What was supposed to be an easy game for Nate Oats and Alabama basketball turned into anything but that on Wednesday night. North Dakota gave the Crimson Tide a huge scare, leading for a lot of the game before Alabama eventually took control in a 97-90 win on the road.

Despite Alabama's win, the story of the game was North Dakota guard Treysen Eaglestaff, who went off and nearly carried his team to one of the biggest upsets in recent memory in college basketball. Eaglestaff finished the night with 40 points, becoming the first player at a mid-major school to score 40 or more points against a top 10-ranked opponent since 2012 according to ESPN.

Eaglestaff certainly wasn't shy about letting it fly in this game. He finished 15-for-30 from the field and launched an astonishing 18 3-pointers, splashing eight of them home. He got his 40 points despite not getting anything for free, as he scored just two points at the free throw line. The junior guard put the country on notice with a legendary performance even in a loss.

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Oats won't be pleased with the way Alabama played defense in this one, but any road win is a good one in college hoops. The Crimson Tide were led by their two stars, starting with point guard Mark Sears. Sears finished with 23 points and five assists in this one, getting his scoring production despite taking just 14 shots.

Big man Grant Nelson also had a heck of a day in his return to his home state of North Dakota. The former North Dakota State standout added 23 points of his own and collected 10 rebounds to give himself a double-double. After North Dakota tied the game at 85 with just over two minutes to go, Nelson responded with four consecutive points of his own to put Alabama back in front by multiple possessions.

This Alabama basketball team still has two non-conference games left this season — against Kent State and South Dakota State — before it begins its SEC slate on Jan. 4 against still-unbeaten Oklahoma. The Sooners won a dramatic game of their own on Wednesday night, so that contest should be a barnburner to open conference play.