TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Trevor Lacey scored 18 points and had four steals to lead the University of Alabama men’s basketball team to a 62-50 win against the University of Tennessee on Saturday.
Trevor Releford had 13 points off the bench for the Crimson Tide (17-9, 6-6 Southeastern Conference), who ended Tennessee’s four-game win streak. Andrew Steele had 10 points and seven assist.
The game was tied at 32-32 after Jarnell Stokes’ three-point play with 17 minutes, 14 seconds left in the second half. But Alabama answered with a 20-3 run to take control of the contest, claiming a 52-35 lead.
Releford scored nine points during the run for the Crimson Tide, who moved into a tie with Tennessee and LSU for fifth place in the conference.
Jeronne Maymon scored in double-figures for the eighth straight game with 20 points for the Volunteers (14-13, 6-6). Trae Golden had 12 points.
Alabama, which ended a two-game losing streak, played without two suspended starters, JaMychal Green and Tony Mitchell, and Green’s backup Nick Jacobs who suffered a mouth injury and had a root canal on Thursday.
Earlier, Alabama went on a 19-4 run to take a 27-17 lead on a field goal and a free throw by Carl Engstrom at the 2:35 mark. Consecutive 3-pointers by Golden pulled the Volunteers to within 27-24.
The score was 29-25 at the half. Maymon scored 12 of Tennessee’s first 17 points to keep the Vols close. Lacey had 12 for the Crimson Tide.
Alabama forced 17 turnovers, including 15 steals.
“It was a tremendous defensive effort,” said Alabama coach Anthony Grant, who said that Lacey and Releford were catalysts and aggressive, both offensively and defensively. “I felt our defense was creating offensive opportunities for us. They had great awareness tonight. The communication on the floor was real good. It was great togetherness.
“The press impacted the game. We were able to dictate the tempo. It was really effective for us today.
“I thought we played with a lot of fight and a lot of hunger. Our guys are just focused on getting wins and trying to get balls. It was a tremendous effort tonight. We wanted to put our best foot forward as a team.”
Tennessee coach Cuonzo Martin agreed with Grant’s assessment.
“I thought Alabama did a good job of protecting their home court. They are a very hungry team. They have very talented young guys. They will scratch and claw their way to a win and they did just that from start to finish, and they found a way to win,” he said. “They did a great job in the second half, especially getting steals and turning us over with their press. They did a good job of really being assertive and getting their hands on the ball.”
The Volunteers were four of 20 from three-point range and 15 of 44 from the floor.
Martin said his team didn’t do a good job from the three-point line and from the perimeter.
“They got some steals on our end from us not making shots at the three-point line,” he said. “We had some open looks and those shots didn’t fall down. That made us a little hesitant on the perimeter. We didn’t attack like we need to.”
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