No. 11 Vanderbilt got 29 points and seven assists from Tyler Tanner as the Commodores outlasted 13th-ranked Alabama, 96-90, in Nashville, Tenn., on Wednesday night.
Duke Miles (19 points), Tyler Nickel (12), AK Okereke and Devin McGlockton (10 apiece) scored in double figures for Vanderbilt (15-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference).
Amari Allen (25), Aden Holloway (22), Labaron Philon (18) and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. (13) led the Crimson Tide (11-4, 1-1).
Both teams were in heavy foul trouble most of the second half with each team going into the bonus with 14:00 left.
In all, 63 fouls were called and three players fouled out.
Things got worse for Alabama when Philon — the team’s leading scorer at 21.5 points per game — exited with 16:06 left and didn’t return.
McGlockton hit a one-handed shot from the low block, drew a foul and hit the free throw to put the Commodores up 59-56 with 12:25 left.
Alabama coach Nate Oats’s frustration with the officiating spilled over after a Tanner steal with 8:39 left. Oats drew a technical foul, Tanner hit two free throws and Mike James, in the game due to Miles’ foul trouble, drained a 3 off a Tanner assist, making the lead 74-63 with 8:23 remaining.
Alabama cut the lead to six with 1:09 left on a Wrightsell 3-pointer. But the Commodores, led by Tanner’s 12-of-15 from the foul line, hung on.
Miles, Vanderbilt’s leading scorer (17.1 ppg coming in), started after missing the last two games with an illness and then a leg injury. He led Vanderbilt with 17 first-half points while Philon had 15 in a 43-all tie at the break.
Vanderbilt led by 13 midway through the first half, but Philon hit a three with 2:49 left in the half which gave Alabama a 37-36 lead, its first since an early 3-1 advantage.
Alabama’s Aiden Sherrell (8.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.8 bpg) didn’t play due to injury. Neither did Vanderbilt’s Frankie Collins (7.8 ppg).
