End of half, end of game execution proved costly in Alabama basketball loss to Tennessee

All eyes were on Alabama basketball’s poor execution and poor coaching at the end of the game against Tennessee, and understandably so as it directly led to the 79-76 defeat.

But it doesn’t tell the full story of the game, either. It ignores poor execution to end the first half that proved just as costly as the end of game execution. It’s just mostly been forgotten based on how poorly the final 36 seconds went for the Crimson Tide.

Alabama led by four points with 36 seconds left at 76-72 but then allowed a 7-0 run to the Vols to end the game. A missed free throw by Philon, a questionable foul on Grant Nelson on an and-one, a foul on a rebound by Jarin Stevenson, a reckless drive to the basket by Labaron Philon on Alabama’s final possession without a touch by Mark Sears, and then the 5-second violation with Nate Oats keeping two timeouts in his pocket. It was a comedy of errors for the Crimson Tide that led to the game winning three by the Vols.

Oats took full responsibility for the end of game blunders. But a forgotten blunder at the end of the first half was just as costly.

An end of half mistake by Alabama proved to be costly against Tennessee

Mark Sears attacked the rim and scored a basket with seven seconds to play in the first half that pushed Alabama’s lead to 42-35. The bucket capped 16-5 run for the Crimson Tide that turned a 30-26 deficit into the seven point lead.

Tennessee quickly got the ball in bounds and Jordan Gainey drove the length of the floor and scored a layup plus a foul on Chris Youngblood that allowed the Vols to cut the Tide lead to four points and swing the pendulum of momentum back toward the home team in Knoxville.

Not only did Oats take two timeouts at the end of the game back to Tuscaloosa with him, he let his use it or lose it first half expire when he could have taken a timeout to set up his defense at the end of half.

Instead, Alabama’s defense was caught off guard and nobody stopped the ball as Tennessee went unmolested to the rim for a bucket. That was three points at the end of the half that the Crimson Tide didn’t have to give up. Guess how many points they lost by?

Poor execution at the end of the first half and the end of the game cost Alabama dearly and rendered roughly 39.5 minutes of pretty good basketball on both ends go to waste.