The ending of the Bama and LSU SEC title game was WILD 🍿 pic.twitter.com/ZT6WEor76j
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 14, 2021
Alabama vs. LSU score: Crimson Tide edge Tigers for SEC title, make push for No. 1 seed in NCAA Tournament
Alabama needed a late bounce to get past a feisty LSU team for its first conference title since 1991
If there was any doubt about Alabama's ability to survive the singe-elimination pressure of postseason basketball, the Crimson Tide erased it Sunday with an 80-79 win over No. 3 seed LSU in the SEC Tournament title game. The victory capped an impressive three-day run for the top-seeded Crimson Tide, who had last won the league tournament in 1991.
Alabama's bonafides as a postseason contender came into question by some skeptical of the program's reliance on 3-point shooting and the potential of a poor shooting game dooming it in a do or die situation. But the Crimson Tide responded by putting their solid defense on display and getting critical defensive stops in a semifinal win over Tennessee on Saturday and in the final seconds against LSU.
The Crimson Tide made just 7-of-28 attempts from 3-point range against Tennessee and 12-of-36 against LSU -- just a 29.7% clip over two days. That figure was well below the team's season average, but it didn't stop Alabama from hoisting a trophy in the end, and that's a good indicator of what the Crimson Tide may be able to accomplish in the NCAA Tournament.
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Below is the full schedule and results from Nashville. For a look at the updated SEC Tournament bracket, click here.
2021 SEC Tournament schedule, scores
Location: Bridgestone Arena -- Nashville, Tennessee
Live stream: fuboTV (Try for free) | Follow live: CBS Sports App
All times Eastern; some start times approximated
First round -- Wednesday, March 10
Game 1: No. 12 Vanderbilt 79, No. 13 Texas A&M 68 | Recap
Second round -- Thursday, March 11
Game 2: No. 9 Mississippi State 74, No. 8 Kentucky 73 | Recap
Game 3: No. 5 Florida 69, No. 12 Vanderbilt 63 | Recap
Game 4: No. 7 Missouri 73, No. 10 Georgia 70 | Recap
Game 5: No. 6 Ole Miss 76, No. 11 South Carolina 59 | Recap
Quarterfinals -- Friday, March 12
Game 6: No. 1 Alabama 85, No. 9 Mississippi State 48 | Recap
Game 7: No. 4 Tennessee 78, No. 5 Florida 66 | Recap
Game 8: No. 2 Arkansas 70, No. 7 Missouri 64 | Recap
Game 9: No. 3 LSU 76, No. 6 Ole Miss 73 | Recap
Semifinals -- Saturday, March 13
Game 10: No. 1 Alabama 73, No. 4 Tennessee 68 | Recap
Game 11: No. 3 LSU 78, No. 2 Arkansas 71 | Recap
SEC Tournament Championship Game -- Sunday, March 14
Game 12: No. 1 Alabama 80, No. 3 LSU 79 | Recap
Follow below for updates, analysis and highlights throughout the SEC Tournament.
Live updates
"We're a championship school!"@nate_oats | @AlabamaMBB 🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/g1JMau2L11
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) March 14, 2021
Get the official SEC Champs Locker Room Gear!https://t.co/kg1wjEeWFw#RollTide #RollToVictory pic.twitter.com/VET6HdyIDq
— Alabama Athletics (@UA_Athletics) March 14, 2021
#LetTheGoodTideRoll
— The Naismith Trophy (@NaismithTrophy) March 14, 2021
Double-Double for @jerseymikes Naismith POY and DPOY Semifinalist Herbert Jones (@_hoopinglife)
📍13 PTS
📍11 REB
📍🏆 @SEC Tournament Champion https://t.co/btRR1NlKlQ
Shakeback, Tiger fans.
— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) March 14, 2021
We'll see y'all at 5 p.m. for Selection Sunday.#BootUp pic.twitter.com/1QPxqiGzyY
SEC TOURNAMENT CHAMPS! The historic season continues as #Alabama has won the #SECMBB tournament for the first time in 30 years!! #RollTide | #BlueCollarBasketball pic.twitter.com/TTnowb0pQt
— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) March 14, 2021
What a game. Gotta feel good about what those two can accomplish in the NCAA Tournament. LSU's defense is still a question mark, but the Tigers held Alabama to 33.3% 3-point shooting today, and that gave them a chance. In the end, the league's best team is hoisting a trophy, though.
SEC CHAMPS 👑#RollTide | #BlueCollarBasketball pic.twitter.com/Q8O3pPGmbY
— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) March 14, 2021
Fought 'til the very end.#BootUp pic.twitter.com/cQWILlv6fp
— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) March 14, 2021
ITS OVER!!!
— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) March 14, 2021
Alabama 80, LSU 79 | 0:00 2nd H#RollTide | #BlueCollarBasketball
19 seconds left.
— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) March 14, 2021
Tigers down 1.
Here. We. Go.
TRENDON WATFORD IS THAT. DUDE.
— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) March 14, 2021
Back and forth down the stretch... ✌️ point lead
— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) March 14, 2021
Alabama 76, LSU 74 | 2:14 2nd H#RollTide | #BlueCollarBasketball pic.twitter.com/cU5A6EpU9x
Four more minutes
— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) March 14, 2021
2H 3:53 | LSU 69, Bama 71 pic.twitter.com/2qZdMN5ONS
𝒯𝑒𝓃𝓈𝑒
— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) March 14, 2021
Alabama 71, LSU 69 | 3:52 2nd H#RollTide | #BlueCollarBasketball pic.twitter.com/I43PcP7w1b
𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒
— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) March 14, 2021
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/MjYc1CR1zF
TRENDON WATFORD. TIE BALLGAME
— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) March 14, 2021
8-0 RUN | Time to lock down
— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) March 14, 2021
Alabama 64, LSU 60 | 8:12 2nd H#RollTide | #BlueCollarBasketball pic.twitter.com/4FhWeJkylE
YKDV.
— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) March 14, 2021
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/YuvbepdBV6
JAVONTE. SMART.
— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) March 14, 2021
𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗬 | 6-0 run🏃♂️
— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) March 14, 2021
Alabama 56, LSU 52 | 11:47 2nd H#RollTide | #BlueCollarBasketball pic.twitter.com/pA0YjJZgdx
Trendon is #him
— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) March 14, 2021
2H 11:48 | LSU 52, Bama 55 pic.twitter.com/e95oUFHiXx
Classic brewing in Nashville? Or will Alabama pull away? We'll find out as the Crimson Tide take a 55-52 lead at the u12 timeout. Curious to see how close a strong finish might get Bama to the No. 1 seed line.
Trendon: 13p/6r/1a
— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) March 14, 2021
Cam: 13p/2r/1a
Aundre: 8p/6r
Javonte: 9p/2r/3a
2H 15:27 | LSU 45, Bama 46 pic.twitter.com/2cRavfNV3Y
𝚃𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚋𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚜🔑
— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) March 14, 2021
Alabama 46, LSU 45 | 15:27 2nd H#RollTide | #BlueCollarBasketball pic.twitter.com/PMZdIWtIxN
A quick 6 points from Hyatt to start the half!
— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) March 14, 2021
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/6S5Q85oTo9
Buckle up, Tiger fans. 20 more minutes comin' up.#BootUp pic.twitter.com/QiX6SovOuL
— LSU Basketball (@LSUBasketball) March 14, 2021
Solid close to the first half for Alabama after the Crimson Tide went cold for a bit following a fast start. 40-37 Alabama at the half.
𝗝𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗝𝗤 🍇 @AlabamaMBB pic.twitter.com/FFPZl3QR0w
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) March 14, 2021
7-0 run to end the half puts the Tide 🔛🔝#RollTide | #BlueCollarBasketball pic.twitter.com/oYWEUOHBMU
— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) March 14, 2021