Wrightsell scores 19, Alabama defeats Liberty 101-56 at C.M. Newton Classic

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Oats reaches 100 wins with Alabama's win over Liberty

Nate Oats becomes the fastest coach in program history to reach 100 career wins as Latrell Wrightsell Jr. nets a season-high 19 points in the win over the Flames.

Dec 30, 2023, 09:18 pm

LYNCHBURG, Va. -- — Latrell Wrightsell Jr. scored a season-high 19 points to lead six players in double figures and Alabama rolled to a 101-56 victory over Liberty at the C.M. Newton Classic on Saturday.

Wrightsell made 6 of 8 shots, including 5 of 7 from 3-point range, and both his free throws for the Crimson Tide (8-5), who topped the century mark for a fifth time this season. Nate Oats became the fastest coach to win 100 games at the school.

Mark Sears had 16 points and Aaron Estrada pitched in with 13 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and four steals. Sears and Estrada have both scored more than 1,500 career points, making Alabama one of only six schools currently with such a scoring duo. Grant Nelson had 12 points and blocked three shots. Rylan Griffin and freshman reserve Sam Walters both scored 10.

Wrightsell had 12 points off the bench, freshman reserve Jarin Stevenson scored nine and Alabama shot 57.1% from the floor in taking a 48-27 lead at halftime. The Crimson Tide sank 16 of 28 shots before intermission, including 9 of 15 from 3-point range. They shot even better in the second half and finished at 58.3%, making half of their 28 shots from beyond the arc and 17 of 20 at the free-throw line.

Kaden Metheny led the Flames (10-4) with 14 points, while Zach Cleveland added 13 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Alabama entered play having scored a school-record 1,066 points through its first 12 games, surpassing the previous mark of 1,004 set last season. The Crimson Tide came in averaging 92.2 points per game with four of their five losses coming against ranked teams.

Liberty, the preseason favorites to win Conference USA, averages just 9.5 turnovers per game, fourth lowest in the country, and had just nine against Alabama. But the Flames shot only 33.3% from the floor and missed 25 of 35 shots from beyond the arc.

Alabama travels to play Vanderbilt on Saturday in a Southeastern Conference opener. Liberty returns home to play Boyce on Monday.

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