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No. 10 Alabama dominates No. 20 North Carolina in double-digit road win

63571867_t466o7i5ncby: Blake Byler12/05/24blakebyler45
MarkSearsUNC
Dec 4, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Mark Sears (1) shoots as North Carolina Tar Heels forward Ven-Allen Lubin (22) and guard Seth Trimble (7) defend in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — No. 10 Alabama walked into the Dean Dome and bludgeoned No. 20 North Carolina on Wednesday night, beating the Tar Heels 94-79.

The win moves Alabama to 7-2 on the season, and it’s the Crimson Tide’s third win over a ranked team this year. It also extends the SEC’s lead in the SEC/ACC Challenge, which was already clinched with last night’s games.

Alabama had to change up its starting lineup with Latrell Wrightsell now ruled out for the year with an Achilles injury. The Crimson Tide kept the same four starters in Mark Sears, Labaron Philon, Grant Nelson and Cliff Omoruyi, and went with size in Jarin Stevenson to replace Wrightsell.

Stevenson’s addition to the starting lineup gave him the chance to start in his hometown of Chapel Hill, also against his mother’s alma mater.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Through the first 4-minute frame of the game, Alabama held a 4-point lead over the Tar Heels. It was a solid four minutes defensively from the Crimson Tide, holding UNC to 2-of-7 shooting from the field in the opening stanza with Sears scoring six quick points, all at the rim.

Sears continued to heat up, crossing the double-figure scoring mark by the under-12 timeout of the first half, as Alabama had built a led of seven points early in the game. The bench brought some solid performances to open the game, with Aden Holloway hitting an early three and Aiden Sherrell making some nice passes and setting up scoring with his ball screens.

As the first half continued, Alabama pushed the pace and started to impose its style on the game being played. Oats continually rotated players to keep bodies fresh, and the offense started clicking with multiple guys knocking down outside shots and the ball moving extremely well.

The Tar Heels responded quickly with a 7-0 run as the first half moved towards its end, cutting the lead down to six points. Alabama weathered the storm though as the half came to a close, holding a 9-point lead at the break.

Holloway hit four first half threes and was Alabama’s leading scorer at halftime with 12, followed by Sears who had 11 while reverting back to his typical efficient-scoring ways.

UNC opened the second half with a quick 4-0 run, but it didn’t last long. Alabama followed it up with a 9-0 run sparked by a Stevenson 3-ball and a couple steals, boosting the lead to 14 and prompting a Hubert Davis timeout. Philon came out of the gate with a ton of energy during the run.

Alabama continued to pile it on, with Stevenson knocking down a second three soon after the first. After starting the season 0-of-18 from deep, he made seven of his next nine threes over a 3-game period. The defense stayed active, forcing more turnovers with Philon being an absolute blur in transition.

North Carolina continued to battle, but Alabama kept on holding the lead at double figures as the second half waned. The Tar Heels never truly threatened the lead the entire second half after the initial run, and Carolina fans were hitting the exits with over four minutes left in the game.

PLAYERS OF THE GAME

Mark Sears — 20 points, 7 assists

Aden Holloway — 15 points, 5-of-9 3pt

Labaron Philon — 15 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists

WHAT’S NEXT

Alabama has a 10-day break before it’s next game, not playing until Saturday, Dec. 14 when it will host Creighton in Coleman Coliseum, it’s first true home game in nearly a month.

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