What. A. WIN!
If you doubted before, you're likely a believer now. This team is different and I have said that since day 1. There are no egos. There's no drama. It's just a group of players that play their tail off all game and play with tremendous heart. A team full of freshmen and transfers shouldn't have been able to go into #1 Houston's place, arguably the most hostile environment in the country, and play as bad as they did and still win the game. Heart. Grit. Determination.
You knew this would be a grind it out kind of game with two of the best defenses in the country going at it, and it was. Alabama led for majority of the first half, but when Clowney and Bediako went off the floor late in the first half, Houston made a run to take a 31-27 lead. Brandon Miller was held without a point in the first half, Clowney and Bediako battled foul trouble, and Alabama had 11 turnovers but were down 4. You'd take that.
In the second half, Houston blitzed Alabama and jumped out to a lead as large as 15 midway through the 2nd half. Team full of freshman shooting below 40% with 13 turnovers and down 15 in a hostile environment typically folds right? Wrong. They kept chipping away cutting it to 7, then 6, then 3, and then 1. Under 4 minutes left and Alabama held Houston scoreless for nearly 4 minutes and took a 1 point lead. Alabama was forcing tough shots and Alabama were so close to putting it away with open threes, but couldn't convert. It came down to their achilles heel, free throws. Brandon Miller, freshman, stepped to the line and knocked down 6 in a row to put the game away and give them a huge win. Miller finished with 8, all on free throws, but came up big when it mattered.
The player of the game for me was Nimari Burnett. He played majority of the game and his focus was to shut down their best scorer in Marcus Sasser and did just that, holding him to 9 points on 2/11 shooting. Two freshmen also came up big in Jaden Bradley and Noah Clowney. Clowney led the team with 16 points and 11 rebounds, to go along with 2 blocks. Bradley finished with 12 and 4 assists. When Quinerly wasn't playing well, he stepped in and played at an extremely high level against the best group of defensive guards in the country. This team is growing up fast and it is coming at the best time before SEC play.
What. A. Win.
If you doubted before, you're likely a believer now. This team is different and I have said that since day 1. There are no egos. There's no drama. It's just a group of players that play their tail off all game and play with tremendous heart. A team full of freshmen and transfers shouldn't have been able to go into #1 Houston's place, arguably the most hostile environment in the country, and play as bad as they did and still win the game. Heart. Grit. Determination.
You knew this would be a grind it out kind of game with two of the best defenses in the country going at it, and it was. Alabama led for majority of the first half, but when Clowney and Bediako went off the floor late in the first half, Houston made a run to take a 31-27 lead. Brandon Miller was held without a point in the first half, Clowney and Bediako battled foul trouble, and Alabama had 11 turnovers but were down 4. You'd take that.
In the second half, Houston blitzed Alabama and jumped out to a lead as large as 15 midway through the 2nd half. Team full of freshman shooting below 40% with 13 turnovers and down 15 in a hostile environment typically folds right? Wrong. They kept chipping away cutting it to 7, then 6, then 3, and then 1. Under 4 minutes left and Alabama held Houston scoreless for nearly 4 minutes and took a 1 point lead. Alabama was forcing tough shots and Alabama were so close to putting it away with open threes, but couldn't convert. It came down to their achilles heel, free throws. Brandon Miller, freshman, stepped to the line and knocked down 6 in a row to put the game away and give them a huge win. Miller finished with 8, all on free throws, but came up big when it mattered.
The player of the game for me was Nimari Burnett. He played majority of the game and his focus was to shut down their best scorer in Marcus Sasser and did just that, holding him to 9 points on 2/11 shooting. Two freshmen also came up big in Jaden Bradley and Noah Clowney. Clowney led the team with 16 points and 11 rebounds, to go along with 2 blocks. Bradley finished with 12 and 4 assists. When Quinerly wasn't playing well, he stepped in and played at an extremely high level against the best group of defensive guards in the country. This team is growing up fast and it is coming at the best time before SEC play.
What. A. Win.
