Alabama Basketball Shows Much-Improved Defense in Exhilarating Win Over Houston

Crimson Tide forward Mouhamed Dioubate had perhaps the best game of his collegiate career on Tuesday night.

Alabama Basketball Forward Mouhamed Dioubate vs. Houston / Obtained from Alabama Basketball's X/Twitter

Despite making its first-ever Final Four in program history, Alabama's 81.2 points allowed per contest last season were bottom-10 in the country. To help improve this crucial factor of the game, Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats and company hired longtime NBA defensive assistant Brian Adams.

No. 9 Alabama has shown inconsistent signs of improvement on the defensive end to open up the young season as the Crimson Tide had allowed under 81.2 points in three of its first five games. But Tuesday night's 85-80 overtime win over No. 6 Houston at the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas added to that trend in a positive way.

It is absolutely indisputable that the Houston Cougars' defense has been the most stout and prominent in all of college basketball over the last few years. For reference, the Cougars have been among the top-3 in the nation in the fewest points allowed per game in every season since
2020-21 and the same has applied to start this year.

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

Alabama 6-foot-7 sophomore forward Mouhamed Dioubate typically doesn't play a ton of 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 stood firm up top and down low and was a big factor in Houston's 36.9 field goal percentage. Dioubate logged his first career double-double with 10 points and a career-high 16 rebounds and three blocks in 28 minutes against one of the highest-regarded basketball programs in the country.

"I just play my game, honestly," Dioubate said during the postgame press conference. "Even if it was like any other team that we play, I would've brought the same intensity in the game. I know I do that on the court. Coach told me before the game 'This is a Mo Dioubate game,' so I was prepared for it even if we played any other team. I brought [the same intensity] tonight and we got the win."

While Dioubate led the way on this end of the court, the Crimson Tide as a whole locked down the Cougars throughout the evening with numerous scoring droughts, including one that lasted over seven minutes in the second half without a made field goal. Alabama also forced 12 turnovers and came down with a solid 28 defensive rebounds (plus a season-high 20 offensive rebounds)––a stat category it's been subpar in to start the season.

However, Alabama's stellar defensive night came to a halt as Houston couldn't miss shots when it mattered most and found ways to constantly 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 due to a dominant performance by guard LJ Cryer, but game-tying free throws by Alabama guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. followed by a last-second defensive stop led to some free basketball.

Nevertheless, Alabama snapped right back into its defensive prowess at the perfect time by holding Houston to a scoring drought in the latter three minutes of overtime. Dioubate shined in the third period as well, helping his team escape a thrilling 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 play the four and pair him with Grant [Nelson] or Cliff [Omoruyi] at the five."