Sears gets 22, plus key free throws and Alabama beats No. 8 Auburn 79-75
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) Mark Sears and Alabama got another crack at a Top 10 team, and this time the result was much different.
Sears had 22 points and eight assists and made two free throws with 9 seconds left to seal Alabama's 79-75 win over No. 8 Auburn on Wednesday night, ending the Tigers' 11-game winning streak.
The Crimson Tide (13-6, 5-1 Southeastern Conference) moved into a tie with their rival atop the league standings. It was their first win over a ranked team in five tries this season, all of them against teams in the Top 10 at the time.
Alabama had a big rebound from a 20-point loss to No. 5 Tennessee on Saturday.
“It took a monumental effort and we were a lot tougher than we were in the game at Tennessee,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said.
Auburn (16-3, 5-1) had a chance to tie with 13 seconds left when Alabama fouled Chad Baker-Mazara on a 3-point attempt. Baker-Mazara hit the first two but missed the third, cutting the Tide's lead to 75-74.
Grant Nelson, who had six points over the final 1:39, grabbed the rebound and was fouled. Auburn coach Bruce Pearl called two timeouts before Nelson went to the line with 12 seconds to play, but he made both.
Alabama then fouled Jaylin Williams before he could launch a potential tying 3-point try - which went off the glass and in - on the other end. He made 1 of 2 and Sears iced it at the other end.
Rylan Griffen came off the bench for only the second time this season but responded with 17 points. He made five 3-pointers, including four in a 4:19 span of the first half.
“Coach told me he wanted me to come in and do that, just come in and help us,” said Griffen, who had seven points and six turnovers against Tennessee. “Whatever role I’ve got to play to win games like that, that’s what I’m going to do.”
Nelson had 14 points and 11 rebounds. Latrell Wrightsell Jr. made his second start and had 14 points and nine boards.
Johni Broome led Auburn with 25 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots. Baker-Mazara scored 11 points. Auburn made just 5 of 25 3-point attempts (20%).
“We missed some shots that you need to make to win against a really good team on the road,” Pearl said. “I don’t know that many teams are going to come in here and win in our league. We were a team that had the ability and had a chance.”
The Tide scored the final nine points of the first half to take a 44-30 lead after trailing by as many as eight. The Tigers missed their last nine 3-pointers, but then came out of the break with their own 9-0 spurt.
BIG PICTURE
Auburn: Had the nation's fourth-longest winning streak snapped. It was the longest current streak among Power Five teams. Pearl is 2-7 at Coleman Coliseum with Auburn.
Alabama: First team to win three straight in the rivalry since the Tide did it in 2015. Heated up with 11 3s after going 4 of 21 in a loss to Tennessee.
DELAY OF GAME
The game had a 19-minute delay to get the overhead lights in Coleman Coliseum switched back to normal after pre-game introductions.
“They didn't flip over from the red to the regular lights and we were trying to figure out if we could play in the dark,” Oats said.
UP NEXT Auburn visits Mississippi State on Saturday.
Alabama hosts LSU on Saturday night.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Johni Broome vs. Nick Pringle (Aden Holloway gains possession) | |||
19:46 | +3 | Johni Broome makes three point jump shot (Denver Jones assists) | 3-0 | |
19:27 | Crimson Tide 30 second timeout | |||
19:14 | Johni Broome blocks Mark Sears's three point jump shot | |||
19:12 | Jaylin Williams defensive rebound | |||
19:04 | Denver Jones misses three point jump shot | |||
19:02 | Crimson Tide defensive rebound | |||
18:44 | Aaron Estrada turnover (Denver Jones steals) | |||
18:38 | Aden Holloway misses three point jump shot | |||
18:36 | Aaron Estrada defensive rebound | |||
18:28 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. turnover (traveling) | |||
18:16 | +2 | Johni Broome makes two point layup (Aden Holloway assists) | 5-0 | |
18:16 | Nick Pringle shooting foul (Johni Broome draws the foul) | |||
18:16 | +1 | Johni Broome makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 6-0 | |
17:59 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. misses two point jump shot | |||
17:57 | Jaylin Williams defensive rebound | |||
17:30 | Johni Broome turnover (Mark Sears steals) | |||
17:25 | +2 | Mark Sears makes two point layup | 6-2 | |
17:03 | +2 | Johni Broome makes two point dunk (Aden Holloway assists) | 8-2 | |
16:47 | Grant Nelson misses two point layup | |||
16:45 | Johni Broome defensive rebound | |||
16:36 | Jaylin Williams turnover (Grant Nelson steals) | |||
16:31 | +2 | Mark Sears makes two point layup | 8-4 | |
16:15 | +2 | K.D. Johnson makes two point jump shot | 10-4 | |
16:05 | Jarin Stevenson misses three point jump shot | |||
16:03 | Chaney Johnson defensive rebound | |||
15:43 | +2 | Chad Baker-Mazara makes two point jump shot | 12-4 | |
15:33 | +2 | Jarin Stevenson makes two point dunk (Mark Sears assists) | 12-6 | |
15:10 | +2 | Johni Broome makes two point layup | 14-6 | |
15:06 | TV timeout | |||
14:57 | +2 | Mark Sears makes two point layup | 14-8 | |
14:36 | +2 | Dylan Cardwell makes two point dunk (Tre Donaldson assists) | 16-8 | |
14:13 | +3 | Rylan Griffen makes three point jump shot (Mark Sears assists) | 16-11 | |
13:53 | Chad Baker-Mazara turnover (lost ball) | |||
13:39 | +3 | Rylan Griffen makes three point jump shot (Mark Sears assists) | 16-14 | |
13:15 | Dylan Cardwell turnover (lost ball) | |||
13:02 | +3 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes three point jump shot (Mark Sears assists) | 16-17 | |
12:37 | Mohamed Wague blocks Jaylin Williams's two point layup | |||
12:35 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. defensive rebound | |||
12:31 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. misses two point layup | |||
12:29 | Tre Donaldson defensive rebound | |||
12:25 | Jarin Stevenson personal foul (K.D. Johnson draws the foul) | |||
12:22 | +2 | Chad Baker-Mazara makes two point layup (K.D. Johnson assists) | 18-17 | |
11:58 | +3 | Rylan Griffen makes three point jump shot (Mark Sears assists) | 18-20 | |
11:34 | Chad Baker-Mazara misses two point jump shot | |||
11:32 | Aaron Estrada defensive rebound | |||
11:28 | K.D. Johnson shooting foul (Mouhamed Dioubate draws the foul) | |||
11:28 | TV timeout | |||
11:23 | Johni Broome blocks Mouhamed Dioubate's two point layup | |||
11:21 | Crimson Tide offensive rebound | |||
11:12 | Aaron Estrada misses two point jump shot | |||
11:10 | Johni Broome defensive rebound | |||
11:02 | Jaylin Williams turnover (lost ball) | |||
10:47 | +2 | Nick Pringle makes two point dunk (Rylan Griffen assists) | 18-22 | |
10:32 | Jaylin Williams misses three point jump shot | |||
10:28 | Denver Jones offensive rebound | |||
10:28 | Nick Pringle personal foul | |||
10:13 | +2 | Johni Broome makes two point jump shot | 20-22 | |
9:54 | +3 | Rylan Griffen makes three point jump shot (Aaron Estrada assists) | 20-25 | |
9:34 | Aden Holloway misses two point layup | |||
9:32 | Johni Broome offensive rebound | |||
9:29 | Johni Broome misses two point jump shot | |||
9:27 | Johni Broome offensive rebound | |||
9:24 | +2 | Johni Broome makes two point layup | 22-25 | |
9:17 | Jarin Stevenson misses two point jump shot | |||
9:15 | Jaylin Williams defensive rebound | |||
9:05 | Johni Broome misses two point jump shot | |||
9:03 | Jarin Stevenson defensive rebound | |||
8:50 | Grant Nelson misses two point hook shot | |||
8:48 | Johni Broome defensive rebound | |||
8:28 | Aden Holloway misses three point jump shot | |||
8:26 | Grant Nelson defensive rebound | |||
8:20 | Grant Nelson misses three point jump shot | |||
8:18 | Johni Broome defensive rebound | |||
8:01 | Jaylin Williams misses two point jump shot | |||
7:59 | Rylan Griffen defensive rebound | |||
7:49 | Grant Nelson misses two point jump shot | |||
7:47 | Grant Nelson offensive rebound | |||
7:44 | Aaron Estrada misses three point jump shot | |||
7:42 | Jaylin Williams defensive rebound | |||
7:25 | +2 | Denver Jones makes two point layup (Johni Broome assists) | 24-25 | |
7:14 | Denver Jones personal foul | |||
7:14 | TV timeout | |||
7:01 | Rylan Griffen misses three point jump shot | |||
6:59 | Mohamed Wague offensive rebound | |||
6:55 | K.D. Johnson personal foul | |||
6:44 | Mark Sears misses two point layup | |||
6:42 | Chaney Johnson defensive rebound | |||
6:32 | K.D. Johnson turnover (bad pass) | |||
6:15 | Mark Sears turnover | |||
6:03 | Chad Baker-Mazara misses three point jump shot | |||
6:01 | Mark Sears defensive rebound | |||
5:52 | Rylan Griffen turnover (Chad Baker-Mazara steals) | |||
5:46 | K.D. Johnson turnover (Mohamed Wague steals) | |||
5:41 | Sam Walters misses three point jump shot | |||
5:41 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. offensive rebound | |||
5:41 | Chad Baker-Mazara personal foul | |||
5:39 | +2 | Mohamed Wague makes two point layup (Aaron Estrada assists) | 24-27 | |
5:21 | Aaron Estrada personal foul | |||
5:09 | +2 | K.D. Johnson makes two point layup | 26-27 | |
4:56 | Mohamed Wague turnover (Chad Baker-Mazara steals) | |||
4:50 | Chad Baker-Mazara misses two point layup | |||
4:48 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. defensive rebound | |||
4:38 | Sam Walters misses three point jump shot | |||
4:36 | Aaron Estrada offensive rebound | |||
4:33 | Chad Baker-Mazara blocks Aaron Estrada's two point jump shot | |||
4:31 | K.D. Johnson defensive rebound | |||
4:18 | K.D. Johnson misses three point jump shot | |||
4:16 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. defensive rebound | |||
4:07 | +3 | Jarin Stevenson makes three point jump shot (Latrell Wrightsell Jr. assists) | 26-30 | |
3:53 | Tigers 30 second timeout | |||
3:53 | TV timeout | |||
3:48 | Chad Baker-Mazara misses two point jump shot | |||
3:46 | Jarin Stevenson defensive rebound | |||
3:38 | Jaylin Williams shooting foul (Rylan Griffen draws the foul) | |||
3:38 | +1 | Rylan Griffen makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 26-31 | |
3:38 | +1 | Rylan Griffen makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 26-32 | |
3:30 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. personal foul | |||
3:21 | Johni Broome misses two point jump shot | |||
3:19 | Johni Broome offensive rebound | |||
3:15 | Johni Broome misses two point jump shot | |||
3:13 | Mark Sears defensive rebound | |||
3:07 | +3 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes three point jump shot (Mark Sears assists) | 26-35 | |
2:36 | +2 | Johni Broome makes two point layup | 28-35 | |
2:30 | Chad Baker-Mazara personal foul | |||
2:30 | Mark Sears technical foul | |||
2:30 | Mark Sears turnover | |||
2:30 | +1 | Chad Baker-Mazara makes technical free throw 1 of 2 | 29-35 | |
2:30 | +1 | Chad Baker-Mazara makes technical free throw 2 of 2 | 30-35 | |
2:27 | +2 | Grant Nelson makes two point layup | 30-37 | |
2:12 | Jaylin Williams misses three point jump shot | |||
2:10 | Jarin Stevenson defensive rebound | |||
1:53 | Johni Broome blocks Mark Sears's three point jump shot | |||
1:51 | Mark Sears offensive rebound | |||
1:48 | +2 | Mark Sears makes two point layup | 30-39 | |
1:34 | Jaylin Williams misses three point jump shot | |||
1:32 | Rylan Griffen defensive rebound | |||
1:20 | Johni Broome blocks Rylan Griffen's two point layup | |||
1:18 | Jaylin Williams defensive rebound | |||
1:10 | Aden Holloway misses three point jump shot | |||
1:08 | Rylan Griffen defensive rebound | |||
0:58 | +3 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes three point jump shot (Mark Sears assists) | 30-42 | |
0:43 | Aden Holloway turnover (Mark Sears steals) | |||
0:39 | +2 | Mark Sears makes two point layup | 30-44 | |
0:16 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. personal foul | |||
0:16 | Aden Holloway misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
0:16 | Grant Nelson defensive rebound | |||
0:04 | Rylan Griffen turnover (Denver Jones steals) | |||
0:00 | Denver Jones turnover (Latrell Wrightsell Jr. steals) | |||
0:00 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
0:00 | Tigers defensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |