Alabama Basketball Falters Late, Loses to No. 4 Arizona

Alabama loses its third straight game to a top-10 opponent.

PHOENIX — Alabama basketball dropped its third consecutive game on Wednesday night, falling to No. 4 Arizona by a final score of 87-74, but it was much closer than the score indicated.

While the final score was a double-digit loss, Alabama competed for the entire game, and even held the lead for much of the second half.

Grant Nelson shook off a rough first half to lead Alabama in scoring, including 13 second-half points. He finished with 17 on the game. Freshman Sam Walters had a nice performance of his own, scoring 15 points.

As has been the story with the last two games before this, Alabama held a second half lead about midway through the stanza. But in similar fashion, the lead withered away at the hands of turnovers and an inability to get key stops.

Down the stretch, Alabama once again lost both big men, Mohamed Wague and Nick Pringle, due to foul outs. It became too much for the Crimson Tide to overcome, though it showed it was capable of being right in the game with yet another top team in the country.

Next up, Alabama finally gets a break with a home game against Eastern Kentucky on Saturday. The game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. CT tipoff.

How It Happened:

Second Half

• Alabama cut into the lead for a moment, but the Wildcats have extended it back out again, this time to 12. "U of A" chants have started to echo through the Footprint Center.

• At the under-4 timeout, Alabama trails 75-68, with three Arizona free throws coming up.

• Mohamed Wague has now fouled out as well, leaving Nelson as Alabama's only rotational big man left. Alabama trails 69-61 with 5:52 to go.

• Nick Pringle has fouled out with 6:21 to go in the game. Alabama trails by 10.

• We've hit the under-8 timeout, and Alabama trails 64-56. Wague just picked up his fourth foul, and Arizona's guards are also in foul trouble. 

• Oats takes a timeout as Arizona has extended its lead to 61-54 with an 11-0 run. Alabama's offense has started to unravel with Arizona's physicality causing turnovers. 

• Arizona is on a 7-0 run, and has taken a slight 57-54 lead over Alabama with just under 10 minutes to go.

• It's getting physical and chippy as we've hit the under-12, with Alabama holding a 54-52 lead.

• Nelson's confidence has never waivered, and it's paying off now. 

• With 13:17 to go, Alabama holds a slim 51-48 lead. Nelson has six second half points for the Crimson Tide. 

• Nelson saw a three go down, and all of a sudden he's playing at another gear. 

• Arizona needs a timeout. Nelson nails his second three, and Alabama leads 50-43 after a 10-0 run.

• Alabama scores 5 quick points after Arizona scores the first bucket of the half. The Crimson Tide leads 45-43 early in the half. 

First Half

• HALF: No. 4 Arizona 41, Alabama 40. Shots aren't falling, but Alabama is right there in another one with one of the nation's best. Defense has been active and forced a lot of turnovers. Walters has been great on the offensive end. We're in for a fun second half.

• Walters is the only Alabama player with multiple 3-point makes. He's up to 12 points in the game. 

• We've got a 30-30 tie at the under-4 in the first half. Alabama is still finding success in the lane, shooting over 50% from 2-point range.

• Walters has been really good in his minutes. He has a team-high 9 points.

• The offense has picked up, and we have a tie game at 23 apiece. Alabama is finding success inside, and needs to keep attacking the rim. 1-for-16 from three won't cut it, and they could find some better looks going inside-out.

• It's incredibly loud in here, and it's not because of the play on the court.

• Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd has been assessed a technical foul.

• Alabama leads 13-8 at the under-12 timeout. Defense has stayed active, even with the bench rotating in. Shots aren't falling, but the looks are there. The Arizona crowd hasn't been able to get into it.

• Lots of good looks from three for Alabama right now, but they aren't going down.

• Alabama's defense came to play today. Just 2 points for Arizona at the first media timeout. The Crimson Tide also has 7 offensive rebounds already. Alabama leads 9-2.

• Wague is working on the offensive glass. Second chance 3 from Estrada goes down, and Alabama leads 9-0.

• Alabama has changed up its screen coverage to a hard hedge after previously running drop coverage much of this year.  

• Estrada gets a tough bucket inside to go to give Alabama an early 2-0 lead. 

Pregame

• Today's officiating crew: Jeb Hartness, Mike Reed, Rob Rorke.

• Alabama's starters against Arizona are Mark Sears, Aaron Estrada, Rylan Griffen, Grant Nelson and Mohamed Wague.

• As expected, the crowd is an overwhelming majority Arizona fans, with a few Alabama fans sprinkled here and there. Interestingly, the arena doesn't look like a sellout. 

• Alabama has arrived and begun warming up in the Footprint Center.

Mark Sears and Nick Pringle getting loose at the Footprint Center pic.twitter.com/f3mz1weSpb

— Blake Byler (@blakebyler45) December 21, 2023

• The game is scheduled for a 10:05 p.m. CT tipoff.

• The game before Alabama and Arizona at the Footprint Center, Northwestern vs Arizona State, has reached halftime. Northwestern holds a 36-13 lead, so it doesn't look like it will run long. 

How to Watch: Alabama vs. No. 1 Arizona

Who: Alabama (6-4) vs. No. 1 Arizona (8-1)

When: 10 p.m. CT, Wednesday, Dec. 20

Where: Footprint Center, Phoenix, Az.

TV: ESPN

Live Stream: fuboTV (Start your free trial)

Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network. Play-By-Play Chris Stewart. Analyst Bryan Passink. Host: Roger Hoover.

Series: Alabama leads 3-1

Last meeting: Dec. 9, 2018: The Arizona Wildcats came to Tuscaloosa to pay off a home-and-home non-conference series and gave the spectators an exciting game. Alabama, behind 20 points from Kira Lewis, 15 from Alex Reese and 13 from Donta Hall defeated their Pac-12 foes 76-73.

Last time out, Alabama: The Crimson Tide went to Omaha and lost to Creighton on Saturday 85-82. Alabama posted a season low in 3-point shots made with 4 and once again fouled out its two first line bigs.

Last time out, Arizona: The Wildcats took the same Zach Eddy medicine the Tide had to take two weeks ago as Arizona lost to Purdue on Saturday 92-84 for their first loss of the year. Arizona will certainly fall from its No. 1 ranking when the newest polls come out on Monday, providing the Wildcats extra motivation against the Tide.