Top-ranked Houston loses to No. 8/10 Alabama, 71-65

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POSTED: December 10, 2022 -- 8:43 p.m. CT

HOUSTON, TX -- (Fertitta Center)

The top-ranked Houston Cougars lost to the number 8th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide 71-65 in front of the largest crowd in the history of Fertitta Center. Houston is 9-1 this season while Alabama improves to 8-1 this season.

The Coogs struggled to make shots early and late in the ball game which allowed Alabama to erase a 44-29 deficit with 17:31 remaining in the gam and pick up a solid, solid road win.

Houston missed 6 of its first 8 field goal attempts and trailed 9-4. Alabama was also outrebounded 7-3. Houston stayed within reach of the Crimson Tide early because Alabma struggled at the foul line and turned over the basketball. Alabama had 6 turnovers in a five minute stretch in the first half to help Houston crawl within 2 points (14-12) with 7:53 remaining in the first half.

At one point in the half, Alabama was 2 for 6 from the foul line and had 11 turnovers which negated Bama's 23-10 rebounding edge.

Houston guard Marcus Sasser split two free throws to tie the game at 22. Sasser wore protective eyewear to protect his left eye which suffered a nasty cut in Houston's game on Tuesday night. Sasser received 5 stitched to the eye.

Houston trailed 25-24 when guard Jamal Shead produced the highlight of the game for Houston with a tremendous slam dunk.

Alabama regained a 1 point lead (27-26) when Shead made a jumper with 64 seconds left in the half. Next, after a missed jumper by Brandon Miller, Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson called timeout to set up a play.

After the timeout, Shead raced up the right side of court while Tramon Mark raced up left side to the corner. Shead fired a laser to Mark and Mark knocked down the 3 to give Coogs 31-27 lead.

Bama's Jaden Bradley missed a jumper at the buzzer.

Houston stretched the 31-27 halftime lead to 44-29 with an offensive eruption the first two and half minutes to begin the second half. Sasser drained a jumper in the paint; Mark hit a 3; Shead hit a 3 before Sasser scored a layup with a Eurostep drive and finish. Sasser was fouled on the layup attempt; and, he converted the free throw. Next, Houston freshman forward Jarace Walker stole a pass and raced down the court for a layup.

Alabama did not panic and methodically sliced into Houston's lead.

Bama cut Houston's lead to 10 (47-37) with 13:41 remaining. The Tide cut 5 more points off Houston's lead to trail 53-48 with 9:39 left in the ball game.

When Houston wing Tramon Mark fouled out of the game, Houston's lead was 57-53 with 8:05 on the game clock.

"The game changed," Coach Kelvin Sampson said of Tramon Mark's fouling out of the game. "We did a great job guarding their actions. Then, they took their four starters out, put their bench guys in and stopped running actions. They found the guy that couldn't keep the ball in front of them and kept going at him. We had some confusion on a couple of ball screens and how we were going to guard it.

"Sometimes, when you are down 14, you throw stuff at the wall and see what will happen. That's a talented team; and, we lack, veteran depth. Our kids played well for a long time, but all the little things matter. We fouled a 3-point shooter twice. That matters. We missed 10 free throws. That matters."

Jaden Bradley stole a pass from Reggie Chaney and scored a layup to trim Houston's lead 59-58 with 6:01 to go in the game.

Alabama's Mark Sears hit a 3 at the top of the key to put Alabama ahead to 63-62 with 3:03 on the clock.

Marcus Sasser split to free throws to tie the game at 63. Seconds later, Sasser missed a step back three-pointer. Alabama went up 2 on putback layup by Noah Clowney.

After a Houston timeout, Jamal Shead missed a jumper with 48 seconds remaining. Alabama freshman Brandon Miller made the first 2 of his 6 free throws he knocked down in the closing seconds to ice the game.

Houston finished the game missing 7 of 8 field goal attempts and making only 1 of 6 free throws.

Alabama outrebounded Houston 32-26 on the defensive boards and 44-39 overall. Alabama's bench outscored Houston's key reserves 27-10.

Jamal Shead scored 19 points to lead Houston. Shead needed 20 field goal attempts (8 for 20) for the 19 points. Marcus Sasser scored 9 points on 2 for 8 field goal shooting (0 for 3 from 3) and 5 for 7 from the foul line.

Tramon Mark scored 10 points (4 for 9 field goals, 2 for 3 threes) in 24 minutes before fouling out of the game.

Alabama finished the game scoring 1.014 points per possession to Houston's 0.942 points per possession.

"Last three minutes of the game, it's usually free throws, turnovers and controlling the boards," Coach Sampson said after the game. "Alabama did a good job in those areas; and, we didn't. But, we'll keep working at it."

NEXT: The Coogs' next game is Tuesday, December 13 versus North Carolina A&T, inside Fertitta Center. Tip is set for 7 p.m. CT on ESPN+.

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