The Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball team continued its early-season momentum Tuesday night, earning a 96-74 victory over the Sam Houston Bearkats.
Alabama entered the matchup with a 3-0 record in exhibition play, collecting wins over Furman, Ole Miss and Auburn. The Crimson Tide featured a slightly different starting lineup than it had throughout exhibition play, leaning on experience with four of its five starters having previous collegiate playing experience.
Alabama opened the contest slowly, shooting just 2-of-9 from the field while committing multiple turnovers. Despite the sluggish start, the Tide maintained a 13-7 advantage through the first eight minutes. The offense eventually found its rhythm, with freshman guard Tarris Bouie helping Alabama build a 34-18 lead with five minutes remaining in the first half. Sam Houston responded with increased offensive intensity following a timeout, but baskets from Amari Allen and London Jemison helped the Crimson Tide maintain control, taking a 40-29 lead into halftime.
Alabama carried that momentum into the second half, opening with an explosive 16-2 run over the first five minutes. Boise State transfer Drew Fielder emerged as a primary scoring option after the break, with Allen also contributing offensively as the Tide extended their advantage.
Sam Houston was led offensively by guard Jacobe Coleman, who helped keep the Bearkats competitive throughout the contest. However, Alabama's second-half surge proved too much to overcome.
Despite the loss, Sam Houston found success from beyond the arc, knocking down 15 of its 33 three-point attempts (45.5%).
Alabama, meanwhile, connected on 10 of 31 attempts (32.3%) from three-point range but compensated with more efficient overall shooting. The Crimson Tide finished the night shooting 48% from the field, compared to Sam Houston's 38%. Fielder and Jemison paced Alabama offensively, finishing with 15 points apiece to lead the Crimson Tide to their season-opening victory.
Alabama will return to Coleman Coliseum this Friday to host Arkansas State. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT.