The Alabama basketball team was dealt a big blow entering Saturday night’s game at LSU. The Crimson Tide left Pete Maravich Assembly Center with an even bigger win.
Playing without junior forward Donta Hall, who missed the game with a wrist injury, Alabama used a strong second half to beat LSU 74-66. The victory marks the Crimson Tide’s first SEC road win of the season and gives Alabama (11-6, 3-2 in the SEC) back-to-back victories for the first time since November. The loss stopped a two-game winning streak for LSU (11-5, 2-2).
Hall is expected to be out for approximately 10 days, according to a report from the Tuscaloosa News.
Both teams started slow offensively as Alabama took a 32-30 lead into the half. However, the Crimson Tide came out firing out of intermission, steadily building its lead to as many as 15 points with 7:31 remaining. Despite being without its leading rebounder in Hall (7.2 rebounds per game), Alabama outrebounded LSU 40-24. The Crimson Tide also held a commanding 36-24 advantage in points in the paint.
Here are some notes from Saturday night’s game:
Tide's top performers
Dazon Ingram, who came off the bench during Alabama’s 76-62 victory over South Carolina on Tuesday, sounded discontent with his temporary role. When asked if he could see himself continuing as a reserve, he answered, "No. Absolutely not.”
Saturday, the redshirt sophomore played with a point to prove, posting his second double-double of the season with a team-high 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Collin Sexton rebounded from a horrid start to the game which saw him go 1 of 8 with four turnovers in the first half. Starting with a driving layup to get things going for Alabama in the second half, Sexton scored 12 of his 15 points in the second period.
Freshmen forwards Alex Reese and Galin Smith both stepped up in replacement of Hall. Reese finished with nine points and three rebounds, while Smith had eight points and four rebounds.
It was over when
Herb Jones hit a jumper to cap off a 7-0 run midway through the second half. Alabama used the run to build a commanding 58-43 lead with 7:21 remaining.
After hanging with Alabama in the first half, LSU went cold from the floor. During one span midway through the second half, the Tigers went five minutes and 29 seconds without making a field goal.
The Tigers heated up late, cutting the lead to 66-61 with 1:10 remaining. However, their momentum was immediately halted as LSU head coach Will Wade picked up a technical, allowing Sexton to hit two free throws to extend Alabama’s lead to 68-61.
Next up
Alabama will look to carry its momentum into next week when it hosts No. 22 Auburn (16-1, 4-0) on Wednesday at 6 p.m. CT inside Coleman Coliseum. The Tigers are in first place in the SEC and have won their last 14 games. Auburn’s only defeat was an 88-74 loss to Temple during the Gildan Charleston Classic on Nov. 17
Last season Auburn won both of its meeting against Alabama, beating the Crimson Tide 84-64 in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and 82-77 in Auburn. In his third season as Alabama’s head coach Avery Johnson has a 1-3 record against Auburn. His lone victory over the Tigers came in an 83-77 win at home during the 2015-16 season.
Auburn is led by guards Mustapha Herron (6-foot-5, 218 pounds) and Bryce Brown (6-foot-3, 198 pounds). Herron is averaging 15.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, while Brown is averaging 15.6 points to go with 2.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists. Point guard Jared Harper (5-10, 170 pounds) has also been impressive, leading the team with 5.4 assists to go with 12.6 points per game.
