Alabama Survives Scare from Robert Morris, Moves on to Round of 32
Alabama barely avoided an early exit in the NCAA Tournament, outlasting Robert Morris 90-81 in a tough first-round matchup. The 2-seed Crimson Tide had their hands full with the 15-seed Colonials, who kept the game close and even took the lead midway through the second half. But Alabama responded late, securing the win and advancing to the next round.
Clutch Performances Save Alabama
The Tide wasn’t at full strength, with starting forward Grant Nelson dealing with a knee injury. He was listed as questionable but ended up playing limited minutes when Alabama needed him most.
Robert Morris was making things tough, cutting Alabama’s lead to just four points with under nine minutes left. That’s when Nelson checked in and made an immediate impact. He threw down a monster dunk that put Alabama back on top, and from there, the Tide took over.
Nelson finished with five points, three rebounds, and a steal in just seven minutes, but his presence shifted momentum. Meanwhile, Mark Sears carried Alabama in the second half, dropping 19 of his 22 points after halftime. He also dished out 10 assists and grabbed five rebounds, showing why he’s an All-American.
Sears’ ability to get to the free-throw line was huge he hit 10 of Alabama’s final 26 points and drew 10 fouls in the second half alone. Head coach Nate Oats praised his leadership, saying, “He didn’t shoot it great, but he competed hard, and that’s what we need from our leaders.”
Struggles on the Offensive Glass
One of the biggest issues for Alabama was rebounding, especially on the offensive boards. Robert Morris’ Amarion Dickerson dominated inside, finishing with 25 points, nine rebounds (six offensive), and three steals.
Alabama technically won the rebounding battle 39-37, but Robert Morris crushed them on the offensive glass 16-5, leading to 15 second-chance points. Oats made it clear that this needs to improve if they want to keep playing in the tournament. “We’ve got to be better. If we keep allowing this, we won’t be here much longer,” he said.
Attacking the Paint Over Threes
Alabama didn’t have a great night from beyond the arc, shooting just 6-of-21 (29%). But instead of forcing bad shots, they leaned into their inside game, scoring a whopping 56 points in the paint.
Clifford Omoruyi had a perfect night from the field, scoring 17 points on 8-for-8 shooting while adding four rebounds, three steals, and two blocks. Forward Mouhamed Dioubate stepped up in Nelson’s absence, putting up 18 points and 10 rebounds. Even freshman Derrion Reid, who has battled injuries, looked sharp, contributing nine points and four rebounds in just 10 minutes.
Alabama’s 25 assists set a program record for an NCAA Tournament game, with Labaron Philon playing a big role. He only took one shot but dished out eight assists with no turnovers while helping shut down Robert Morris’ leading scorer, Kam Woods. Woods struggled mightily, scoring just eight points on 3-of-18 shooting.
Looking Ahead
Alabama did what it had to do to move on, but they’ll need to clean up their rebounding and perimeter defense before the next round. With Nelson’s health still a question mark, the Tide’s depth will be tested as they continue their tournament run.
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