KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Nate Oats took a season and 10 games to finally get a big one.
The Alabama coach, in his second year, devised a solid game plan and got his players to execute it to finally win the Top 10 victory on Saturday night. In fact, it was the program’s first real victory over a team ranked in the Top 10 since 2004.
John Petty hit three critical three-point points and finished with 19 points, leading Alabama to a 71-63 victory over Tennessee No. 7.
“Attitudes are fine now,” said Oats. “I really like where we are. Petty is all about the right things.”
Crimson Tide (7-3, 2-0) turned a two-point lead at halftime into a 10-point lead in the middle behind Petty’s three points, and two more long-range marks from Joshua Primo.
“Primo just turned 18 before playing in the SEC,” said Oats. “We are 2-0 since he is 18 and he played two very good games.”
Primo and Herbert Jones finished with 11 points, and Jahvon Quinerly scored 10.
“That was good for us,” said Tennessee coach Rick Barnes. “Everything we’ve talked about in the past two weeks has happened tonight. We had to protect the three-point line because they can really get it moving.
“We didn’t deserve to win tonight and they did.”
Tennessee (7-1, 1-1) battled the ground throughout the game, hitting 21 of 66 shots (32%).
Victor Bailey Jr. scored 16 points and Santiago Vescovi made 13 for the Volunteers. Keon Johnson added 12 points.
Yves Pons had five blocks in the second half when Tennessee recovered his way back to single digits at the end of the game, but he never came close to six points.
“Alabama did what it wanted,” said Barnes. “Still, we would have had a chance if we had run in the past three minutes.”
“The defense in the last 8 minutes was great,” said Oats. “We won the game in defense.”
KENTUCKY 78,
MISSISSIPPI STATE 73, 2OT
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Freshman Dontaie Allen set his career record with 23 points with seven of three points and Kentucky ended its six-game skid by beating Mississippi.
Allen finished with 7 of 11 shots beyond the hoop and 8 of 14 overall.
Olivier Sarr’s three points at the start of the second overtime gave the Wildcats the advantage forever.
Iverson Molinar lost a disputed three points at the bell to send him to a second overtime. The Wildcats missed three shots in their final possession to force the first extra session.
Kentucky coach John Calipari was sent off after suffering consecutive technical fouls with 9:04 remaining in regulation and the Wildcats lost 52-46 after Molinar’s pitch. Allen dropped five of his three points after Calipari’s ejection.
Allen entered the competition with just a couple of baskets in 20 minutes of action in his career.
It was Kentucky’s first victory (2-6, 1-0) since the season opened on the day before Thanksgiving.
DJ Stewart Jr. led the Bulldogs (6-4, 1-1) with 19 points.
FLORIDA 83, LSU 79
GAINESVILLE, Florida – Colin Castleton scored 19 of his 21 points in the second half in Florida’s victory over LSU.
Castleton scored Florida’s first 15 points in the second half, including a personal 9-0 streak that put the Gators 51-45. He made two free throws and Tre Mann followed with a three-pointer to push the lead to 62. -52 at the 12-minute mark.
The advantage was never more than 10, but it was 10 in a Mann jump with 3:15 to the end. Thereafter, the Gators missed four shots and the Tigers twice made the game with a possession. Scottie Lewis hit 5 of 6 free throws in the last 29 seconds, including clinchers 5.9 seconds from the end, for Florida.
Mann scored 19 points, Lewis had 17 and Anthony Duruji 16 with 7 rebounds for the Gators (5-1, 2-0). Castleton had 7 of 10 on the floor and 7 of 7 on the line, while Florida had 20 of 23.
Freshman Cam Thomas scored 28 points for the Tigers (6-2, 1-1), which had its five-game winning streak interrupted. Trendon Watford had 21 points with 8 rebounds, and Javonte Smart had 20.
TEXAS A&M 68, AUBURN 66
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Andre Gordon scored 10 points, including the winner of the game 0.9 seconds from the end, in Texas A&M’s victory over Auburn.
Gordon drove on the track, turned and feigned a shot before hitting the glass. Jamal Johnson, who scored five points out of three, missed a three point on the bell for the Tigers.
Emanuel Miller had 16 points and five rebounds for Texas A&M (6-3, 1-1). Miller leads the Aggies in scoring and rebounds, and his 9.2 rebounds are the first in the SEC.
Jay Jay Chandler added 10 points for Aggies, who have won seven of their last nine games against Tigers.
Auburn (6-4, 0-2) cut a nine-point deficit with 5:34 left and drew 66-66 with 14 seconds left. JT Thor had a theft and two buried during the stretch.
Johnson finished with 20 points. Allen Flanigan (Little Rock Parkview) had 16 points, including four of three points, for Auburn (6-4, 0-2). Thor finished with 10 points.
SOUTH CAROLINA 78,
FLORIDA A&M 71
COLOMBIA, SC – AJ Lawson scored 25 points and hit two decisive free throws in the final seconds, while South Carolina held Florida A&M, with the Gamecocks playing for the first time in 28 days.
The covid-19 problems that have plagued the South Carolina program (2-2) since December 5 were still in evidence, as the team had only nine players available. Jermaine Couisnard added 15 points, 5 assists and 4 steals, Justin Minaya added 10 points and 10 rebounds.
WICHITA STATE 83,
MISSISSIPPI 79
OXFORD, Miss. – Tyson Etienne scored 29 points, the best of his career, scoring the best of the season with five three points, and Wichita State fought Mississippi, taking the lead with less than two minutes remaining.
Etienne scored 19 in the second half, making 11 of the Shockers with 13 points over a stretch to almost alone keep the game steady while Ole Miss led most of the final period.
Etienne scored a layup and three-pointer to push Wichita State (6-2) over, 73-71 with 4:47 remaining. Trey Wade hit a three-pointer and the Shockers tied for 76-76, and Etienne’s free throws gave the lead for good, 78-76 with 1:48 left.
Devontae Shuler led Ole Miss (5-3) with 20 points and KJ Buffen added 18 points, the record of the season. Shuler did the best of his career with six three points. Romello White, who shot 4 out of 5 in the first half, scored three points in the second, hitting just one shot.