The 18th ranked Alabama Crimson Tide basketball team improved to 5-0 on the young season by taking down 12th ranked Michigan State 81-70 in Portland, Oregon in the Phil Knight Invitational.
Coach Nate Oats beat his mentor, Tom Izzo, in the first meeting of their careers after Oats worked Izzo’s camps as a high school coach in Michigan a decade ago. The Tide stuck with their same starting five of Brandon Miller, Noah Clowney, Mark Sears, Charles Bediako, and Nimari Burnett in the contest.
The Tide started off hot and built an early 8-2 lead. The Spartans battled back with defense and toughness to take a lead of 21-15 with 8:13 left in the half.