Grant Nelson recorded 23 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots in his homecoming and Mark Sears also scored 23 points as No. 6 Alabama held off North Dakota for a 97-90 victory on Wednesday night at Grand Forks, N.D.

Labaron Philon added 16 points for the Crimson Tide (9-2), who trailed for nearly 21 minutes against the inspired Fighting Hawks.

Nelson scored the tiebreaking basket with 1:47 left, and Alabama put the game away at the free-throw line.

Treysen Eaglestaff established career highs of 40 points and eight 3-pointers for the Fighting Hawks (4-9), who have lost four straight games and seven of their past eight.

The contest was played in North Dakota due to Nelson, who grew up in tiny Devils Lake, N.D., located 90 miles west of Grand Forks.

Nelson played three seasons at North Dakota State before transferring to Alabama. This is his second season with the Crimson Tide, and Alabama coach Nate Oats agreed to bring his team to Grand Forks to allow Nelson to play near his home one last time.

Oats certainly got more than he bargained for as the Fighting Hawks were ready for the opportunity of playing a top-10 team play in their 3,300-seat arena.

Eli King knocked down a 3-pointer for North Dakota to tie at the game at 85 with 2:15 left. Nelson’s basket 28 seconds later started a run of six straight Alabama points and 10 of 13 to put the game away.

Chris Youngblood and Houston Mallette added 10 points apiece for the Crimson Tide, who made 52.4 percent of their shots and were 11 of 34 (32.4 percent) from 3-point range.

Dariyus Woodson added 15 points for North Dakota, which shot 43.4 percent from the field and 17 of 41 (41.5 percent) from behind the arc.

Alabama led 78-70 after a basket by Mallette with 6:34 left before North Dakota reeled off the next eight.

King and Eaglestaff each hit treys to end the run before Mallette’s tip-in put the Crimson Tide back ahead with 4:02 left.

Early in the second half, Alabama went on a 13-0 run. Mallette’s layup ended the burst and gave the Crimson Tide a 58-47 lead with 13:18 left in the game.

In the first half, Eaglestaff sank a 3-pointer to give the Fighting Hawks a 27-18 lead with 8:08 remaining.

The Crimson Tide inched ahead at 33-32 on a 3-pointer by Sears with 3:32 left before North Dakota scored six of the final eight for a 38-35 halftime edge.

–Field Level Media