No. 9 Alabama survives scare from Rutgers, advances to Players Era championship

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Mark Sears scored 24 points and No. 9 Alabama defeated Rutgers 95-90 on Wednesday night in the Players Era Festival at MGM Grand Garden.

Rutgers pulled within two with 1:28 left, but five free throws down the stretch sealed the win for the Crimson Tide (6-1).

Grant Nelson had 17 points and nine rebounds for Alabama, while Mouhamed Dioubate, Jarin Stevenson and Derrion Reid scored 10 points apiece.

Dylan Harper led Rutgers (5-2) with a career-high 37 points. Ace Bailey finished with 22 points and Jeremiah Williams chipped in with 10 points for the Scarlet Knights.

Rutgers: Harper, son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper Sr., continued an impressive start to his collegiate career with his seventh straight double-figure performance. The freshman point guard from New Jersey is averaging 24.5 points per game thus far.

Alabama: After squandering a six-point lead midway through the first half and falling behind by five, the Crimson Tide got a boost from their bench, as their reserves outscored Rutgers’ 15-5 in the first half. Alabama’s bench finished with a 38-6 edge.

Moments after Rutgers’ Jordan Derkack’s failed dunk attempt, Sears chose not to drive the lane during the ensuing fast break and instead drained a 3-pointer to give Alabama a 56-53 lead early in the second half. The Tide led from that point forward.

2 - Rutgers, which came into the game hitting 35.2% from 3-point range, made just two of its 13 attempts from long-range, a paltry 15.3%.

Both teams return to action Saturday, the final day of the Players Era Festival. Alabama will meet Oregon in the championship game. Rutgers awaits the result of Wednesday’s final game between No. 6 Houston and Notre Dame to determine its next opponent.

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