Alabama men's basketball crushes Texas A&M to win SEC Tournament championship game
NASHVILLE ― Texas A&M coach Buzz Williams sauntered onto the court to retrieve the shoe.
Just a few minutes into the SEC tournament championship game, an Alabama sneaker slipped off a player's foot and was left behind at the free-throw line. Without anyone to pick it up, Williams decided to do it himself.
A small moment proved to be a bad omen for what was to come at Bridgestone Arena. The other shoe was about to drop on Texas A&M, and Alabama made sure of it.
The Crimson Tide went on to win the SEC tournament for the second time in three seasons, never giving up a lead as Alabama defeated Texas A&M, 82-63, on Sunday.
The Crimson Tide won the SEC regular-season championship and SEC tournament title this season, making the case against Texas A&M for the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Here are observations and takeaways from the game between No. 1 seed Alabama (29-5) and No. 2 seed Texas A&M (25-9).
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Welcome back, Jahvon Quinerly
Quinerly didn't look like Mr. March against Missouri. He finished 0-for-9 in the semifinal.
No big deal. He shook off that performance and looked completely different against the Aggies.
He helped Alabama grab a quick lead with 13 points in the first half. It was needed, considering Brandon Miller only saw 12 minutes in the first half with three fouls before the break.
Quinerly's efforts continued in the second half as Texas A&M tried to climb back into the game. Quinerly wasn't going to let that happen. The MVP of the 2021 SEC tournament finished with 22 points.
Charles Bediako, Alabama defense stifle Texas A&M
In case anyone had any doubts, the Crimson Tide has an elite defense. Time and time again, this tournament has provided that reminder.
The near 11 minutes the Aggies went without a field goal in the first half was one of many stats to showcase the Crimson Tide's defensive dominance.
Overall, Texas A&M's main source of offense was the free-throw line. In the first half, the Aggies made 10 of 12 attempts to keep Alabama from totally taking over in the first half, up 34-23.
Bediako was once again a key part of the defensive success. He had three blocks and eight rebounds before halftime even arrived. He finished the game with 12 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks.
Brandon Miller clutch again in the second half
Miller didn't get to play as much in the first half because of early fouls, but once again, he was dominant in the second half.
He was crucial down the stretch, preventing Texas A&M from making any late push. Miller had his ninth double-double of the season with 23 points and 12 rebounds as he hit some crucial triples.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama basketball smashes Texas A&M to win SEC Tournament title game
