CLEVELAND — One of the most competitive races on Alabama’s team is the Hard Hat battle between Grant Nelson and Mouhamed Diobuate.
Both players were instrumental in No. 2 seed Alabama’s 90-81 win over No. 15 seed Robert Morris. The Crimson Tide narrowly avoided a shocking defeat in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Alabama had to call on Nelson in the second half to help Alabama climb out of a rebounding hole.
But that feat would have been impossible without Dioubate.
“He shows up in big games,” Nelson said of his frontcourt teammate. “Beginning of the year he showed up. He’s the reason we beat Houston. He just gets in there, does all the nitty gritty stuff. I think he won blue-collar again tonight. So I think on the season he’s one ahead of me."
Dioubate racked up 18 points — the second most he’s scored in an Alabama uniform — and a team-high 10 rebounds helping the Tide pull an escape act against an upstart mid-major hungry for an upset.
Sound familiar? He’s done it before in the Big Dance, memorably helping Alabama top Grand Canyon with nine points in five minutes in the second round of last season’s tournament. It’s become an example of the grit coach Nate Oats looks for in his team in tough situations.
Dioubate gave the Alabama coach and his teammates another example Friday.
“When it's March Madness, it comes down to the wire its win or go home and Mo D he plays like that every game," guard Mark Sears said. "Nothing new for Mo D. Just Mo D doing Mo D things.”
Most Alabama fans and certainly Dioubate’s teammates are no longer surprised at his play when the lights are brightest. But he’s found another level in his sophomore season. Diobuate has drawn comparisons to Herb Jones from Oats. He’s become a more polished 3-pointer — he made both of his attempts from 3 Friday.
Dioubate's blue-collar effort has also had a trickle-down effect. It's especially benefitted freshman Derrion Reid, who also had a nice outing Friday with nine points and four rebounds in 10 minutes.
“I love being on the floor with Mo,” Reid said. “When we’re practicing together, going on teams together, they just say ‘We’ve got some dogs on this team,’ and I look at him like, ‘Let’s get a stop.’ But I learned a lot from him crashing, hustling, game-winning plays. He’s been doing it since the beginning of the year since we were in Vegas. So I just learn a lot from him.”
Dioubate’s hard-working playstyle lifted the Tide past a tough test in March for a second straight season. Sustaining his big-game energy for the rest of the tournament will be vital for the Tide’s success in its second-round matchup against either No. 7 seed Saint Mary’s or No. 10 seed Vanderbilt.
As for that Hard Hat race, Nelson can accept defeat. For now.
“I got it next game.”
