TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) -- With master shot-blocker Ken Johnson lurking inside, No. 21 Alabama took to the perimeter.
The Crimson Tide shot 10-of-18 from 3-point range and had one of their best all-around games of the season in an 85-67 victory over Ohio State on Saturday.
"I thought it was a good win for our program," Alabama coach
Mark Gottfried said. "I think Ohio State is a good team, and this
was maybe one of our better games we've played all year. It was a
great win."
The Tide (20-5) had five players score in double figures and
blocked 10 shots to secure their first 20-win season in six years.
Alabama shot 51 percent from the floor to Ohio State's 38 percent.
Ohio State (17-9) had beaten three ranked teams in its past six games, and won four in a row coming into only the fifth meeting with Alabama.
"This was a tremendous opportunity," said Brian Brown, who scored 16 points. "We could have showed that Ohio State is a team to be reckoned with. But we didn't do that."
Johnson, limited by foul trouble, had 11 points and three
blocked shots to move to two shy of the Big Ten career record of
428.
"Including Michigan State, I'm not sure anybody in our league
is as athletic as these guys are," said Buckeyes coach Jim O'Brien, whose team beat the fifth-ranked Spartans 64-55 in Columbus on Jan. 27.
"Johnson getting in foul trouble hurt us in the first half. We
have a really hard time scoring around the basket when he's not in
there."
The difference in the game?
"They're better than we are, that's No. 1," O'Brien said.
Erwin Dudley scored 14 of his 17 points in the first half to
bounce back from a 4-of-16 shooting performance against South
Carolina. In the second half, Travis Stinnett's two early
3-pointers helped tack on nine points to the Tide's 39-32 halftime
lead.
Stinnett finished with 15 points and a career-high seven
assists, going 4-of-6 from 3-point range.
Kenny Walker added 12 points and Terrance Meade 11, going 3-of-4
in 3-pointers. The Southeastern Conference's leading scorer, Rod
Grizzard, had 10 points despite 2-of-10 shooting.
It was a statement game for the Tide, widely criticized because
of an otherwise weak nonconference schedule.
"We played better offensively and defensively, and it showed up
on the scoreboard," said Grizzard, who also blocked four shots.
"It was only a matter of time before this team jelled.
"Knowing that it was a nationally televised game, we wanted to
look good. Obviously, knowing we were going for our 20th win
helped."
Both teams were trying to lock up an NCAA Tournament bid, or at
least improve seeding.
"I told our players in the locker room, all we really lost
today was a really good opportunity to accomplish something nice
for us," O'Brien said.
"Not that this game wasn't important, but there was more of an
upside to us than a downside."
Boban Savovic led Ohio State with 17 points while reserve Brent
Darby added 15. The rest of the Buckeyes combined for eight points
as only seven players scored.
The Tide built on a seven-point halftime lead with four 3-pointers in the first eight minutes and made 6 of 8 from long range in the second half. Then, Walker hit two straight baskets and Grizzard drained a 3-pointer as Alabama went up 65-49 with 8:10 left.
Ohio State couldn't get closer than 11 points after that.
"We tried to pick it up, and slowly tried to get back in it," Johnson said. "But they kept run-and-gunning it. They are really deep, a good all-around team."
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ALSO SEE
Men's College Basketball Scoreboard
Ohio State Clubhouse
Alabama Clubhouse
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