By Chris DePew
TideFans.com staff
Jan. 28, 2017
Alabama, firmly established as the SEC’s worst foul shooting team, went an incredible 31-for-36 from the free throw line to hold off Mississippi State 71-62 at Coleman Coliseum on Saturday.
What did we learn today?: Consistent scorers are finally starting to emerge for the Crimson Tide. Coming off a career high at Georgia, freshman Braxton Key struggled along with his teammates to find his shot, going 4-for-13 from the field. But he didn’t give up on scoring and he made his bones at the foul line, going 10-for-14 as part of a 19-point, nine-rebound effort. Riley Norris can no longer be dismissed as a streak shooter after his fifth straight game in double figures. He was 3-for-5 from 3-point range against MSU and finished with 13 points, including 10 in the first half. Those two have helped lift the anemic Tide to 70-plus points in three out of its last five games.
What was the best part of the game?: Watching Dazon Ingram find a way to make a positive impact. The freshman point guard has shot 1-for-12 from the field over his last two games, but his drives to the basket draw attention – and fouls. Ingram was a perfect 12-for-12 from the stripe Saturday and finished with 15 points, six assists, three steals and only two turnovers. And once again his length in the backcourt gave State’s guards fits. Quinndary Weatherspoon went 4-from-11 from the floor and was limited to 11 points, while point guard Lamar Peters was 4-for-12 for 13 points against eight turnovers.
Who was the star?: It might be stretching the definition, but on a night where Bama hit less than a third of its shots from the floor, Bola Olaniyan had the best percentage, making three of his four shots for a half-dozen points. More notably he had 11 rebounds, three steals and no turnovers, all while staying out of foul trouble. Even with the rotation pared down to eight players, he has earned to generous minutes he plays each night.
What were the biggest concerns?: If it hadn’t been for the other-worldly free throw shooting and a spate of second-half Bulldogs turnovers, Bama would have been in a world of hurt. The Tide made six fewer field goals and got outrebounded 40-37 by MSU, the first time that has happened in league play this season. Key committed five turnovers and seems to be getting worse in that department as the season goes along. As the whistles piled up, Bama players began playing to draw contact instead of make shots and that’s never a sustainable model for the long run.
What’s next?: After making the most of a soft January schedule to pull within a game of the conference lead, Alabama will have to step up its level of play beginning with a trip to NCAA bubble dweller Arkansas on Wednesday. Tipoff on the SEC Network is set for 6 p.m. Central.
Follow Chris DePew on Twitter @TideFansChris