Alabama
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (11/12/2026) — Amari Allen delivered a 24-point, five-assist performance and Alabama built a commanding halftime lead before holding off a determined late charge, defeating the Seton Hall Pirates 82-76 at Coleman Coliseum on Thursday night. The Crimson Tide welcomed 11,510 fans to open their home slate with a victory that required a steady hand down the stretch, as Seton Hall trimmed a 16-point deficit to three in the game's final minute before Aden Holloway sealed the win at the free-throw line.
How It Happened
The opening half featured four ties and two lead changes as neither team established separation early. With the score knotted at 14, Mayar Wol's three-pointer gave Seton Hall a brief 15-14 lead, and Devin Williams' tip-in dunk at the 8:13 mark pushed the Pirates ahead 18-17. Alabama's Allen answered immediately, burying a 25-footer at 7:51 to reclaim the advantage at 20-18.
The game remained within reach for Seton Hall until a stunning Alabama sequence late in the first half. With the Crimson Tide trailing 23-28, Alabama launched a 20-0 run that would define the contest. Jaxon Richardson's alley-oop dunk off a Drew Fielder feed tied the game at 28 with 2:18 remaining. Allen then drained a three-pointer with 37 seconds left to push the lead to 36-28, and Holloway added a 6-foot jumper at the buzzer — sending Alabama to the locker room with a commanding 38-28 edge.
The Crimson Tide carried that momentum directly into the second half. Brandon Garrison opened with a floating jumper to make it 40-28, and London Jemison's three-pointer with 17:19 remaining pushed the advantage to 49-32. By the midpoint of the second half, Alabama appeared well in control.
Seton Hall refused to concede. Ilay Dolinski hit a three at 8:57 to cut the deficit to eight, and the Pirates continued to press. Rodney Brown Jr.'s three-pointer at the 7:03 mark made it 66-60, and Mihailo Petrovic converted from beyond the arc with 1:22 left to trim it to 77-71. Trey Parker's three with 57 seconds remaining pulled Seton Hall within three at 77-74 — close enough to force Alabama into a finish. Holloway stepped to the line with 19 seconds remaining and converted both free throws, restoring the five-point cushion and securing the 82-76 final.
Turning Point
The late first-half sequence beginning with the Crimson Tide down 23-28 was the pivotal stretch. Alabama's 20-0 run — ignited by Richardson's alley-oop, sustained by Allen's back-to-back scoring, and finished by Holloway's buzzer jumper — erased a five-point deficit and built a double-digit lead that Seton Hall spent the entire second half trying to overcome. The Pirates came close, but Alabama had generated too much separation during that stretch to be overtaken.
Star of the Game
Amari Allen was the engine of Alabama's offense from start to finish. The guard finished with 24 points, knocking in three three-pointers across both halves while distributing five assists to keep the Crimson Tide's attack balanced. His triple at 7:51 of the first half reclaimed the lead for good, and he fed teammates for key baskets throughout — including assists on three-pointers by Holloway and Cole Cloer in the second half. Allen's ability to both score and create made him the central figure in Alabama's victory.
Holloway contributed 18 points, including two three-pointers and the decisive free throws in the final seconds. Cloer added 12 points and 5 rebounds, while Garrison provided 8 points and 7 rebounds to anchor Alabama's interior presence. The Crimson Tide out-rebounded Seton Hall 41-36 overall.
What It Means
Alabama opens its 2026 home campaign with a victory that showcases offensive range and the composure to protect a lead under pressure. The Crimson Tide shot 43 percent from the field and connected on three-pointers at a steady clip despite committing 17 turnovers — a margin for improvement heading into the season.
For Seton Hall, the defeat came despite a competitive second-half effort. Dolinski's 15 points, Elijah Fisher's 14, and Parker's 12 gave the Pirates three double-figure contributors, but a 27 percent showing from three-point range and 38 percent overall from the field left too much ground to cover. The Pirates will look to build on their late-game resiliency as their 2026 campaign gets underway.
