LAS VEGAS — In an exciting matchup at the Players Era Festival, No. 9 Alabama triumphed over Rutgers with a final score of 95-90 on Wednesday night at the MGM Grand Garden. Mark Sears had an outstanding performance, contributing 24 points to lead the Crimson Tide to victory.
The Scarlet Knights made a valiant effort, narrowing the gap to just two points with 1:28 remaining in the game. However, Alabama sealed their win with five crucial free throws in the closing moments of the contest, improving their record to 6-1.
Grant Nelson supported Alabama’s effort with 17 points and nine rebounds, while teammates Mouhamed Dioubate, Jarin Stevenson, and Derrion Reid each added 10 points. On the Rutgers side, Dylan Harper delivered a career-high 37 points, showcasing his talent, while Ace Bailey contributed 22 points and Jeremiah Williams added 10 points.
Insights from the game indicate that Harper, the son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper Sr., is having a remarkable start to his college career, marking his seventh consecutive game with double-digit scoring. The freshman point guard from New Jersey is currently averaging 24.5 points per game.
For Alabama, the team faced a challenge when they lost a six-point lead in the first half and fell behind by five. However, they found a spark from their bench, which managed to outscore Rutgers’ bench 15-5 in the first half and finished with a dominant 38-6 advantage overall.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred shortly after a missed dunk by Rutgers’ Jordan Derkack. Following this play, Sears opted for a three-pointer instead of driving to the basket during a fast break, which put Alabama ahead 56-53 early in the second half. This shot established a lead that Alabama maintained for the remainder of the game.
A notable statistic from the game reveals that despite entering the matchup with a solid 35.2% success rate from beyond the arc, Rutgers struggled significantly, making just two of their 13 three-point attempts, resulting in a disappointing shooting percentage of 15.3%.
Looking ahead, both teams will compete again on Saturday, the final day of the Players Era Festival. Alabama is set to face Oregon in the championship game, while Rutgers will await the outcome of the final game between No. 6 Houston and Notre Dame to determine their next opponent.