Alabama MBB Rejuvenates Defense with Addition of Keitenn Bristow in Win Over Illinois

Chicago, ILL. - The Alabama men's basketball team was fresh off a disappointing performance against the Purdue Boilermakers at home in Coleman Coliseum, where the Tide was on the wrong end of a lopsided rebounding disparity, 52-28, as the Tide fell to a Big Ten team with great size and a desire to out-rebound every opponent on the schedule.

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Alabama's 'get-right' game would face a familiar opponent who has played similarly to Purdue to start this season: The Illinois Fighting Illini, whose smallest player in the starting lineup was a 6-foot-2 senior who ended up putting 20 points up against the Tide. Despite strong performances by Kylan Boswell, the previously mentioned senior, and Andrej Stojakovic, a 6-foot-7 junior who led the Fighting Illini in scoring against the Tide with 26 points, Alabama left the United Center (home of the Chicago Bulls) with a 90-86 victory and a promising addition to the roster.

Alabama made no in-season additions via the transfer portal, and Caleb Holt didn't forgo his final season and sign early. The Crimson Tide added Tarleton State transfer Keitenn Bristow to the lineup on April 30. Bristow, a 6-foot-8 sophomore, was dealing with an ankle injury that kept him sidelined for Alabama's first three games of the season against North Dakota, St. John's, and Purdue. He was finally healthy enough to play on Wednesday night in Chicago, and his performance helped propel the Crimson Tide to the big victory that Alabama will feel the ramifications of well into March.

"Keitenn's made a huge difference," Oats said in the postgame press conference. "He played less than 20 minutes. He's still not in great shape - he had to ask for some breaks - but he gives us everything he's got when he's out there."

Bristow probably played more than originally anticipated for his Wednesday night debut, playing 20 minutes (the only Alabama non-starters who played more were Amari Allen and Houston Mallette), but like Oats said, he gave everything in those 20 minutes, securing a double-digit scoring effort with 10 points while contributing eight rebounds (second-most on the team), one block, and one steal.

"Defensively, rebounding-wise, [he] was huge. I think he can make a difference," Oats continued. "It's nice to have him back, have him healthy.

"I thought we found something that worked with. him, playing some small ball five, switching, thought [Illinois] got a little bit stagnant when we went to it. Rebounded pretty well, only lose the glass by two with the size that they had out there with us playing four guards most of the second half. I didn't think it was too bad."

If Bristow can bring this performance on a night-to-night basis for Oats and the Crimson Tide, Alabama may have found its answer after last week's rebounding blunder against Purdue.

The Crimson Tide's next game will come next Monday, in the Player's Era Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada, against the Gonzaga Bulldogs.

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_.