No. 20 Alabama finally got its regular season home opener in the books Tuesday night, and the Crimson Tide made the most of the return to Coleman Coliseum with a 96-74 win over Sam Houston.
The night also marked Alabama’s first win of the season in Year 8 under Nate Oats, and the head coach came away encouraged by the atmosphere inside the building. After the game, Oats pointed to the energy from the crowd and the students in particular.
"First game, the student section was great, they got loud, they got after it," Oats said after the game. "It was good for our guys to have students there. Hopefully we can fill the arena for the Arkansas State game on Friday."
A handful of individual performances stood out in the win. The returning sophomore guard finished with 12 points, one block, two steals and four assists. The transfer senior from Boise State added 15 points and one block in his first regular season game in Coleman Coliseum.
Freshman guard Cole Cloer made his collegiate regular-season debut and paced Alabama in both assists and steals, finishing with five assists and four steals. Freshman forward Jaxon Richardson also made an impact, closing his Alabama debut with 13 points, two steals, two assists and one block.
London Jemison tied Fielder for the team lead with 15 points, while Tarris Bouie also connected on a 3-pointer in the first half. Richardson later added a made 3 of his own in the second half.
There were other notable moments on the floor as well. Anderson Diaz saw playing time while working his way back from an elbow injury, and Aden Holloway was on the bench with his coaches and teammates while serving a suspension after getting arrested in March.
Alabama guards Anderson Diaz and Brandon Garrison were seen smiling during the second half, while Qayden Samuels flashed through defenders and Amari Allen delivered a no-look pass in the first half. Jaxon Richardson’s dunk and celebration after a made 3 helped punctuate a comfortable night for the Crimson Tide inside Coleman Coliseum.
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