Donta Hall scored 21 points as Alabama held off Liberty 84-75 in the Rocket City Classic on Tuesday night in Huntsville, Ala.
Kira Lewis Jr. added 17 points and John Petty scored 16 for the Crimson Tide (7-3), who were playing for the first time in nine days. It was their first game in the last six that was decided by more than six points.
The Tide won despite being out-rebounded for the first time this season (33-32). They shot 22 more free throws than the Flames and made 11 more.
Caleb Homesley scored 23, Scottie James added 20 and Darius McGhee came off the bench to score 11 for the Flames (9-3), who lost for just the second time in eight games.
Alabama led by one point at halftime before scoring the first eight points of the second half as Petty made two 3-pointers.
Elijah Cuffee's layup stopped the run, and James hit a 3-pointer and a layup to get the Flames within 44-40.
The Tide increased the lead to eight before McGhee made two 3-pointers and a layup to cut the lead to 53-50.
Liberty got within a point before Alabama went on a 10-2 run as Petty converted a three-point play and Dazon Ingram made a 3-pointer.
The Tide led by 10 points on three occasions before Hall made two free throws to push the lead to 77-65 with 4:14 remaining.
Lewis' layup gave Alabama its biggest lead at 81-67 with less than two minutes left.
James' layup and McGhee's 3-pointer cut the lead to nine. Petty made two free throws, but Homesley hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 83-75 with 48 seconds left.
Riley Norris made a free throw for the Tide to complete scoring.
The score was tied five times before Alabama went on a 10-3 run to take a 28-21 lead.
Homesley's 3-pointer helped Liberty get within 28-27 before Lewis converted a three-point play.
Herbert Jones' free throw pushed the lead to five before Keegan McDowell converted a three-point play to cut the Tide's lead to 34-33 at halftime.
--Field Level Media
Liberty | Alabama | |
Caleb Homesley 23 | Scoring | Donta Hall 21 |
Caleb Homesley 5 | Assists | Kira Lewis Jr. 4 |
Scottie James 11 | Rebounds | Donta Hall 5 |
Lovell Cabbil Jr. 4 | Free Throws Made | Donta Hall 9 |
Lovell Cabbil Jr. 1 | Steals | Herbert Jones 3 |
Darius McGhee 2 | Blocks | Donta Hall 4 |