No. 8 Alabama Defeats No. 25 Illinois in High-Scoring Matchup

Grant Nelson's 23-point performance leads Alabama to a 100-87 victory in Birmingham.

Grant Nelson scored 23 points, including 19 in the first half, and added eight rebounds and four blocks for Alabama.
Freshman Labaron Philon contributed 16 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds in a strong all-around showing for the Crimson Tide.
Illinois' Will Riley led his team with 18 points and nine rebounds, while Kylan Boswell added 17 points in the loss.
Alabama's defense capitalized on Illinois' shooting struggles, with the Illini missing 11 straight shots during a key first-half stretch.
The win helps Alabama rebound from a loss to Purdue and strengthens their early-season NCAA Tournament resume.