Mark Sears scored 24 points and No. 9 Alabama beat No. 6 Houston 85-80 in overtime on Tuesday night in the opener of the Players Era Festival.
After squandering an eight-point lead with 8:53 left in the game, and allowing Houston to force overtime, Alabama outscored the Cougars 7-2 in the extra frame for the win.
Houston’s LJ Cryer, who led all scorers with a career-high matching 30 points, had a chance to win the game but missed a mid-range baseline jumper with two seconds remaining.
Grant Nelson had 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Mouhamed Dioubate had 10 points and 16 rebounds for Alabama.
Emanuel Sharp finished with 14 points while J’Wan Roberts added 11 for the Cougars.
Takeaways
Alabama: The game was the Tide’s third in a row against a Top 25 team. After losing at then-No. 13 Purdue 87-78, they beat then-No. 25 Illinois 100-87 on a neutral court in Birmingham.
Houston: Sharp came…
