Transfer Grant Nelson scores 24 to lead No. 24 Alabama past Morehead State 105-73
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) Grant Nelson scored 24 points and fellow transfer Aaron Estrada added 16 in impressive Alabama debuts, leading the 24th-ranked Crimson Tide to a 105-73 victory over Morehead State on Monday night in the opener for both teams.
The defending Southeastern Conference champion Crimson Tide rolled to a 24-point lead midway through the first half with an overhauled roster. It was the first time Alabama topped 100 points in an opener since scoring 107 in 2001-02 against Mississippi Valley State.
“I thought it was a great start to the season,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said. “We really jumped on them out of the gate. I was really pleased with where our head was at to start the game.”
Mark Sears, the top returning scorer, had 13 points and five assists. Freshman Jarin Stevenson scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half.
Nelson, a North Dakota State transfer, had seven rebounds and made all eight free throw attempts in his introduction to Alabama fans.
“It’s crazy. I know these guys know what it’s like playing at a mid-major. It’s nothing like this,” said Nelson, flanked by Estrada and Sears, a transfer last year. “The fan base is crazy.”
Riley Minix, a transfer from NAIA Southeastern University, scored 19 to lead Morehead State. Jordan Lathon scored 14 points and Drew Thelwell added 13 for the defending Ohio Valley Conference champions.
“We knew that we were going to be in for a fight tonight and they did an unbelievable job with so many new players,” Eagles coach Preston Stradlin said. “And still able to stick to their identity of how they want to play.”
The Tide are replacing first-round draft picks Brandon Miller and Noah Clowney, along with other key players from a team that won a program-record 31 games and claimed the No. 1 overall NCAA Tournament seed.
Miller watched from the stands with Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne and visited the locker room afterward.
He got to see Sears and his new backcourt mate get off to good starts after point guards Jahvon Quinerly and Jaden Bradley transferred.
“Aaron and Mark kind of got us going early, which is huge,” Oats said. “The backcourt’s going to definitely be a strong suit of ours this year with those two.”
BIG PICTURE
Morehead St: Played without reigning and preseason OVC player of the year Mark Freeman, who could miss the season after October wrist surgery. It was a big blow to the preseason league favorites, coming off their first outright OVC regular season title since 1983-84.
Alabama: One of the nation’s top transfer hauls got off to a strong start. The Tide made their first seven shots to take charge from the outset. Alabama made its first 20 free throws and finished 31 of 38 (81.6%).
INSTANT IMPACT
Estrada, who arrived from Hofstra, hit a 3-pointer just seven seconds into his first Alabama game and Nelson followed with a quick dunk. The two transfers combined for 23 of Alabama’s first 37 points with a pair of 3-pointers apiece.
UP NEXT
Morehead State hosts Shawnee State on Wednesday night.
Alabama hosts Indiana State on Friday night.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Dieonte Miles vs. Nick Pringle (Crimson Tide gains possession) | |||
19:53 | +3 | Aaron Estrada makes three point jump shot (Mark Sears assists) | 0-3 | |
19:28 | Riley Minix turnover (bad pass) (Mark Sears steals) | |||
19:15 | +2 | Grant Nelson makes two point dunk | 0-5 | |
18:46 | Riley Minix misses three point jump shot | |||
18:44 | Mark Sears defensive rebound | |||
18:36 | Mark Sears turnover (bad pass) (Kalil Thomas steals) | |||
18:16 | Jordan Lathon turnover (lost ball) (Nick Pringle steals) | |||
18:03 | +2 | Mark Sears makes two point layup | 0-7 | |
17:56 | Riley Minix turnover (bad pass) (Rylan Griffen steals) | |||
17:50 | +2 | Aaron Estrada makes two point jump shot | 0-9 | |
17:48 | Eagles 30 second timeout | |||
17:32 | +3 | Jordan Lathon makes three point jump shot (Riley Minix assists) | 3-9 | |
17:17 | +3 | Mark Sears makes three point jump shot (Nick Pringle assists) | 3-12 | |
16:58 | Riley Minix turnover (bad pass) (Grant Nelson steals) | |||
16:52 | +2 | Aaron Estrada makes two point layup (Mark Sears assists) | 3-14 | |
16:35 | Jordan Lathon misses two point layup | |||
16:33 | Dieonte Miles offensive rebound | |||
16:27 | +2 | Dieonte Miles makes two point layup | 5-14 | |
16:23 | +2 | Nick Pringle makes two point layup (Rylan Griffen assists) | 5-16 | |
16:23 | Dieonte Miles shooting foul (Nick Pringle draws the foul) | |||
16:23 | +1 | Nick Pringle makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 5-17 | |
16:06 | Jordan Lathon misses three point jump shot | |||
16:04 | Jarin Stevenson defensive rebound | |||
15:57 | Mark Sears misses three point jump shot | |||
15:55 | Eddie Ricks III defensive rebound | |||
15:49 | Kalil Thomas misses three point jump shot | |||
15:47 | Jarin Stevenson defensive rebound | |||
15:35 | Grant Nelson misses three point jump shot | |||
15:33 | Jordan Lathon defensive rebound | |||
15:13 | Grant Nelson blocks Dieonte Miles's two point jump shot | |||
15:11 | Eagles offensive rebound | |||
15:11 | TV timeout | |||
15:05 | Drew Thelwell misses three point jump shot | |||
15:03 | Eddie Ricks III offensive rebound | |||
14:59 | Eddie Ricks III turnover (lost ball) (Jarin Stevenson steals) | |||
14:54 | +2 | Mark Sears makes two point layup | 5-19 | |
14:54 | Kalil Thomas shooting foul (Mark Sears draws the foul) | |||
14:54 | +1 | Mark Sears makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 5-20 | |
14:38 | +2 | Kalil Thomas makes two point jump shot | 7-20 | |
14:15 | Riley Minix blocks Mohamed Wague's two point layup | |||
14:13 | Mark Sears offensive rebound | |||
14:05 | +3 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes three point jump shot | 7-23 | |
13:45 | +2 | Drew Thelwell makes two point layup | 9-23 | |
13:34 | Mohamed Wague offensive foul (Trent Scott draws the foul) | |||
13:34 | Mohamed Wague turnover (offensive foul) | |||
13:21 | +2 | Drew Thelwell makes two point layup | 11-23 | |
13:04 | Jerone Morton personal foul (Sam Walters draws the foul) | |||
12:53 | Zach Iyeyemi shooting foul (Grant Nelson draws the foul) | |||
12:53 | +1 | Grant Nelson makes regular free throw 1 of 3 | 11-24 | |
12:53 | +1 | Grant Nelson makes regular free throw 2 of 3 | 11-25 | |
12:53 | +1 | Grant Nelson makes regular free throw 3 of 3 | 11-26 | |
12:40 | Mouhamed Dioubate personal foul (Dieonte Miles draws the foul) | |||
12:30 | +2 | Riley Minix makes two point layup | 13-26 | |
12:14 | +2 | Aaron Estrada makes two point layup | 13-28 | |
12:00 | Dieonte Miles misses two point layup | |||
11:58 | Mouhamed Dioubate defensive rebound | |||
11:46 | +3 | Grant Nelson makes three point jump shot (Aaron Estrada assists) | 13-31 | |
11:25 | Dieonte Miles offensive foul (Mouhamed Dioubate draws the foul) | |||
11:25 | Dieonte Miles turnover (offensive foul) | |||
11:25 | TV timeout | |||
11:17 | +3 | Grant Nelson makes three point jump shot (Aaron Estrada assists) | 13-34 | |
10:57 | Riley Minix misses three point jump shot | |||
10:55 | Jordan Lathon offensive rebound | |||
10:48 | Riley Minix turnover (lost ball) (Davin Cosby Jr. steals) | |||
10:41 | +3 | Aaron Estrada makes three point jump shot (Davin Cosby Jr. assists) | 13-37 | |
10:14 | +2 | Riley Minix makes two point jump shot | 15-37 | |
9:54 | Aaron Estrada turnover (bad pass) | |||
9:36 | Nick Pringle shooting foul (Trent Scott draws the foul) | |||
9:36 | Trent Scott misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
9:36 | +1 | Trent Scott makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 16-37 | |
9:17 | Eddie Ricks III personal foul (Mark Sears draws the foul) | |||
9:17 | +1 | Mark Sears makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 16-38 | |
9:17 | +1 | Mark Sears makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 16-39 | |
9:03 | +3 | Kalil Thomas makes three point jump shot (Trent Scott assists) | 19-39 | |
8:52 | Grant Nelson misses two point jump shot | |||
8:50 | Eddie Ricks III defensive rebound | |||
8:43 | Eddie Ricks III turnover (Davin Cosby Jr. steals) | |||
8:30 | +3 | Davin Cosby Jr. makes three point jump shot | 19-42 | |
8:16 | Nick Pringle shooting foul (Zach Iyeyemi draws the foul) | |||
8:16 | Zach Iyeyemi misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
8:16 | +1 | Zach Iyeyemi makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 20-42 | |
7:58 | Eddie Ricks III blocks Sam Walters's three point jump shot | |||
7:56 | Mark Sears offensive rebound | |||
7:55 | Trent Scott personal foul (Mark Sears draws the foul) | |||
7:55 | TV timeout | |||
7:55 | +1 | Mark Sears makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 20-43 | |
7:55 | +1 | Mark Sears makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 20-44 | |
7:42 | Kalil Thomas misses three point jump shot | |||
7:40 | Rylan Griffen defensive rebound | |||
7:28 | Rylan Griffen misses three point jump shot | |||
7:26 | Eagles defensive rebound | |||
7:09 | +3 | Kalil Thomas makes three point jump shot | 23-44 | |
6:56 | Zach Iyeyemi personal foul (Mohamed Wague draws the foul) | |||
6:56 | +1 | Mohamed Wague makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 23-45 | |
6:56 | +1 | Mohamed Wague makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 23-46 | |
6:27 | Zach Iyeyemi misses two point jump shot | |||
6:25 | Riley Minix offensive rebound | |||
6:25 | Eagles turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
6:01 | +3 | Rylan Griffen makes three point jump shot (Mohamed Wague assists) | 23-49 | |
5:43 | Drew Thelwell misses two point layup | |||
5:41 | Zach Iyeyemi offensive rebound | |||
5:37 | +2 | Zach Iyeyemi makes two point dunk | 25-49 | |
5:28 | Mark Sears misses two point layup | |||
5:26 | Zach Iyeyemi defensive rebound | |||
5:13 | Riley Minix turnover (bad pass) (Latrell Wrightsell Jr. steals) | |||
5:03 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. misses two point jump shot | |||
5:01 | Riley Minix defensive rebound | |||
4:41 | Mohamed Wague blocks Kalil Thomas's two point layup | |||
4:39 | Mohamed Wague defensive rebound | |||
4:31 | Mohamed Wague offensive foul | |||
4:31 | Mohamed Wague turnover (offensive foul) | |||
4:17 | +2 | Jordan Lathon makes two point jump shot | 27-49 | |
4:06 | Jarin Stevenson misses three point jump shot | |||
4:04 | Aaron Estrada offensive rebound | |||
4:01 | Aaron Estrada misses two point jump shot | |||
3:59 | Sam Walters offensive rebound | |||
3:58 | +2 | Sam Walters makes two point layup | 27-51 | |
3:39 | +2 | Riley Minix makes two point layup | 29-51 | |
3:29 | +2 | Aaron Estrada makes two point layup | 29-53 | |
3:00 | Kalil Thomas misses three point jump shot | |||
2:58 | Riley Minix offensive rebound | |||
2:55 | Riley Minix misses two point layup | |||
2:53 | Dieonte Miles offensive rebound | |||
2:51 | +2 | Dieonte Miles makes two point layup | 31-53 | |
2:45 | Aaron Estrada misses three point jump shot | |||
2:43 | Kalil Thomas defensive rebound | |||
2:14 | +2 | Riley Minix makes two point jump shot | 33-53 | |
1:58 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
1:56 | Kalil Thomas defensive rebound | |||
1:44 | Jordan Lathon misses three point jump shot | |||
1:42 | Jarin Stevenson defensive rebound | |||
1:40 | Kalil Thomas personal foul (Jarin Stevenson draws the foul) | |||
1:40 | TV timeout | |||
1:40 | +1 | Jarin Stevenson makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 33-54 | |
1:40 | +1 | Jarin Stevenson makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 33-55 | |
1:19 | Zach Iyeyemi misses two point layup | |||
1:17 | Eagles offensive rebound | |||
1:12 | Grant Nelson blocks Drew Thelwell's three point jump shot | |||
1:10 | Rylan Griffen defensive rebound | |||
1:03 | Davin Cosby Jr. turnover (bad pass) | |||
0:50 | Jarin Stevenson personal foul (Zach Iyeyemi draws the foul) | |||
0:47 | Mark Sears personal foul (Drew Thelwell draws the foul) | |||
0:47 | +1 | Drew Thelwell makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 34-55 | |
0:47 | +1 | Drew Thelwell makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 35-55 | |
0:36 | Jarin Stevenson turnover (bad pass) (Zach Iyeyemi steals) | |||
0:07 | Riley Minix misses three point jump shot | |||
0:05 | Mark Sears defensive rebound | |||
0:01 | Mark Sears turnover (Riley Minix steals) | |||
0:00 | End of period |