Alabama
7-3,2-0SEC
Tennessee
7-1,1-1SEC
Alabama Uses Big Second Half Run to Take Down No. 7 Tennessee on the Road, 71-63
1/2/2021 8:25:00 PM | Men's Basketball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Alabama used a big second half run to upset No. 7/6 Tennessee, 71-63, on the road at Thompson-Boling on Saturday night. It marked the Crimson Tide’s first road win over a top-10 team since knocking off then-No. 4 Mississippi State, 77-73 in Starkville, Miss., on Feb 21, 2004.
Alabama (7-3, 2-0 SEC) used a big 19-6 run over the first 5:03 of the second half to take control of the game. The Tide led for the entire second half and by as many as 14 points before holding on to the eight-point win. Alabama knocked down 8-of-11 (72.7 percent) three pointers and shot 50 percent from deep after the intermission.
John Petty Jr. led the Crimson Tide with a game-high 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field and a perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the arc to go along with six boards. Jahvon Quinerly added 12 points and dished out a game-high five assists. Herbert Jones and Joshua Primo each scored 11 points while Jones led the Tide with eight rebounds in the win.
Tennessee was led by Victor Bailey Jr.’s 16 points and seven rebounds in the loss.
I tell our guys we have to be able to figure out how to win games when our shots aren’t dropping. If we’re going to win when we’re on fire and lose when we’re not, we’re not going to have a very successful season. I tell them the margin of victory can be determined by how you shoot it, but we still have to win the game. Whether it’s offensive rebounds, getting to the free throw line, getting transition buckets — it all starts with your defense and your effort. The guy’s effort has been really good lately.Coach Nate Oats Postgame Comments
Team Stats
- The Crimson Tide finished shooting 41.9 percent (26-62) from the field and making 50 percent (10-of-20) from three-point range while holding Tennessee to 31.8 percent from the floor and 19.0 percent (4-of-21) from deep
- Alabama is now 6-0 this season when shooting 40 percent or better this season
- This marked the Tide’s first victory this season when it has not reached the 80-point mark in a game (1-3)
- The Volunteers outrebounded UA 46-43 but the Crimson Tide did not give up any fastbreak points, outscoring UT 9-0 in the category
- Herbert Jones earned the team’s Blue Collar Award for a team-leading fifth time this season
First Half
- The first half was a back-and-forth contest that featured six ties and six lead changes with no team holding more than a four-point advantage
- After the first five minutes of play, the game was knotted at 8-8 with Jaden Shackelford scoring five of the Tide’s first eight points
- With the Volunteers leading 22-19 with 6:04 remaining in the opening stanza, the Crimson Tide used an 8-4 spurt to take its first lead of the game at 27-26 with 1:41 to play in the first half
- A pair of Volunteer free throws tied the game at 29-29 before a technical foul against Tennessee allowed Alabama to knock down two more free throws to take the 31-29 lead
Second Half
- Alabama began the half with a crucial 19-6 run, knocking down 8-of-13 from the field and converting on 5-of-6 three pointers to take a 52-39 lead with 12:57 remaining in the game
- Tennessee used a quick 11-5 spurt to make the score 57-50 with 9:41 remaining
- With 2:55 left to play Tennessee trailed 65-59, but Alabama continued to answer every shot and never allowed the Vols to get any closer the rest of the way
- The Tide shot 45.2 percent from the field and knocked down 8-of-11 from beyond the arc while holding the Volunteers to 31.3 percent and just 2-of-13 from three point land in the second half
The Tide heads back to Tuscaloosa to take on Florida on Jan. 5 inside Coleman Coliseum. The contest is slated for 6 p.m. CT and can be watched on ESPN2.
We went over those types of situations where we held big leads throughout the offseason and we made that a big point of emphasis to win close games. The last six to eight minutes, we knew it was going to be very important and we just stayed together as they went on their run and pulled out the win.Forward Herbert Jones Postgame Comments
