TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (Interstat) — Labaron Philon scored 29 points and Alabama used a dominant first-half performance to build a cushion that withstood a furious second-half rally by Clemson, securing a 90-84 victory in a nonconference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at Coleman Coliseum.

The Crimson Tide, improving to 6-2, led by as many as 18 points in the opening period and took a 45-30 advantage into halftime. Clemson, which fell to 7-2, nearly erased the entire deficit after the break, closing to within a single possession multiple times in the final minutes before Alabama made enough critical plays to close it out.

Philon, a guard from Mobile, was the catalyst throughout for Alabama. He shot 10 of 19 from the field, including three 3-pointers, and added three assists. His backcourt partner, Amari Allen, supplied 20 points, four assists and a key steal. London Jemison provided a significant spark off the bench with 13 points, all in the first half, while Taylor Bol Bowen chipped in 11 points and a game-high three blocks.

Clemson’s second-half surge was led by RJ Godfrey, who scored 19 points and grabbed three rebounds. Dillon Hunter added 13 points and four assists, and Zac Foster finished with 12 points. The Tigers turned a 15-point halftime deficit into a two-point game, at 74-72, after a Dillon Hunter jumper with 6:29 remaining.

Alabama responded immediately. Houston Mallette, who had 10 points, hit a 3-pointer on the next possession. After Clemson’s Efrem Johnson made two free throws, the Tide got a layup from Jemison and a driving score from Allen to push the lead back to seven at 79-72 with 4:54 left.

The Tigers had one last push. A 3-pointer by Johnson and a layup from Godfrey cut the Alabama lead to 83-81 with 2:41 on the clock. Philon answered with a difficult turnaround jumper in the lane. Following a Clemson turnover, Allen hit another tough jumper to make it 87-81 with 1:10 remaining.

Clemson had chances in the final minute but missed several shots in the paint, with Alabama recording two of its 12 blocks in the closing sequence. Aiden Sherrell and Bol Bowen were particularly disruptive, combining for seven blocks. The Tigers also hurt themselves at the free-throw line down the stretch, missing three of four attempts in the final 41 seconds when trailing by two possessions.

The story of the game was told in two distinct halves. Alabama was efficient and explosive early, shooting 48% from the field and connecting on 7 of 18 3-pointers before halftime. Clemson, meanwhile, struggled to a 32% shooting mark and made only one of its 10 first-half attempts from beyond the arc.

The second half was a complete reversal. The Tigers shot 51% from the floor and scored 54 points, consistently attacking the basket for 34 of their 50 total points in the paint. Alabama’s offense, while still effective with 45 second-half points, cooled from deep, making 5 of 16 3-point attempts.

Clemson won several statistical battles, holding a 50-32 advantage in points in the paint, a 16-12 edge in offensive rebounds, and a 12-7 margin in fast-break points. The Tigers also had more assists, 6-3, and fewer turnovers, 6-8. Alabama’s decisive advantages came from the 3-point line, where they outscored Clemson 36-12, and at the free-throw line, making 22 of 31 attempts to Clemson’s 22 of 28.

The Crimson Tide’s offensive rating of 127.3 on 71 possessions underscored their overall efficiency, while Clemson’s 113.1 rating on 74 trips reflected their struggles, particularly in the opening 20 minutes.

The game drew an announced crowd of 13,474.

With the loss, Clemson looks to regroup before a neutral-site game against BYU in New York on Monday. Alabama will host Texas-San Antonio on Sunday before a marquee neutral-court matchup with Arizona in Birmingham next Friday.