LAS VEGAS — In an exhilarating finish, Nate Bittle delivered the decisive points with a putback dunk just 4.4 seconds remaining, propelling Oregon to an 83-81 triumph over the ninth-ranked Alabama in the final of the Players Era Festival on Saturday night.
Keeshawn Barthelemy emerged as the standout player for the Ducks (8-0), contributing 22 points off the bench, while Bittle added 19 points to the scoreboard.
Alabama’s Aden Holloway ignited a late rally, sinking a three-pointer that narrowed the Ducks’ lead to 81-78 with only 26 seconds on the clock. Oregon turned the ball over soon after, allowing Mark Sears to capitalize with a free throw that brought Alabama within two points. Although Sears missed his subsequent free throw, Mouhamed Dioubate secured the offensive rebound, drawing a foul and converting two free throws to even the score at 81.
In a tense moment during the next possession, Barthelemy missed a layup, but Bittle was there to deliver with a powerful dunk, sealing the victory for Oregon.
Labaron Philon was Alabama’s top scorer, finishing the game with 15 points, supported by Sears, Holloway, and Jarin Stevenson, who all chipped in with 11 points each.
The statistics highlighted key aspects of the game: Alabama struggled from beyond the arc, making 11 of 36 attempts at three-point range, which ultimately kept them in contention.
The Ducks not only clinched the tournament title but also earned an additional $500,000 in name, image, and likeness (NIL) funds, supplementing the $1 million guaranteed to participating teams. Alabama, finishing in second place, walked away with an extra $250,000.
A pivotal moment arose with just under four minutes left when Oregon was down 74-70. Barthelemy drew a foul and sank both free throws, initiating a crucial 12-1 scoring run that flipped the score to 81-75 in favor of the Ducks with just 31 seconds to play.
One of the more telling statistics for Alabama revealed they committed 13 turnovers, in stark contrast to Oregon’s seven. The Ducks capitalized effectively on these miscues, racking up 17 points from turnovers throughout the game.
Looking ahead, Oregon is set to clash with USC on Wednesday for their Big Ten opener, while Alabama will face off against North Carolina on the same day.
