GALLERY: Alabama Defeats North Dakota in Coleman Coliseum

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - On Monday night, the Alabama men's basketball team began year seven of the Nate Oats era in Tuscaloosa, and it was another sight to behold as Alabama handled its business against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks.

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Sophomore guard Labaron Philon showcased his talent, and why many consider him one of the top players in college basketball and one of the top prospects in the 2026 NBA draft next June. Philon, in his debut game for his sophomore season, scored 22 points for Alabama, with 15 of them coming in the first half, when he was surgical running Nate Oats' offense as the returning starting point guard. In the first half, he was 6-7 from the floor and 2-2 from three-point range, adding seven assists as well. He helped contribute to 15 of the Tide's first 18 points on the night, either scoring them himself or assisting on a bucket.

Alabama was replacing significant production from a season ago, with Mark Sears and Grant Nelson gone. While the Tide likely didn't immediately find the answer in Monday's 91-62 victory over North Dakota, Alabama saw flashes from its freshman class, with Amari Allen and London Jemison scoring in double figures (12 points apiece) and Davion Hannah narrowly missing the mark as well, with nine points in the win.

Check out the victory in a photo gallery from the University of Alabama!

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.