Alabama Basketball shows much improved defense in thrilling win over Houston

Despite reaching the first-ever Final Four in program history, Alabama’s 81.2 points allowed per game last season ranked among the lowest 10 in the nation. To help improve this crucial factor of the game, Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats and company have hired Brian Adams, a longtime NBA defensive assistant.

No. No. 9 Alabama has shown inconsistent signs of improvement defensively to open the young season, as the Crimson Tide has allowed fewer than 81.2 points in three of its first five games. But Tuesday night’s 85-80 win over No. 6 Houston at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas added to that trend in a positive way.

There is absolutely no question that the Houston Cougars defense has been the most potent and prominent in all of college basketball in recent years. For reference, the Cougars have been among the top 3 in the country in fewest points allowed per game in every season since.
2020-21 and the same goes for this year.

In other words, Alabama knew this would be a messy game when it had possession, and the Crimson Tide had to reciprocate that energy as Houston held the ball.

Alabama sophomore forward Mouhamed Dioubate doesn’t typically play many minutes, but he’s often an impact player on both sides of the ball when he’s on the floor, especially defensively. Tonight was no different as he was solid up and down and was a big factor in Houston’s 36.9 field goal percentage. Dioubate recorded his first career double-double with 10 points and a career-high 16 rebounds and three blocks in 28 minutes against one of the nation’s top-ranked basketball programs.

“Honestly, I’m just playing my game,” Dioubate said during the post-match press conference. “Even if it was like any other team we play against, I would have brought the same intensity to the game. I know I do that on the pitch. The coach told me before the game: ‘This is a Mo Dioubate- game,’ so I was prepared for it, even though we played a different team tonight. I brought (the same intensity) and we won.”

While Dioubate took the lead on this side of the court, the Crimson Tide as a whole shut down the Cougars all evening with numerous scoring droughts, including one that lasted more than seven minutes in the second half without a made field goal. Alabama also forced 12 turnovers and came down with a whopping 28 defensive rebounds (plus a season-high 20 offensive rebounds), a statistical category in which it was below average at the start of the season.

However, Alabama’s stellar defensive night came to a screeching halt as Houston couldn’t miss shots when it mattered most and found ways to consistently get to the free throw line, where the Cougars capitalized several times. Houston went on a 10-0 run and even took the lead late on a dominant performance from guard LJ Cryer, but tying free throws from Alabama guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr., followed by a defensive stop in the final second, led to some free basketball . .

Nevertheless, Alabama returned to its defensive prowess at the perfect time by keeping Houston on a scoring drought in the final three minutes of overtime. Dioubate also shined in the third period, helping his team escape a tense night in Las Vegas.

“Mo was great on defense, his rebounding and those three blocked shots he had and they were timely blocks,” Oats said. “He erased some mistakes. He had a little bit of Noah Clowney in him, if you will. Our defense was third in the country when Noah was with us and he erased a lot of mistakes. We kind of need a guy who can pass the ball to play.” four and pair him with Grant (Nelson) or Cliff (Omoruyi) at the five.”