FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Miguel Pate's 27-4½ in the long jump was far short of the Alabama athlete's world best, but plenty good enough to win the event in the NCAA Indoor track meet on Friday.

Pate, who broke Carl Lewis' college record when he did 28-2¾ a week ago in New York, jumped 27-0½ on his first try and was never threatened. He widened his lead with his second jump and fouled on all three of his jumps in the finals, his head dropping toward the sand pit on his last try.

"Last week was a huge confidence booster," Pate said.

His victory was a must for Alabama, one of a couple of Southeastern Conference teams with a legitimate shot at the national title. He is in the triple jump Saturday and has the second-best qualifying mark. Alabama also expects points from David Kimani, who won the 3000 meters and the 5000 last year, and is entered in the mile and the 3000 on Saturday. Kimani got through the mile prelims Friday even though he almost fell on the last lap.

"All we can do is compete well and hope at the end of the day, we're there," Pate said. "You can't worry about what others are doing."

A moment after Pate's first jump, teammate Ron Bramlett settled into the blocks for the prelims in the 60-meter hurdles. Out fast, Bramlett won with a couple of yards to spare in 7.55, just off the NCAA record of 7.52.

Two weeks ago, Florida's Candace Scott said she considered the SEC meet a mid-term exam and the NCAA competition a semester-ending final. After throwing 75-7 in the 20-pound weight throw, Scott gave herself an A+.

Later, she said it bothered her a little that her two long throws were not certified as records, but said coach Larry Judge told her she could go for that next year.

Shortly after Jamine Moton of Clemson broke Scott's collegiate record in the event, Scott twice bettered the record and she did it almost a foot at a time. Both times, the apparatus had stretched too far so the record was not certified -- Moton wound up with the meet record and Scott got the trophy.

Two weeks ago, throwing in the same facility in the SEC meet, Scott had a record-setting throw of 73-8.

On Friday, throwing in the first flight, Moton had a heave of 73-10.

Warming up in blue sweats, Scott threatened 70 feet and hurried to get in another throw after it was announced that the ring would close in four minutes.

Scott fouled on her first attempt, slipped on her jacket and consulted with Judge. With a scream for emphasis, Scott then threw 74-9. When the apparatus was weighed and measured, Judge and Scott found out it would not be a record.

He encouraged her and said she was unfazed by the news. "What can you do about that? It's something you have no control over," he said. "It just stretched."

On her third throw, the mesh bag with the yellow weight landed 20 inches inside the right sideline at the 75-7½ mark.

After Judge and Scott exchanged two-handed high fives, an official told Judge that the apparatus was too long.

"OK, OK," Judge said.

He told Scott, 20 feet away with hands on hips, and she said, "What?" with some exasperation.

Neither Scott nor Moton improved on their three throws in the finals.

Florida, LSU and South Carolina are among the favorites in the women's division.

On the men's side, both meet favorite Tennessee and LSU got through the prelims in good shape.

The Vols' Justin Gatlin and Leonard Scott -- one-two in the SEC meet -- won the two preliminary heats of the 60-meter dash. Scott led almost every step and finished in 6.55. A slower starter, Gatlin closed stoutly for 6.57. Later, Scott and Gatlin also won their heats in the prelims of the 200 meters -- Gatlin in an impressive 20.64.

In the 400 meters, LSU teammates Alleyene Francique and Pete Coley assumed the lead before the end of the first lap and won easily -- Francique in 45.70 and Coley in 46.07.