National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Alabama 65, Tennessee Tech 53
When: 9:00 PM ET, Saturday, December 13, 2014
Where: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Officials: # Tony Henderson, # Leslie Jones, # Jamie Luckie
Attendance: 9526

Alabama 65, Tennessee Tech 53: Rodney Cooper scored 23 points and the host Crimson Tide used a 15-2 run in the second half to shake off the upset-minded Golden Eagles.

Levi Randolph recorded 10 points, five assists and four rebounds as Alabama (6-2) improved to 5-0 at home despite being outrebounded 35-30, including 17-8 on the offensive glass. Retin Obasohan and Shannon Hale contributed nine and eight points off the bench for Alabama, which was 25-for-35 from the free-throw line.

Charles Jackson registered 12 points and 10 rebounds for Tennessee Tech (5-4), which fell to 0-4 in the road after shooting 22.2 percent from the field in the second half. Dwan Caldwell added 14 points and eight rebounds and Torrance Rowe scored 10 for the Golden Eagles.

Alabama trailed by as many as 12 in the first half and did not take its first lead until Cooper's free throw 2:33 prior to intermission made it 32-31. The Crimson Tide were on top 37-36 at the break and maintained an advantage until Josiah Moore's three-point play put Tennessee Tech in front 44-43 with 13:51 to play.

Alabama trailed 46-43 before Obasohan's bucket began the decisive burst with 12:43 left and when Cooper made two free throws with 4:55 remaining, the Crimson Tide led 58-48. The Golden Eagles missed 14 of their final 16 shots from the field after taking the three-point lead.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Alabama junior G Ricky Tarrant, who entered the game averaging 15.2 points, left in the first half "after cramping up,'' according to coach Anthony Grant, and did not return. ... Randolph was 4-for-8 from the free-throw line after making 41 of his first 42 this season while Cooper was 11-for-14. ... The Crimson Tide failed to reach 74 points for the first time this season, snapping its longest such streak to begin a campaign since the 2004-05 team started with 11 in a row.
Top Game Performances
 
Tennessee Tech   Alabama
Charles Jackson 14 Scoring Rodney Cooper 23
Shirmane Thomas 3 Assists Levi Randolph 5
Charles Jackson 10 Rebounds Jimmie Taylor 6
Aleksa Jugovic 4 Free Throws Made Rodney Cooper 11
Torrance Rowe 2 Steals Levi Randolph 3
Javon McKay 1 Blocks Jimmie Taylor 2
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Tennessee Tech 53 34.6 5-15 12-20 8 30 2 2 13
Alabama 65 43.6 6-14 25-35 9 28 2 7 9