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Nelson scores 23 to lead No. 8 Alabama past No. 25 Illinois, 100-87
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) Grant Nelson scored 23 points and Aden Holloway had 18 to lead No. 8 Alabama to a 100-87 win over No. 25 Illinois on Wednesday night in a matchup of Elite Eight teams from last season at Legacy Arena.
Freshman Labaron Philon had 16 points, nine assists and seven rebounds to help the Crimson Tide (4-1) overcome a scoreless night from preseason All-American Mark Sears.
Latrell Wrightsell Jr. also had 16 points for Alabama. Nelson opened the game with three straight 3-pointers.
Will Riley led Illinois (3-1) with 18 points and nine rebounds while Kylan Boswell added 17 and Kasparas Jakucionis had 15. Tomislav Ivisic had 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Sears missed all five of his shots, four of them 3-point attempts, and didn't return after heading to the bench with 11:27 left.
Illinois: Fell to 17-19 in Top 25 matchups since the start of the 2019-20 season. The Illini had their first tough test of the season after three double-digit wins.
Alabama: Rebounded strongly from an 87-78 loss at No. 6 Purdue to get a win that should look good on the NCAA Tournament resume. Made four straight 3s and five of six to open the game.
Alabama scored 13 straight points midway through the first half to build a 36-19 lead. Clifford Omoruyi's layup capped the run while Illinois missed 11 straight shots.
The Tide went up by 18 points. Illinois sliced the deficit to eight in the second half but never got closer.
Alabama made 11 of 13 free throws (84.6%). Illinois was just 13 of 24 (54.2%).
Illinois hosts Maryland-Eastern Shore on Saturday; Alabama faces No. 7 Houston next Tuesday in Las Vegas.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20:00 |  | (Crimson Tide gains possession) | ||
| 19:42 | | Labaron Philon misses two point layup | ||
| 19:40 |  | Tre White defensive rebound | ||
| 19:21 | | +3 | Kasparas Jakucionis makes three point jump shot (Ben Humrichous assists) | 3-0 |
| 18:54 | | +3 | Grant Nelson makes three point jump shot (Latrell Wrightsell Jr. assists) | 3-3 |
| 18:31 | | +2 | Tomislav Ivisic makes two point dunk (Kasparas Jakucionis assists) | 5-3 |
| 18:12 | | +3 | Grant Nelson makes three point jump shot (Latrell Wrightsell Jr. assists) | 5-6 |
| 17:52 | | +2 | Kylan Boswell makes two point layup | 7-6 |
| 17:46 | | +3 | Grant Nelson makes three point jump shot (Labaron Philon assists) | 7-9 |
| 17:25 | | +2 | Kasparas Jakucionis makes two point layup | 9-9 |
| 17:19 | | +3 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes three point jump shot (Labaron Philon assists) | 9-12 |
| 16:55 | | Kasparas Jakucionis misses two point layup | ||
| 16:53 | | Tre White offensive rebound | ||
| 16:52 | | Clifford Omoruyi shooting foul (Tre White draws the foul) | ||
| 16:52 | | +1 | Tre White makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 10-12 |
| 16:52 | | +1 | Tre White makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 11-12 |
| 16:42 | | Grant Nelson misses three point jump shot | ||
| 16:40 | | Fighting Illini defensive rebound | ||
| 16:25 | | Kylan Boswell misses two point jump shot | ||
| 16:24 | | Grant Nelson defensive rebound | ||
| 16:24 | | Tomislav Ivisic personal foul | ||
| 16:20 | | Will Riley personal foul | ||
| 16:14 | | +2 | Labaron Philon makes two point layup | 11-14 |
| 16:04 | | Kasparas Jakucionis turnover (bad pass) (Aden Holloway steals) | ||
| 15:57 | | +3 | Aden Holloway makes three point jump shot (Clifford Omoruyi assists) | 11-17 |
| 15:46 | | Carey Booth misses three point jump shot | ||
| 15:45 | | Grant Nelson defensive rebound | ||
| 15:45 | | Morez Johnson Jr. personal foul | ||
| 15:45 | | TV timeout | ||
| 15:19 | | Derrion Reid misses two point layup | ||
| 15:18 | | Crimson Tide offensive rebound | ||
| 15:14 | | +2 | Grant Nelson makes two point jump shot (Mark Sears assists) | 11-19 |
| 15:00 | | Jarin Stevenson shooting foul (Will Riley draws the foul) | ||
| 15:00 | | Will Riley misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 15:00 | | Will Riley misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 15:00 | | Derrion Reid defensive rebound | ||
| 14:46 | | Grant Nelson misses three point jump shot | ||
| 14:44 | | Kasparas Jakucionis defensive rebound | ||
| 14:34 | | +2 | Kasparas Jakucionis makes two point layup | 13-19 |
| 14:21 | | +2 | Grant Nelson makes two point layup | 13-21 |
| 13:51 | | +2 | Morez Johnson Jr. makes two point dunk (Will Riley assists) | 15-21 |
| 13:37 | | Grant Nelson misses three point jump shot | ||
| 13:35 | | Morez Johnson Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 13:27 | | Ben Humrichous misses three point jump shot | ||
| 13:25 | | Ben Humrichous offensive rebound | ||
| 13:20 | | +2 | Ben Humrichous makes two point jump shot | 17-21 |
| 13:06 | | +2 | Aden Holloway makes two point jump shot (Labaron Philon assists) | 17-23 |
| 12:52 | | Tomislav Ivisic misses three point jump shot | ||
| 12:50 | | Aiden Sherrell defensive rebound | ||
| 12:38 | | Aiden Sherrell misses three point jump shot | ||
| 12:36 | | Tre White defensive rebound | ||
| 12:28 | | Aiden Sherrell shooting foul (Tre White draws the foul) | ||
| 12:28 | | +1 | Tre White makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 18-23 |
| 12:28 | | +1 | Tre White makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 19-23 |
| 12:10 | | +2 | Jarin Stevenson makes two point jump shot | 19-25 |
| 11:56 | | Ben Humrichous misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:54 | | Jarin Stevenson defensive rebound | ||
| 11:49 | | Ben Humrichous blocks Latrell Wrightsell Jr.'s three point jump shot | ||
| 11:47 | | Labaron Philon offensive rebound | ||
| 11:42 | | Labaron Philon misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:40 | | Tomislav Ivisic defensive rebound | ||
| 11:28 | | Tomislav Ivisic misses two point hook shot | ||
| 11:26 | | Tomislav Ivisic offensive rebound | ||
| 11:22 | | Labaron Philon blocks Tre White's two point jump shot | ||
| 11:20 | | Aiden Sherrell defensive rebound | ||
| 11:11 | | +2 | Labaron Philon makes two point layup | 19-27 |
| 10:43 | | Kylan Boswell misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:41 | | Labaron Philon defensive rebound | ||
| 10:37 | | +2 | Jarin Stevenson makes two point dunk (Labaron Philon assists) | 19-29 |
| 10:18 | | Kasparas Jakucionis turnover (bad pass) | ||
| 10:18 | | TV timeout | ||
| 10:07 | | Grant Nelson turnover (bad pass) (Tomislav Ivisic steals) | ||
| 9:59 | | Kylan Boswell misses two point jump shot | ||
| 9:57 | | Labaron Philon defensive rebound | ||
| 9:53 | | +2 | Labaron Philon makes two point layup | 19-31 |
| 9:29 | | Will Riley misses two point jump shot | ||
| 9:27 | | Kylan Boswell offensive rebound | ||
| 9:24 | | Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:22 | | Will Riley offensive rebound | ||
| 9:18 | | Will Riley misses two point jump shot | ||
| 9:16 | | Will Riley offensive rebound | ||
| 9:15 | | Will Riley misses two point jump shot | ||
| 9:13 | | Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound | ||
| 9:00 | | +2 | Grant Nelson makes two point layup | 19-33 |
| 9:00 | | Carey Booth shooting foul (Grant Nelson draws the foul) | ||
| 9:00 | | +1 | Grant Nelson makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 19-34 |
| 8:46 | | Will Riley misses three point jump shot | ||
| 8:44 | | Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound | ||
| 8:40 | | Mark Sears misses three point jump shot | ||
| 8:38 | | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. offensive rebound | ||
| 8:33 | | +2 | Clifford Omoruyi makes two point layup (Latrell Wrightsell Jr. assists) | 19-36 |
| 8:32 | | Fighting Illini 30 second timeout | ||
| 8:14 | | +2 | Kasparas Jakucionis makes two point layup | 21-36 |
| 7:50 | | Tre White blocks Clifford Omoruyi's two point layup | ||
| 7:48 | | Kasparas Jakucionis defensive rebound | ||
| 7:41 | | Clifford Omoruyi shooting foul (Kasparas Jakucionis draws the foul) | ||
| 7:41 | | TV timeout | ||
| 7:41 | | +1 | Kasparas Jakucionis makes regular free throw 1 of 3 | 22-36 |
| 7:41 | | Kasparas Jakucionis misses regular free throw 2 of 3 | ||
| 7:41 | | +1 | Kasparas Jakucionis makes regular free throw 3 of 3 | 23-36 |
| 7:27 | | Aiden Sherrell misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:25 | | Aiden Sherrell offensive rebound | ||
| 7:19 | | Mark Sears misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:17 | | Aden Holloway offensive rebound | ||
| 7:17 | | Mark Sears misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:15 | | Tre White defensive rebound | ||
| 7:06 | | Tre White turnover (bad pass) (Grant Nelson steals) | ||
| 6:50 | | +2 | Derrion Reid makes two point layup | 23-38 |
| 6:37 | | Mark Sears personal foul | ||
| 6:23 | | +3 | Will Riley makes three point jump shot (Kasparas Jakucionis assists) | 26-38 |
| 6:05 | | +2 | Aiden Sherrell makes two point layup (Jarin Stevenson assists) | 26-40 |
| 5:46 | | Kasparas Jakucionis turnover (lost ball) (Aiden Sherrell steals) | ||
| 5:30 | | Derrion Reid misses three point jump shot | ||
| 5:28 | | Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn defensive rebound | ||
| 5:14 | | Labaron Philon personal foul | ||
| 5:14 | | Morez Johnson Jr. offensive foul | ||
| 5:14 | | Morez Johnson Jr. turnover (offensive foul) | ||
| 4:58 | | Aiden Sherrell misses two point layup | ||
| 4:56 | | Morez Johnson Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 4:45 | | Aiden Sherrell blocks Tre White's two point layup | ||
| 4:43 | | Tre White offensive rebound | ||
| 4:40 | | Tre White turnover (traveling) | ||
| 4:28 | | +3 | Aden Holloway makes three point jump shot (Clifford Omoruyi assists) | 26-43 |
| 4:28 | | Kasparas Jakucionis shooting foul (Aden Holloway draws the foul) | ||
| 4:28 | | +1 | Aden Holloway makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 26-44 |
| 4:14 | | +3 | Tomislav Ivisic makes three point jump shot (Kasparas Jakucionis assists) | 29-44 |
| 3:56 | | Jarin Stevenson misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:54 | | Kasparas Jakucionis defensive rebound | ||
| 3:45 | | Kasparas Jakucionis misses two point jump shot | ||
| 3:43 | | Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound | ||
| 3:27 | | Labaron Philon misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:25 | | Kylan Boswell defensive rebound | ||
| 3:18 | | Tomislav Ivisic misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:16 | | Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound | ||
| 3:06 | | Jarin Stevenson misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:04 | | Kylan Boswell defensive rebound | ||
| 2:39 | | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. shooting foul (Tomislav Ivisic draws the foul) | ||
| 2:39 | | TV timeout | ||
| 2:39 | | Tomislav Ivisic misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 2:39 | | Tomislav Ivisic misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 2:39 | | Grant Nelson defensive rebound | ||
| 2:27 | | Mark Sears turnover (bad pass) (Kylan Boswell steals) | ||
| 2:23 | | +2 | Kylan Boswell makes two point layup | 31-44 |
| 1:59 | | +3 | Grant Nelson makes three point jump shot (Mouhamed Dioubate assists) | 31-47 |
| 1:39 | | +2 | Tomislav Ivisic makes two point jump shot | 33-47 |
| 1:25 | | +3 | Mouhamed Dioubate makes three point jump shot (Aden Holloway assists) | 33-50 |
| 1:07 | | +2 | Kasparas Jakucionis makes two point jump shot | 35-50 |
| 0:52 | | Mouhamed Dioubate misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:50 | | Kylan Boswell defensive rebound | ||
| 0:45 | | +3 | Ben Humrichous makes three point jump shot (Kylan Boswell assists) | 38-50 |
| 0:33 | | +2 | Aden Holloway makes two point jump shot | 38-52 |
| 0:32 | | Crimson Tide 30 second timeout | ||
| 0:02 | | Kylan Boswell misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:01 | | Fighting Illini offensive rebound | ||
| 0:01 | | Fighting Illini turnover (shot clock violation) | ||
| 0:01 | | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Kasparas Jakucionis steals) | ||
| 0:00 | | Kasparas Jakucionis misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:00 | | End of period |