Amari Allen just etched his name in Alabama basketball history, delivering a monster 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists for only the fifth triple-double ever in the program as the No. 20 Crimson Tide rolled over Arkansas State 101-86 on Friday night. But for all the cheers, the biggest question now is about his right ankle after he landed awkwardly late in the game, needing help off the floor.
A Historic Night, Then The Scare
Allen’s performance was absolutely electric. He hit back-to-back 3-pointers, including one from way out near the logo, showing exactly why he’s such a force. He sealed that historic tenth assist on Brandon Garrison’s layup with just over six minutes left, putting him in a league with Alabama legends like Aaron Estrada, Kira Lewis Jr., and Roy Rodgers. It wasn’t just Allen, though; the Tide had to fight for this win. They missed a brutal 16 of their first 19 shots to start the game. Yikes. Arkansas State even jumped out to a 19-11 lead thanks to Layne Taylor canning his first three 3-pointers. But Alabama cleaned it up, pouring in 24 second-chance points before halftime and going on a massive 21-2 run, capped by Drew Fielder’s three with three seconds left, to snatch a 51-34 lead. Fielder ended up with 16 points, and Qayden Samuels led the team with 17.
Fighting Through Injuries and Suspensions
This Alabama squad is already dealing with some early season drama. Aden Holloway was just back from serving the final game of a five-game suspension stemming from a March arrest on drug charges that were later dismissed. Freshman Jaxon Richardson was out with an upper-body injury. Then the big one: Allen’s ankle. While he did return to the bench after a timeout, seeing your star player get helped off the court with that kind of injury in a non-conference game is never a good sign, no matter how big the lead. Arkansas State had their own injury scare, too, with Amadou Doumbia going straight to the locker room after being slow to get up. He still put up 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Red Wolves, while Layne Taylor finished with 20 points and six assists, and Chaz Watson added 15. The Red Wolves even tried to claw back, with Jordan Pyke scoring seven of his 12 points during an 11-0 run that cut Alabama’s lead to 67-55 before Tarris Bouie answered with a critical three-pointer.
So, what’s next for No. 20 Alabama, now 2-0 on the young season? They host Oakland on Monday. All eyes will be on the injury report to see how Allen’s ankle is doing. This team is clearly talented, but they’re already facing some hurdles.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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