Saturday was a huge day for hostilities between Alabama and Texas. On the football side, Crimson Tide transfer portal running back commit Hollywood Smothers was reportedly visiting Texas, while UT target Cam Coleman took a trip to Tuscaloosa.
Not the most normal stuff. But on the basketball court inside Coleman Coliseum, the two schools were playing an actual game, one that the Crimson Tide men’s basketball squad would lose 92-88.
Poor free-throw shooting late contributed to the loss. While Alabama made 70.9% for the game, it hit just 8 of 15 attempts in the second half.
Poor deep shooting days from its stars didn’t help either. Alabama dropped to 11-5 on the season with the loss, 1-2 in SEC play.
The two teams traded blows early in the game. The Crimson Tide led 12-10 at the first half’s under-16 timeout, starting 2-for-3 from three-point range, including a corner three from Aiden Sherrell.
Sherrell, who missed the Vanderbilt game with an injury, was back in the starting lineup for Saturday’s matchup. He had five points before the first timeout.
By the under-12, Texas had taken the lead. The Longhorns were off to a hot start shooting, having made 67% from the field to that point, including 4-of-6 from three.
UT got out to a 10-point lead at one point in the first half. However, after Nate Oats won an appeal looking for an extra technical foul on a play where UA was already heading to the line, Aden Holloway made four consecutive field goals to pull the Crimson Tide closer.
Texas got a bucket back, but Holloway wasn’t done. He made an acrobatic layup as the shot clock was expiring, pulling the Crimson Tide within four.
After Alabama got the ball back at the other end, Holloway found Taylor Bol Bowen behind the three-point line. Bol Bowen splashed his shot at the buzzer, and the Crimson Tide headed to halftime down 46-45.
Holloway led Alabama with nine points in the first half. Texas’ Tramon Mark led all scorers with 16.
The Crimson Tide couldn’t take advantage and regain the lead early in the second half. By the under-16 timeout, the Texas lead had ballooned back to 60-51.
Alabama was running out of chances by the time Texas took a timeout with 9:50 left in the game. The Crimson Tide’s best three-point shooters had their chances, but continued coming up empty, with Holloway, Labaron Philon, Houston Mallette and Amari Allen missing all their attempts to that point.
Holloway eventually made a three with 7:51 left that pulled UA within one point. He would later tie the game at 74 from the free-throw line.
Texas was back up 78-75 at the under 4 timeout. The Crimson Tide had its chances to pull ahead, but was struggling to make crucial shots when needed.
Both teams were having trouble from the free-throw line at that point. Alabama was shooting 79%, while Texas sat at 60%, both leaving crucial points on the table as the referee crew got active late.
Bol Bowen hit a three with just over a minute remaining, pulling the Tide within one again. UA got the ball back on the other end, but Philon missed a three-pointer in traffic and Texas scored a layup.
Oats took a timeout with 18.6 seconds left, down 88-85. However, Holloway’s layup attempt after the break was blocked, and Texas escaped with the win.
Philon led the way for Alabama with 21 points and five assists, while Bol Bowen had the Tide’s most rebounds, with 10. Jordan Pope led all scorers with 28 for Texas.
Alabama will be back in action on Tuesday, facing Mississippi State in Starkville.