Postgame Thread: Gonzaga 100, Alabama 88

Last season, Alabama played their best game of the season out in Seattle to upset Gonzaga.

This year, the Zags returned the favor.

Brandon Miller was phenomenal. He did everything in his power to carry the team to victory, but there just wasn’t enough help for him on the offensive end to overcome a Gonzaga team that was scorching hot in the second half of the game.

Turnovers, 21 for Alabama and only nine for Gonzaga, were once again the issue as the more fundamentally sound team beat the more athletic one. Effort wasn’t a problem for the Tide, execution was, and if the right lessons are learned this game can be extraordinarily beneficial down the line. Nimari Burnett would have been nice to have as well in a game that Gonzaga shot 41% from three. After an outstanding start to the season defensively, Alabama has allowed 94 per game in two outings without their best perimeter defender.

Needless to say, that can’t continue, but they also won’t be playing teams of this caliber every week. The Zags got off to a tough start for them with three losses already, but all were to very high quality opponents and they were the top ranked team coming into the season.

Hopefully Nate can get things straightened out as we head into SEC play. One last tune up against Jackson State looms next.

Roll Tide.