Alabama Holds Off Drake 80-71 in ESPN Events Invitational
No. 10 Alabama held off a resilient Drake University team, 80-71, in the second round of the ESPN Events Invitational. Freshman Tucker DeVries led the Bulldogs with 15 points, while JaShawn McNeilly's Crimson Tide secured the win thanks to Jahvon Quinerly's crucial eight points in the final 4:29. Drake's senior guard D.J. Wilkins had a season-high 17 points before being sidelined, and Shanquan Hemphill added 15 points along with six rebounds.
Key Takeaways:
- Jahvon Quinerly's eight points in the final 4:29 sealed the win for Alabama, after Drake's Tucker DeVries tied the game 61-61 with 5:16 remaining.
- Drake's freshman Tucker DeVries led the team with 15 points, while senior guard D.J. Wilkins achieved a season-high 17 points before being forced to sit out due to injury.
- Alabama's JaShawn McNeilly maintained his team's lead, despite Drake's closing 11-0 run in the first half.
- Drake forward Shanquan Hemphill contributed a season-high 15 points and six rebounds to his team's efforts.
- Drake senior reserve Garrett Sturtz stood out with a game-high three steals, while senior guard Roman Penn secured six assists, six rebounds, and two steals.
- The team that made more free throws, Alabama, secured 80 points, compared to Drake's 71.
Statistics:
- Alabama shot an impressive 50.9% from the floor (40-79) and made 10-14 free throws for a 71.4% success rate.
- Drake shot 42.9% from the floor (27-63) but managed to force Alabama into 17 turnovers, scoring 19 valuable points from those miscues.
- Drake's Wilkins secured a 6-8 record from the free throw line, contributing to the team's 71 points.
Sources:
- ESPN Events Invitational official website
- Drake University's official sports website