MoDub, Mowski, Lil’ Mo — whichever nickname would suffice in the Alabama basketball locker room — sat on a stool and grinned at the box just handed to him by his teammate, Mo Wague, or ‘Big Mo,’ handed him. America was learning his name, Mouhamed Dioubate, after the game he considered a “blessing.”

Dioubate, No. 10, had checked into the NCAA Tournament about half an hour earlier, about to have his second game-swinging sequence in as many rounds. He sparked a 15-3 run with eight straight points, plowing inside thee Grand Canyon defense. He was then whisked away for postgame interviews, a rare occurrence to this point for the freshman from Queens, New York.

But a man becoming a star in March didn’t have time to check his phone, returning from the locker room for more interviews and smiles from teammates. He was grateful and starving and he could smell the fried food sitting on his lap.

The sun had set in Spokane, Washington, during four-seed Alabama’s 72-61 win over the No. 13 Lopes. Meaning Dioubate and Wague, Muslims observing Ramadan with daily fasting, could only eat and drink water after UA’s trip to Los Angeles and the Sweet 16 was booked with a thrilling comeback.

“It’s the best feeling. I give all of this to God for helping me,” Wague said before popping open dinner, “My dad told me before the game not to fast but I told him I’m capable of doing it. I’m just giving my whole praise and thanks to God for helping me throughout this game. It’s definitely not easy.”

Dioubate added nine more points, five offensive rebounds and two blocks to his breakout weekend. Alabama needed to scrap back in the first round against Charleston and Dioubate’s steals and tipped passes, hallmarks of Nate Oats’ blue-collar system, jumpstarted the offense. On a night where the pace was a slog and bodies were clashing inside, Dioubate was checked in because the Tide needed physicality. He ended up being the offense.

With multiple bigs in foul trouble and Jarin Stevenson just disqualified, Oats scanned his bench. He explained postgame he didn’t need another scorer. Instead, Dioubate, a defense-first piece was selected. He wrestled two boards from GCU arms off missed free throws, then attacked the paint.

On the other end, Dioubate switched on and off Lopes star Tyon Grant-Foster with Rylan Griffen on the bench with foul trouble. Grant-Foster had 29 points. Thanks to Dioubate and one of the best team defensive performances of the season for UA, Foster and GCU didn’t score in the last 4:05 of regulation.

“(Dioubate) been a tough player all year. He’s struggled sometimes on offense to grab some of the concepts and he even said it happened in high school,” Oats said. ” It took him a little while to get familiar with the system and he ended up being NEPSAC (regional high school) Player of the Year, which is a really good league.

“I mean, he literally has the greatest attitude. … Doesn’t play a ton as a freshman, some games he doesn’t play at all, and never had one second of any kind of poor attitude. He’s just been an unbelievable kid all year. So super happy he came in and won this game for us.”

Dioubate said he didn’t realize he had more than doubled his average point total until a teammate told him afterward. He entered this season as a four-star prospect and between the transfers and 3-point shooting available at the wing position, Dioubate was relegated to impressing in practice.

But on Sunday, he “got lost” in the rock fight, and Dioubate’s self-touted versatility kept a season alive.

Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at [email protected].