TUSCALOOSA, Alabama –
Sincere Parker scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half, eight of those in consecutive fashion, and
Alyn Breed added 17 as the McNeese Cowboys gave the No. 2-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide all it could handle in a 72-64 loss here Monday night.
The Cowboys (1-2), playing their highest-ranking opponent since 2013, trailed by 21 points at 57-36 with 14:47 to play in the second half. That's when Parker got hot and helped McNeese go on a 9-0 run to cut the margin to 12 at 57-45 with 12:22 to play.
DJ Richards Jr., who ended with five points, sank a critical three-pointer to cut the gap to 58-48, then
Christian Shumate put down a Shu Slam off an offensive board a minute later to pull McNeese to within 58-50 with 9:03 remaining.
While Alabama was on a 9:14 drought without a field goal, McNeese cut the deficit to six points at 60-54 following a Parker 3, the first of his eight straight points, with 6:00 on the clock.
Bama answered with a 3 from Latrell Wrightsell Jr. to end the drought and put his team back up by nine but Parker came right back with a long three to close it back to a six-point game with 5:09 remaining.
Alabama missed on its ensuing possession and Parker's 3 attempt to make it a three-point game fell off the mark.
Alabama's Grant Nelson, who led all scorers with 22 points, put the Crimson Tide up 70-61 after a couple of free throws with 2:18 remaining then Labaron Philon got a layup 20 seconds later to make it a 72-64 score.
Breed hit a 3 with 1:22 left to cut the margin to 72-64.
Christian Shumate added 10 points for the Cowboys while
Joe Charles pulled in a game-high nine rebounds.
