Alabama’s Stunning Defeat to Purdue: What Went Wrong and What’s Next?

When the Alabama Crimson Tide stepped onto the hardwood at Coleman Coliseum Thursday night, anticipation buzzed through the air like a live wire. They were locking horns with the Purdue Boilermakers—a top 10 clash that promised fireworks, and boy, did it deliver drama. But despite the Tide’s gritty tenacity and a battle that swung back and forth like a heavyweight bout, it was Purdue who ultimately claimed the 87-80 victory. Now, the spotlight zeroes in on Labaron Philon Jr., whose first-half struggles with the basket cast a long shadow over Alabama’s hopes. The night was a rollercoaster of missed opportunities and sizzling arcs from beyond the three-point line, painting a vivid picture of a team that dazzled in spots but faltered when it counted most. Let’s dive into the crucial lessons Alabama needs to unpack after that gut-wrenching loss. LEARN MORE

The Alabama Crimson Tide suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Purdue Boilermakers on Thursday night.

The Tide hosted the Boilermakers in what was a highly anticipated top 10 matchup. Purdue ultimately left Tuscaloosa with a victory, but the contest featured a number of different lead changes throughout the course of the night and was an extremely hard fought battle. Star sophomore guard Labaron Philon Jr. struggled immensely in the first half, and his shooting woes early on played a significant role in the Boilermakers’ 87-80 victory over the Crimson Tide.

The Alabama backcourt as a whole had an underwhelming night offensively. Philon and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. collectively shot just 7/22 in the loss, while Aden Holloway efficiently tallied 21 points on 7/13 shooting. The Tide shot 42.4% from the field overall, as Purdue was able to take advantage of Alabama’s shooting struggles despite the matchup remaining close for the entirety of the night.

The Alabama defense certainly had their hands full against Braden Smith and the Boilermakers’ offense. Arguably one of the best point guards in the nation, Smith was excellent throughout the majority of the night and was nothing short of lethal from behind the arc. Trey Kaufman-Renn was credited with 19 points on 9-16 shooting as well, as Alabama was unable to contain Purdue on the offensive end of the court for a large portion of the contest.

Here are two key takeaways from Alabama’s loss to Purdue in Coleman Coliseum.

Alabama struggles immensely on the boards

Nov 13, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Purdue Boilermakers center Daniel Jacobsen (12) guards Alabama Crimson Tide forward Taylor Bol Bowen (7) during the second half at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: David Leong-Imagn Images

Alabama was outrebounded by Purdue 52-28. The wide margin comes as a significant concern, and the Tide will undoubtedly need to pick things up on the glass moving forward. Aiden Sherrell, Labaron Philon Jr. and Amari Allen all led the team in rebounds with four, but ultimately the Tide’s efforts on the glass Thursday night will need to be assessed immediately.

The Tide were excellent from behind the arc

For just the fourth time in the Nate Oats’ era at Alabama, the Tide made a total of 16 threes throughout Thursday night’s matchup but were unable to win the game. Alabama shot 36.4% from three despite the loss, and the Tide have continued to look like one of the better three point shooting teams in all of college basketball over the first three games of the season. Aden Holloway thrived from behind the arc throughout the entirety of the night, and the Tide’s three point shooting was a positive takeaway from the loss to the Boilermakers.

The Tide will travel to Chicago next week to face another ranked opponent, as Alabama will look to bounce back against No. 14 ranked Illinois on Wednesday night.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.

This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama basketball takeaways from loss vs. Purdue Boilermakers