The Alabama Crimson Tide did not need four overtimes to knock off a No. 1 team this time. But they did need an incredible comeback. And that made some notable history.
No. 8 Alabama rallied from 15 points down in the second half to stun the No. 1 Houston Cougars 71-65. That came in a historic victory in Houston Saturday.
Alabama becomes only the fourth team in history to knock off two different AP No. 1 teams in the same season. And the Tide performed the feat in the space of two weeks. They knocked off the No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels in a four-overtime thriller on Nov. 27.
Those two wins will obviously loom huge when the selection committee is seeding the NCAA Tournament next year.
The historic win almost didn’t come to pass. Houston led 44-29 with 17:13 remaining and appeared in control. But freshman forward Noah Clowney came up huge for the Crimson Tide, scoring 16 points and grabbing 11 rebounds on the night.
These are good times for Alabama, now 8-1 this season.
Houston… We have a problem 🐘 pic.twitter.com/uKPl2uMc5Z
— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) December 10, 2022
College basketball fans saluted the Crimson Tide on Twitter.
“This team is so dang special and what they’re doing is incredible,” tweeted Jordan Harper.
“Damn, Alabama just went into Houston and beat the No. 1 team in the country on their home court. Imagine what would happen if you played a team like that on a neutral court!” tweeted another fan.
“For what it’s worth, I still think Houston is probably the best team in the country,” noted one fan.
Alabama's Nimari Burnett with one of the best perimeter defensive efforts I've seen this season against Houston's Marcus Sasser.
And the Crimson Tide?
As high of an upside as any team that Nate Oats has had since he's been in Tuscaloosa. https://t.co/ys4UQMAfiY
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) December 10, 2022
Yes he is. So gifted and just scratching the surface.
— Morgan Holder (@gmorganholder) December 10, 2022
Alabama goes into one of the most hostile environments in the country and defeats the #1 team in the country for the second time this season, defeating Houston 71-65.
This team is so dang special and what they’re doing is incredible.
— Jordan Harper (@HarperNation24) December 10, 2022
No. 8 Alabama is a very good basketball team. They just beat No. 1 Houston on the road.
UConn cruised past Alabama by 15 on a neutral site. Like 3rd gear cruised.
UConn should get a ton of first place votes. Most, I’d say.
— Nick Mercadante (@NMercad) December 10, 2022
Alabama Basketball beats #1 UNC and #1 Houston within 2 weeks of each other. A TWENTY point swing in the 2nd half. Great start to the season! ROLL TIDE!!!
— Chad (@chad_g24) December 10, 2022
Damn, Alabama just went into Houston and beat the #1 team in the country on their home court. Imagine what would happen if you played a team like that on a neutral court!
Oh wait pic.twitter.com/Noy8qZNg3r
— Brandon Carney (@BenchwarmerBran) December 10, 2022
For what it’s worth, I still think UofH is probably the best team in the country
— RC Maxfield (@RCMB323) December 10, 2022
[Photo from Troy Taormina/USA Today Sports]
