Griffin defeats Eastern Kentucky 111-67, hitting five of Alabama’s 19 3-pointers for a career-high 19.
Alabama’s Tuscaloosa (AP) — The Crimson Tide defeated Eastern Kentucky 111-67 on Saturday thanks to career-high scoring from Rylen Griffin, who also made five of Alabama’s 19 3-pointers. Grant Nelson also contributed 19 points. This was a battle between two of the best offenses in the country.
Alabama (6-5) scored its most points since defeating Georgia 115-82 on February 13, 2021, and made 19 3-pointers for the second time this season. Coming into the game, the team was ranked No. 5 in the nation for scoring (90.5 points per game) and No. 11 in made 3-pointers per game (10.5). For the sixth time this season, the Crimson Tide, who have reached the 100-point mark four times, scored at least 98 points.
With a 3-pointer from Mark Sears 16 seconds into the contest, Alabama never trailed. About a minute after Michael Moreno tied the score with a 3-pointer, Mohamed Wague responded with a layup, and Nelson added another layup and a 3-pointer to make the final score 10-3. With 14:27 remaining in the half, Sam Walters made a basket from beyond the arc to put the lead into double figures and set off a 14-2 run that made it 34-13 approximately four minutes later.
For Alabama, Aaron Estrada finished with 12 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals. Walters scored 12 points, and Davin Cosby Jr. made 4 of 6 3-pointers to finish with 12 points. Despite being ranked No. 15 in the country in scoring (20.4 ppg) entering the game, Sears managed a season-low 11 points and five assists.
Leland Walker scored 20 points and dished out six assists to lead Eastern Kentucky (4-7), although he only made 7 of 21 field goals and 2 of 8 three-pointers. Michael Moreno added 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting, all 3-pointers, while Isaiah Cozart finished with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and five blocks. Two out of twenty (10%) of the Colonels made their shots from behind the arc.
With 54 blocks in 11 games this season, Cozart, a 6-foot-7 fifth-year senior, has set EKU single-season records for both total blocks (94) and blocks per game (2.54). Cozart spent three years as a reserve at Western Kentucky, where he finished with 21 blocks in 48 games.
At 86.3 per game, which is No. 16 nationally, EKU’s season average was held to be nearly 20 points lower. The Colonels
Prior to facing Liberty at the C.M. Newton Classic in Birmingham, Alabama, Alabama has a week off. Eastern Kentucky visits Purdue on Friday to complete its nonconference schedule and three-game road trip.
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made 8 of 29 (28%) and 11 of 17 (65%) from the free-throw line in addition to 34% (24 of 71) from the field.
