Freshman Davis scores 17, Tide gets first win for Nate Oats

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Freshman Javian Davis scored 19 points and Alabama beat Florida Atlantic 78-59 Monday night to earn the first victory of the Nate Oats era.

In first career start, Davis also recorded nine rebounds and two assists.

Both teams got off to slow starts offensively as the game was tied at five at the first TV timeout.

Florida Atlantic held the Alabama offense to two points for a more than five minutes stretch starting at the 9:57 mark in the first half.

Alabama responded by scoring 20 points over the last 4:48 of the first half to go into halftime with a 43-25 lead.

The Crimson Tide was able to maintain that lead throughout the second half.

Alabama had to play with a shorter bench after two players fouled out for the Crimson Tide, and Herbert Jones did not play after suffering an injury against Penn.

Another freshman Jaden Shackleford added 17 points off the bench for Alabama, and Kira Lewis Jr. finished with 16 points, eight assists and six rebounds.

Junior guard Richardson Maitre finished with 18 points and seven rebounds for Florida Atlantic.

BIG PICTURE

Florida Atlantic: FAU shot 35.3-% from the free throw ling, making only 6 of 17 of attempts.

Alabama: Alabama got 31 points from the bench, led by 17 from Jaden Shackelford compared to 19 total bench points from FAU.

QUINERLY INELIGIBLE

Villanova transfer and former five-star recruit Jahvon Quinerly was denied his appeal by the NCAA to become eligible for Alabama for the 2019-2020 season. Alabama announced the decision less than three hours before tipoff Monday.

UP NEXT

Florida Atlantic hosts Palm Beach Atlantic on Saturday.

Alabama faces their first road test of the year with a trip to Rhode Island on Friday night.