No. 17 Alabama completed the comeback to grab a 71-69 win over No. 22 Tennessee on Saturday.
For the first 20 minutes, it looked like Tennessee was going to run Alabama out of the building. The Tennessee defense was suffocating, forcing the Crimson Tide into contested looks and uncharacteristic turnovers, giving the Volunteers a 40-28 lead at the half.
Alabama didn’t panic and shot its way back into the game, as it often does. Labaron Philon surged late, scoring 15 second-half points, including the game-winner.
Alabama improved to 22-7 overall and 12-4 in the SEC, extending its win streak to eight games with the win. The Crimson Tide are in the driver's seat to get a double-bye in the upcoming SEC Tournament.
Here are a few takeaways from the game.
- First Half Struggles
The first half was a disaster for Alabama on the offensive end of the floor. The Crimson Tide were held to just 28 points in the first 20 minutes, their lowest first-half total of the season. Tennessee ran Alabama off the three-point line, holding the Crimson Tide to 37% from the floor to take a 40-28 advantage into the locker room.
- Rebounding Disadvantage
Tennessee is one of the best rebounding teams in the country, and it was on full display on Saturday. Alabama didn’t have an answer to keep the Volunteers off the offensive glass. Tennessee held the rebounding advantage 47-30 over the Crimson Tide. The Volunteers pulled down 25 offensive rebounds that led to 25 second-chance points.
- Too Many Turnovers
Part of Alabama’s offensive struggles was not being able to get a shot off because they were turning the ball over. The Crimson Tide turned it over eight times in the first half, leading to five Tennessee points. Alabama did a much better job in the second half, turning it over only twice in the final 20 minutes of the game.
- Philon Finds a Way
Nursing an injury, Nate Oats decided to leave Labaron Philon off the starting lineup and bring him off the bench. Philon got off to a slow start, recording just eight points in the first half. Latrell Wrightsell’s team-high 25 points helped keep Alabama in the game, and Philon closed it for the win. Down the stretch, Philon outscored Tennessee 13-8 over the final six minutes. Philon finished with 23 points, including the game winner with 24 seconds left in the game.
Alabama will travel to Georgia on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN News.
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