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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) -- Alabama, beset by injuries most of the
season, is suddenly the hottest team in the Southeastern
Conference.
Terrance Meade scored 19 points Saturday to help the Crimson
Tide knock off a ranked team for the second time this week, beating
No. 7 Tennessee 80-75 on Saturday.
|  | | Alabama's Tarik London dishes off ahead of Tennessee's Tony Harris. |
Alabama (13-13, 6-8 Southeastern Conference) also beat No. 11
Auburn on Tuesday, and No. 24 Vanderbilt at home two weeks ago.
"If we hadn't had so many injuries early on, we might be in the
NCAA Tournament," said Alabama freshman Rod Grizzard, who was one
of four Tide players in double figures with 14 points.
Against Vanderbilt on Feb. 22, Alabama was down to just eight
players -- five freshmen and two walk-ons -- because of injuries.
Leading scorer Schea Cotton and three forwards have since returned
to the lineup.
The additions have made the Tide the team nobody wants to play
now, especially with just one week to go before the SEC Tournament.
"Coach has told us not to worry about the postseason, to leave
it up to the people who pick the teams," Grizzard said. "But we
know if we can get a run going in the tournament, we can do
something about it."
But Alabama has yet to win on the road this season -- the Tide is
0-6 in SEC road games, 0-8 overall -- and closes the regular season
at Mississippi and Mississippi State.
"Certainly we've got it so that no one wants to play us here,"
coach Mark Gottfried said. "But winning on the road is our next
step."
Tennessee (22-5, 10-4), which was seeking a school-record 23rd
victory, is tied with No. 9 Florida for the SEC East lead. The
Gators play Auburn Sunday.
"We've put our destiny in other people's hands right now,"
Tennessee coach Jerry Green said. "Because of this, we now need to
depend on other people to lose."
Neither team made a field goal over the final 4:11, turning the
game into a free throw shooting contest. Alabama went 8-for-10 down
the stretch and Tennessee made just 4-of-10.
Tennessee tied the game at 75 on Ron Slay's two free throws with
1:02 to go. Slay fouled out on the next possession and Grizzard
made both his shots to put the Tide up 77-75 with 39.5 to play.
Grizzard fouled Vincent Yarbrough on the other end and Yarbrough
missed both shots. C.J Black missed the tip and Meade got the
rebound and was fouled. He made both his shots to put Alabama up
79-75.
Tennessee's Jon Higgins missed a 3-pointer at the other end,
Alabama's Alfred Moss got the rebound and was fouled. Moss made the
first of two shots to seal it with 18.3 to play.
Gottfried said the key to Alabama's surge the past few weeks is
the development of his freshmen, especially Grizzard and Meade, two
of three freshmen starters for the Tide.
"I think both those two guys have stepped up and made big shots
for us lately," Gottfried said. "They have tremendous courage and
are not afraid and have gained confidence. They have also accepted
the fact that for us to win we need them to make baskets."
Cotton scored 18 points for Alabama and Tarik London had a
career-high 14.
The Tide was able to contain Tony Harris and Isiah Victor, who
average 15 and 10 points a game, holding them to a combined eight
points. Harris was 1-of-9 from the field and Victor was 1-of-5.
"I think you depend on Harris as one of the staples, and when
he isn't hitting we try someone else and it just doesn't seem to go
in for them," Green said. "Harris had good looks at the goal and
it just didn't go in."
The Volunteers were led by Black's 19 points. Slay and Yarbrough
each scored 17, although Yarbrough only had two points in the
second half.
Alabama, which trailed 41-32 at halftime, opened the second half
with a 16-6 run to take a 50-48 lead with 13:25 to play. Alabama
eventually pushed its lead to 72-66, its largest of the game, on
Meade's 3-pointer with 4:27 to play. Harris answered with his first
basket of the game on Tennessee's next possession, cutting the
score to 72-68. It was all free throws from there.
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Tennessee Clubhouse
Alabama Clubhouse
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