Tuesday, Jan. 9 9:00pm ET
Vols win sixth in a row
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BOX SCORE
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Vincent Yarbrough doesn't remember a
word Tennessee coach Jerry Green said at halftime.
|  | | Tennessee's Charles Hathaway blocks Erwin Dudley's shot during a dominating second half by the Vols. |
Yarbrough and the rest of the fourth-ranked Volunteers
apparently didn't need a fiery speech. They just felt good to be at
Thompson-Boling Arena for the first time since Dec. 7.
Tennessee (15-1, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) broke open a
three-point game with a 12-0 run in the second half that stifled
Alabama (No. 14 ESPN/USA Today, No. 16 AP) en route to an 86-69 victory Tuesday.
"I really don't remember anything that was said. I just know we
had to come out and play hard to get a win at home," said
Yarbrough, who led Tennessee with 18 points and had eight rebounds.
"We had been waiting to get back home and play in front of the
home crowd. We wanted to give them something special."
The Vols have won six in a row since the 107-89 loss to Virginia
in the Jimmy V Classic on Dec. 19 and 10 straight home games over
ranked opponents.
Ron Slay added 14 points and eight rebounds, and Jon Higgins had
13 points for Tennessee, which tied its best start to a season
since 1941-42. Isiah Victor finished with 12 points and eight
rebounds and Tony Harris had 10 points and seven assists.
Erwin Dudley had 23 points and 14 rebounds for the Crimson Tide (12-2, 1-1),
playing for only the second time this season on an opponent's home
court.
The Vols quickly extended their 38-35 halftime lead to 18 points
with a 12-0 run at the beginning of the second half as Tennessee
exerted more defensive pressure under the basket.
Yarbrough's free throw put the Vols up 47-41 with 17 minutes
left and then had a slam to spark a 12-0 run.
Charles Hathaway had two blocks, each followed by baskets.
Victor tipped in Harris' 3-point attempt that bounced high above
the rim and then Victor converted a three-point play for a 59-41
lead with 14:06 to go.
Then the Crimson Tide started to falter badly.
Alabama's Rod Grizzard, the SEC's leading scorer with 19.4
points a game, fouled out with 8:57 to go trying to stop a lob
pass. He finished with eight points. Terrance Meade, who finished
with 16 points, and key reserve Gerald Wallace each had four fouls.
"We were hurt with Grizzard and Terrance on the bench. We broke
down defensively when they made the run," Alabama coach Mark
Gottfried said.
That was just what the Vols wanted.
"We knew if we got past their first five or six players that
they weren't the same team," Yarbrough said.
Tennessee continued to expand its lead. Reserve Jenis Grindstaff
took a steal down the court for a layup and then stole the ball
again and was fouled. His free throw put Tennessee up 70-46 with
7:44 to go, and the Crimson Tide didn't challenge the rest of the
way.
Alabama challenged Tennessee throughout the first half with
strong rebounding and defense, but sent the Vols to the foul line
12 times, putting Grizzard in foul trouble with three.
Tennessee only led by as many as five points in the first half,
but the Crimson Tide prevented the Vols from extending that edge.
Yarbrough hit two free throws with 5:43 left in the first half
for a 31-26 lead, but Alabama tied the score at 31 after Meade's
3-pointer and London's driving layup with 4:14 left.
Then Tennessee went back up at 38-33 after Higgins hit a 3 and
Yarbrough made a basket with 1:21 to go before halftime.
Doc Martin hit two free throws to cut Tennessee's lead to 38-35
at the close of the first half.
Grizzard was held to six points in the first half on 3-of-11
shooting and picked up his third foul at the end of the first half.
The teams were ranked in the same game for first time since Jan.
30, 1982, when No. 13 Alabama beat No. 15 Tennessee 77-72 in
overtime in Tuscaloosa.
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ALSO SEE
Men's College Basketball Scoreboard
Alabama Clubhouse
Tennessee Clubhouse
A perfect Tenn.?
AUDIO/VIDEO
 The Vols' Terrence Woods lobs the ball to Ron Slay for a fast-break basket.
avi: 832 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Alabama's Erwin Dudley shows great effort, scoring the basket and foul on his third attempt.
avi: 724 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Tony Harris feeds Marcus Haislip for a Tennessee alley-oop.
avi: 828 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
The Vols' Charles Hathaway gets a big block in the paint.
avi: 774 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Alabama's Rod Grizzard drives to the hoop and sinks the off-balanced shot.
avi: 722 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 Coach Jerry Green was pleased to see his Vols coming together as a team.
wav: 148 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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