Chalk that one up for the good guys. And you’d be hard pressed to find many outside of Tuscaloosa, Alabama who wouldn’t feel that way.
Tennessee shook off having to face a professional basketball player in Charles Bediako, defeating Alabama 79-73 on Saturday night in Tuscaloosa.
Nate Ament was the real future NBA star on display. He had a game-high 29 points on 10-20 shooting with 7 rebounds in his finest performance of the season. Ja’Kobi Gillespie added 24 points on 8-20 shooting. Bediako had 13 points, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals.
It was a slow start for the Vols in the Coleman Coliseum. Tennessee fell down 22-12 halfway through the first half, and it seemed like their road woes were going to continue. Fortunately, they found their footing quickly and went on a 10-2 run at that point to get back in the game. The game remained in the three-to-six-point range the rest of the half, with Bama taking a 39-36 lead into the locker room.
Tennessee started the second half on a fury, going on a 11-1 run that culminated with an alley-oop jam by Felix Okpara from a lob by JP Estrella followed by a nifty midrange turnaround jumper by Ament to give the Vols a 47-41 lead.
However, Alabama would go almost shot for shot with Tennessee during a tight second half. Labaron Philon, Jr. had a big game with 26 points and hit big shot time and again.
With around 9 and a half minutes left, Alabama took the lead back on an and-one by Bediako that put the Tide up 62-60. Gillespie answered back on the next possession to tie the game.
And from that point, over the last nine minutes of the game, Tennessee’s defense locked in, allowing just 11 points the rest of the game. Over that time, the Vols slowly built a 70-63 lead with around seven minutes left. Bama cut it back to two, but the Vols pushed it back out to seven points with around four minutes remaining.
The Vols held a 77-73 lead inside the final minute, and Bama got off a long three-point attempt, but Estrella got the rebound, Tennessee was able to close out a huge win.
Bediako and the Crimson Tide were the storyline going in, but Ament and the Vols surely won the day.
Up next for Tennessee is at No. 21 Georgia on Tuesday night at 7:00 pm ET.
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* [College Basketball](/college_basketball)
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