Alabama
16-10, 9-5
LSU
9-17, 1-13
Alabama Men’s Basketball Claims 90-72 Victory Over LSU
2/18/2017 5:53:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Crimson Tide boasts five players finish with double-digit points
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Five players reached double figures to lead the Alabama men's basketball team to a 90-72 win over LSU on Saturday afternoon in front of a sold out Coleman Coliseum crowd. The Tide made 10-of-25 shots from three-point range on its way to matching a season-high in points, equaling the output from the quadruple overtime victory at then-No. 19 South Carolina (90-86) on Feb. 7.
With the win, Alabama improves to 16-10 on the year and a 9-5 record in conference play, surpassing the eight league wins in head coach Avery Johnson's first year at the Capstone.
"It was an exciting game for us today," Johnson said. "This was probably one of our most complete performances, especially in SEC play. For us to come out and shoot the ball as well as we did in the first half, play a type of defense we've been playing all year, it was great. I'm proud of our guys. I'm a guy who really likes the small details of a game. We weren't perfect, obviously, but they should be commended on both sides of the floor."
Graduate senior Bola Olaniyan recorded his first double-double as a member of the Crimson Tide, finishing the night with 11 points and a career-high-tying 16 rebounds, seven of which came on the offensive glass. Junior guard/forward Riley Norris led the Tide with 17 points, while junior guard Ar'Mond Davis accounted for 15. Braxton Key and Jimmie Taylor also added 11 each.
"We have a lot of guys that I can talk about tonight, but Bola was huge for us," Johnson said. "There is no coincidence since his arrival how our rebounding numbers have improved and where we rank now both in the SEC and the country in rebounding. We saw that on both sides of the ball he can be pretty imposing. So, Bola was big for ustonight, Riley made some shots, Ar'Mond was a huge lift off the bench; everybody contributed. I'm proud of our guys, but I cannot wait to get back to practice."
Alabama controlled the game from the opening tip behind the play of Norris who knocked down made 4-of-6 three-pointers and scored 12 of Alabama's first 22 points. The Tide went on a 14-2 run that spanned five and half minutes to give it a 30-15 lead with 8:54 to play. Alabama would end the half on a 9-0 run over the final2:27 to take a 51-32 at the break. It was the most first-half points scored in any game this season for the Tide, which went 9-of-18 from three-point range as a team and shot 52 percent from the field while outrebounding the Tigers 18-15.
A 12-5 run by Alabama early in the second half gave the Tide its largest lead of the night, 67-41, with 13:07 to play. LSU (9-17, 1-13 SEC) never got any closer than 18 points as the Tide cruised its third win over the last four games.
Alabama finished the night with a season-high 20 assists, compared to matching a season-low with 10 turnovers. The Tide's defense forced 15 turnovers while recording seven steals and finished with 21 points off turnovers compared to LSU's nine. Alabama's bench outscored their counterparts 34-14 over the 40-minute contest.
Alabama returns to Coleman Coliseum on Thursday when it hosts Georgia. The Tide and Bulldogs will tip off at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
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