Alabama will face Tennessee in the semifinals of the men’s SEC basketball tournament on Saturday.
The game will start at 12pm CT and will air on ESPN.
Tennessee with fourth place defeated Florida with fifth place, 78-66, in the quarterfinals on Friday. The best-ranked Alabama defeated the state of Mississippi with ninth place, 85-48, in one of the most unbalanced games in the history of the SEC tournament.
Tennessee striker John Fulkerson left the game on Friday after being elbowed in the head by the Gators’ Omar Payne, who was sent off. Vols coach Rick Barnes said Fulkerson was taken to the hospital for observation and added that his “hunch” was that he would be surprised if Fulkerson could play against Alabama.
The winner of Saturday’s game will play in Sunday’s championship game at noon. The Tide has not made it past the semifinals since 2002 and has not won the SEC tournament since 1991.
Alabama and Tennessee met once in the regular season, when Alabama defeated then No. 7 ranked Vols in Knoxville on January 2.
“This was one of the first games in which we were lost and we didn’t really know how to respond,” said Barnes. “I think they got better. I would like to think that we have improved. “
It was Alabama’s first road win over an opponent in the top ten since 2004.
“We all remember the first game,” said point guard Santiago Vescovi. “It was not good for us. I think that for everyone on our team it’s still in our head. We are still thinking about it. I think it can help us motivate us for the next game. We know it will be a battle, but we just have to be proud of each possession. “
Striker Yves Pons added: “I think it’s a good challenge. Very good staff. They beat us the first time. We have to take revenge. I can’t wait to play tomorrow. We will be ready for them. “
The last meeting of the tournament between Tide and Vols took place in 2013, when Alabama won in the quarterfinals.
Mike Rodak is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @mikerodak.