Sears, Wrightsell Jr. lead No. 16 Alabama past LSU, 109-92
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Alabama guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. committed to chasing after long offensive rebounds and shooting decisively from deep when he was open.
Wrightsell had season highs of 21 points and 10 rebounds, Mark Sears scored 23 points and No. 16 Alabama made a handful of deep shots to break open a tight game in the final nine minutes of a 109-92 victory over LSU on Saturday.
“We’re not supposed to pass up any open 3s,” said Wrightsell, whose six 3-pointers on nine attempts pleased Alabama coach Nate Oats.
“I get irritated with him when he passes up open shots,” Oats said. “He’s such a good shooter.”
Alabama (17-7, 9-2 SEC) trailed 73-72 after LSU (12-11, 4-6) had briefly surged in front with a 16-4 run. But Rylan Griffen’s free throws and dunk ignited a 13-2 Alabama spurt that put the Crimson Tide up for good. Alabama made six 3s in the final eight minutes, with Wrightsell and Sears each hitting two.
“We’ve got a lot of offensive firepower. We’re liable to explode at any point,” Oats said. “If we can get our defense better, we can be a pretty dominant team.”
Nick Pringle scored a season-high 17 and and Griffen added 16 points for the Tide, which came in looking to bounce back from a loss to No. 12 Auburn on Wednesday.
Alabama hit 18 3s in all, with Sears and Griffin each hitting four. Alabama also got 15 points from Aaron Estrada.
But it was Wrightsell's performance that stood out to LSU coach Matt McMahon.
“He just took the rebound from us on multiple possessions and turned those into points,” McMahon said.
The 6-foot-3 Wrightsell grabbed five rebounds on each end of the court.
“Helping us rebound, as guards, is another way for us to be a winning team,” Wrightsell said. “So, we have to step up and do that.”
Will Baker scored 24 points and Jalen Cook had 20 for LSU, which has lost six of eight.
“Our problems are on defense," Baker said. "We can focus on offense all we want, but all our defensive problems are what’s going to hold us back. ... It’s just an effort and discipline thing for us.”
Tyrell Ward added 15 points for the Tigers, who outscored the Crimson Tide 44-38 inside but could not keep pace with Alabama's perimeter shooting.
Baker scored 22 of his points in the first half, hitting nine of his first 12 shots, including a pair of 3s. His early production helped LSU remain close at halftime, when Alabama led 49-46.
BIG PICTURE
Alabama: Scored 100 or more points for the seventh time this season. The Tide have done that twice in conference play - both times against LSU. Alabama shot 40.9% from 3 and now is 12-2 when shooting at least 40% from deep.
LSU: Turned the ball over 12 times, leading to 23 Alabama points. The Tigers also were outrebounded 43-31 and allowed Alabama to convert 19 offensive rebounds into 28 second-chance points. The Tigers' rebounding deficiencies and turnovers, McMahon noted, allowed Alabama to get up 81 total shots to LSU's 60.
“It's hard to win when that’s the case,” McMahon said. “They make you pay.”
UP NEXT
Alabama hosts Texas A&M on Feb. 17.
LSU visits Florida on Tuesday.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | (Tigers gains possession) | |||
19:50 | +2 | Will Baker makes two point layup (Trae Hannibal assists) | 0-2 | |
19:34 | +3 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes three point jump shot (Aaron Estrada assists) | 3-2 | |
19:00 | +2 | Will Baker makes two point layup | 3-4 | |
18:49 | +3 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes three point jump shot (Aaron Estrada assists) | 6-4 | |
18:34 | +3 | Jalen Reed makes three point jump shot (Will Baker assists) | 6-7 | |
18:20 | +2 | Grant Nelson makes two point layup (Rylan Griffen assists) | 8-7 | |
18:05 | +2 | Will Baker makes two point jump shot | 8-9 | |
17:56 | Aaron Estrada misses three point jump shot | |||
17:55 | Tigers defensive rebound | |||
17:34 | Will Baker turnover (lost ball) | |||
17:20 | +3 | Aaron Estrada makes three point jump shot (Mark Sears assists) | 11-9 | |
17:03 | Jalen Reed misses two point jump shot | |||
17:01 | Rylan Griffen defensive rebound | |||
16:53 | Rylan Griffen misses two point jump shot | |||
16:51 | Trae Hannibal defensive rebound | |||
16:45 | +2 | Tyrell Ward makes two point layup (Trae Hannibal assists) | 11-11 | |
16:38 | +2 | Aaron Estrada makes two point layup | 13-11 | |
16:31 | +2 | Tyrell Ward makes two point layup (Trae Hannibal assists) | 13-13 | |
16:23 | Mark Sears misses three point jump shot | |||
16:21 | Nick Pringle offensive rebound | |||
16:13 | Aaron Estrada misses three point jump shot | |||
16:11 | Tyrell Ward defensive rebound | |||
16:11 | Nick Pringle personal foul | |||
15:52 | +3 | Will Baker makes three point jump shot (Trae Hannibal assists) | 13-16 | |
15:27 | Jarin Stevenson misses two point layup | |||
15:25 | Nick Pringle offensive rebound | |||
15:20 | +2 | Nick Pringle makes two point layup | 15-16 | |
15:05 | Tyrell Ward misses three point jump shot | |||
15:03 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. defensive rebound | |||
14:55 | +2 | Nick Pringle makes two point dunk (Aaron Estrada assists) | 17-16 | |
14:27 | +2 | Jalen Reed makes two point layup (Trae Hannibal assists) | 17-18 | |
14:00 | Trae Hannibal shooting foul (Mark Sears draws the foul) | |||
14:00 | TV timeout | |||
14:00 | +1 | Mark Sears makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 18-18 | |
14:00 | +1 | Mark Sears makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 19-18 | |
13:50 | +2 | Will Baker makes two point layup (Jalen Cook assists) | 19-20 | |
13:24 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. misses two point layup | |||
13:22 | Will Baker defensive rebound | |||
13:09 | +2 | Will Baker makes two point layup | 19-22 | |
13:01 | Jarin Stevenson misses three point jump shot | |||
12:59 | Jalen Cook defensive rebound | |||
12:46 | Will Baker misses two point jump shot | |||
12:44 | Tigers offensive rebound | |||
12:43 | Jarin Stevenson personal foul | |||
12:25 | Jalen Cook turnover (bad pass) (Mark Sears steals) | |||
12:20 | +3 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes three point jump shot (Mark Sears assists) | 22-22 | |
12:00 | +2 | Derek Fountain makes two point layup | 22-24 | |
11:48 | TV timeout | |||
11:40 | +3 | Sam Walters makes three point jump shot (Rylan Griffen assists) | 25-24 | |
11:15 | +2 | Jordan Wright makes two point jump shot | 25-26 | |
11:00 | Derek Fountain personal foul | |||
10:57 | +3 | Mark Sears makes three point jump shot (Nick Pringle assists) | 28-26 | |
10:33 | Jordan Wright misses three point jump shot | |||
10:31 | Aaron Estrada defensive rebound | |||
10:24 | Mark Sears turnover (lost ball) | |||
10:15 | Will Baker misses two point jump shot | |||
10:13 | Aaron Estrada defensive rebound | |||
10:05 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
10:02 | Crimson Tide offensive rebound | |||
9:56 | +3 | Rylan Griffen makes three point jump shot (Latrell Wrightsell Jr. assists) | 31-26 | |
9:33 | +2 | Trae Hannibal makes two point layup | 31-28 | |
9:15 | +2 | Nick Pringle makes two point layup (Aaron Estrada assists) | 33-28 | |
9:15 | Trae Hannibal shooting foul (Nick Pringle draws the foul) | |||
9:15 | +1 | Nick Pringle makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 34-28 | |
8:57 | Aaron Estrada shooting foul (Will Baker draws the foul) | |||
8:57 | +1 | Will Baker makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 34-29 | |
8:57 | +1 | Will Baker makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 34-30 | |
8:43 | Aaron Estrada misses three point jump shot | |||
8:41 | Will Baker defensive rebound | |||
8:19 | Jalen Reed misses two point layup | |||
8:17 | Mouhamed Dioubate defensive rebound | |||
8:03 | Jarin Stevenson misses three point jump shot | |||
8:01 | Mouhamed Dioubate offensive rebound | |||
7:58 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
7:56 | Jordan Wright defensive rebound | |||
7:54 | Aaron Estrada personal foul | |||
7:54 | TV timeout | |||
7:42 | Will Baker turnover (lost ball) (Rylan Griffen steals) | |||
7:32 | +3 | Jarin Stevenson makes three point jump shot (Latrell Wrightsell Jr. assists) | 37-30 | |
7:14 | Mouhamed Dioubate blocks Jalen Cook's two point layup | |||
7:12 | Tigers offensive rebound | |||
7:09 | +2 | Will Baker makes two point layup (Jalen Cook assists) | 37-32 | |
6:49 | Mouhamed Dioubate turnover (bad pass) (Jordan Wright steals) | |||
6:43 | Jalen Cook misses two point layup | |||
6:41 | Mark Sears defensive rebound | |||
6:36 | +3 | Mark Sears makes three point jump shot (Latrell Wrightsell Jr. assists) | 40-32 | |
6:13 | Jalen Cook misses two point jump shot | |||
6:11 | Jordan Wright offensive rebound | |||
6:11 | Jarin Stevenson personal foul | |||
6:07 | +2 | Will Baker makes two point jump shot | 40-34 | |
5:56 | Rylan Griffen misses three point jump shot | |||
5:54 | Will Baker defensive rebound | |||
5:42 | +3 | Will Baker makes three point jump shot (Trae Hannibal assists) | 40-37 | |
5:27 | Mark Sears misses three point jump shot | |||
5:25 | Nick Pringle offensive rebound | |||
5:20 | +2 | Nick Pringle makes two point layup | 42-37 | |
5:00 | Trae Hannibal offensive foul (Rylan Griffen draws the foul) | |||
5:00 | Trae Hannibal turnover (offensive foul) | |||
4:40 | +2 | Mark Sears makes two point layup | 44-37 | |
4:31 | Jalen Cook misses two point layup | |||
4:29 | Mouhamed Dioubate defensive rebound | |||
4:25 | Sam Walters misses three point jump shot | |||
4:23 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. offensive rebound | |||
4:15 | Mike Williams III shooting foul (Latrell Wrightsell Jr. draws the foul) | |||
4:14 | +1 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 3 | 45-37 | |
4:14 | +1 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 3 | 46-37 | |
4:14 | +1 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes regular free throw 3 of 3 | 47-37 | |
3:56 | +2 | Tyrell Ward makes two point jump shot | 47-39 | |
3:45 | Mouhamed Dioubate misses two point layup | |||
3:43 | Derek Fountain defensive rebound | |||
3:36 | +3 | Mike Williams III makes three point jump shot (Jalen Cook assists) | 47-42 | |
3:15 | Mouhamed Dioubate misses three point jump shot | |||
3:13 | Jalen Cook defensive rebound | |||
2:56 | Will Baker misses three point jump shot | |||
2:54 | Mark Sears defensive rebound | |||
2:41 | Mouhamed Dioubate turnover (lost ball) | |||
2:41 | TV timeout | |||
2:41 | Derek Fountain turnover | |||
2:34 | Mark Sears misses two point layup | |||
2:32 | Jalen Cook defensive rebound | |||
2:28 | Mike Williams III misses three point jump shot | |||
2:26 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. defensive rebound | |||
2:23 | Jump ball. (Crimson Tide gains possession) | |||
2:13 | Jalen Reed personal foul | |||
2:06 | Mark Sears misses three point jump shot | |||
2:04 | Jalen Cook defensive rebound | |||
1:49 | +2 | Jalen Reed makes two point layup (Jalen Cook assists) | 47-44 | |
1:27 | +2 | Mark Sears makes two point layup | 49-44 | |
1:12 | Mark Sears shooting foul (Jalen Cook draws the foul) | |||
1:12 | +1 | Jalen Cook makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 49-45 | |
1:12 | +1 | Jalen Cook makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 49-46 | |
1:05 | Sam Walters misses three point jump shot | |||
1:03 | Crimson Tide offensive rebound | |||
0:58 | Tyrell Ward blocks Mark Sears's two point layup | |||
0:56 | Mike Williams III defensive rebound | |||
0:49 | Mike Williams III misses two point jump shot | |||
0:47 | Mark Sears defensive rebound | |||
0:39 | Jalen Reed blocks Sam Walters's two point layup | |||
0:37 | Jalen Cook defensive rebound | |||
0:29 | Tigers 30 second timeout | |||
0:29 | Crimson Tide 30 second timeout | |||
0:11 | Grant Nelson shooting foul (Jalen Reed draws the foul) | |||
0:11 | Jalen Reed misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
0:11 | Jalen Reed misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
0:11 | Mark Sears defensive rebound | |||
0:03 | Mark Sears misses two point layup | |||
0:01 | Jalen Reed defensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |