CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — It looked like Alabama basketball could've lost its spark at the Players Era Festival, but the Crimson Tide found another in its newcomers on Wednesday.
After leaving UNC stunned, Tar Heel fans filing out of the arena with four minutes to go, UA coach Nate Oats said Alabama could've easily turned Saturday's Players Era Festival Championship loss to Oregon " turn into two ."
With No. 22 North Carolina (4-4) deemed a narrow favorite over No. 12 Alabama (7-2), it could be said the Crimson Tide stole the win from coach Hubert Davis and company. Through eight games, UA averaged 5.3 steals. The first half alone against the Tar Heels saw the Crimson Tide with five, led by two apiece by Pepperdine transfer Houston Mallette and SEC Preseason Player of the Year Mark Sears.
In the 94-79 road victory, Mallette stepped up in the absence of an injured Latrell Wrightsell Jr., who sustained a season-ending Achilles tendon rupture in Las Vegas against Oregon. Oats had announced that Mallette would be taking a redshirt year ahead of the season opener.
Mallette said his "prayers" were with Wrightsell, noting that the returning Final Four starter came from Cal-State Fullerton and the two "stayed in touch" through their transfers to Tuscaloosa.
"A lot of times in society we have, 'What's best for me?'" Mallette said on the decision to drop his redshirt. "I feel like what's best for me in my life is best for the team, and anything I can do to impact people, impact the team, is what I'm going to do."
UA finished with eight steals total, highlighted by freshman Labaron Philon with three.
"He's a competitor. He's been practicing hard. You have to deserve to play well, and he deserves to play well," Oats said.
Scoring 15 points, as did Auburn transfer Aden Holloway, behind a team-high 20 points for Sears, four-star recruit Philon added 4 rebounds, 4 assists, a block and those swiped possessions from UNC.
"You can't just instill confidence in a kid," Oats said. "You earn that."
Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for the Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama basketball newcomers steal road win at UNC in SEC/ACC Challenge
