Alabama
15-12,7-7SEC
Ole Miss
13-14,4-10SEC
Alabama Comes Up Big on the Road With a 103-78 Win at Ole Miss
2/22/2020 10:25:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The Crimson Tide used a team effort to put up the most points in an SEC regulation road game in program history
OXFORD, Miss. – The Alabama men's basketball team used a balanced scoring attack to earn a dominating 103-78 victory over the Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday night. The 103 points was the most scored by the Crimson Tide in a road game that did not go to overtime in program history and the third time this season UA (15-12, 7-7 SEC) has hit the century mark, something that happened a total of three times in the previous nine seasons combined.
Five Alabama players reached double-digits, led by the performance from sophomore Kira Lewis Jr., who earned his second double-double of his career. Lewis ended with 17 points and a game-high 11 assists without a turnover in 33 minutes of action. Junior John Petty Jr. scored a team-leading 21 points, connecting on 8-of-13 from the floor and 4-of-6 from beyond-the-arc, while freshman Jaden Shackelford added 18 points to record his 10th consecutive game of double figures. Junior Alex Reese scored 12 points on the night and freshman Javian Davis added 10.
Ole Miss (13-14, 4-10) was led by Breein Tyree who dropped a game-high 28 points, while Devontae Shuler added 21 points and 7 boards.
Coach Nate Oats Postgame Comments
"We set the tone early by playing with a lot of energy and we showed leadership by the way we got ourselves ready to play. I thought our start and the first half was really good. Defensively, we struggled in the second half. I didn't think our defense was great but our offense kept us in it and kept them at bay. Obviously, there were a lot of fouls called on both teams and we got to the rim a lot more – had a lot more two-point field goals than we did (vs. Texas A&M). I thought Kira was really good on offense but to have the scoring we got with five in double figures, Kira finishing with 11 assists and no turnovers and 25 assists on 37 made field goals. The ball was really moving. We did a good job of attacking their defense. They're one of the better defensive teams in the league. We still have to get a little better on the defensive end, but I thought our guys brought the energy tonight."
Team Stats
- Alabama has now scored 80 points or better in 15 of its 27 games, just three shy of the school record of 17 set on three separate occasions (1976-77, 1978-79, 1986-87)
- Alabama shot 56 percent (37-for-66) overall and knocked down 45 percent (13-for-29) of its attempts from beyond the arc
- The Tide earned a season-high 25 assists on 37 made field goals
- Lewis accounted for 44 percent (45 total points) of the Tide's scoring output with 17 points scored and assisting on 28 total points with his 11 assists
- After trailing for the first 3:44, Alabama led for the remainder of the game
- The Alabama reserves outscored Ole Miss' bench, 31-9
- Javian Davis sunk his first career three-pointer in the final minute of the game
- Lewis has scored 10+ points in 25 of Alabama's 27 games
First Half
- Ole Miss raced out to a 9-2 lead at the 17:43 mark, but a 12-0 surge by the Tide gave Alabama a 14-9 advantage with 14:52 to play in the opening half – a lead it would not relinquish
- Both squads traded baskets as Alabama held on to a 24-21 lead with 7:57 left until halftime
- An 11-3 Crimson Tide run extended Alabama's lead to 35-24 with 4:44 to go until halftime
- Alabama would maintain its double-digit lead, as the Tide went into the half up 45-31
- Lewis led Alabama with 11 first half points, while Shackelford contributed eight
Second Half
- Ole Miss cut the Tide's lead to 56-45 with 14:52 left, but six straight points by Alabama extended its lead to 62-45 with 14:30 remaining
- After the Rebels trimmed the deficit to 65-52, an 11-4 Alabama run stretched the Tide's lead to 76-56 with 10:01
- A 5-0 burst from the Rebels cut the Alabama lead to 81-67 but an Alex Reese triple made it 84-67 Alabama with 7:29 to play
- With 4:05 to go, Alabama held a comfortable 90-70 advantage on the scoreboard
- Alabama would coast to the 25-point win, its largest victory of the season
The Tide will return to action on Tuesday night as it travels to face Mississippi State. The contest will tipoff at 8 p.m. CT and will be available on SEC Network.
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