the dominance Nelson had against UNC in the Sweet 16 last spring, but Nelson shined nonetheless.
It started early. He hit the three triples on three consecutive possessions. He didn’t maintain that pace hitting triples, but Nelson still did plenty of damage. He finished with 23 points, eight rebounds, four blocks and one steal.
Nelson was a difference maker on a night Alabama needed every one it could get.
Nick Kelly is an Alabama beat writer for AL.com and the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X and Instagram.
