Labaron Philon scored 25 points and three teammates hit double figures as visiting Alabama held off rival Auburn 96-92 on Saturday.
Amari Allen added 17 points, Aden Holloway scored 15 and Charles Bediako had 12 for the Crimson Tide (16-7, 6-4 Southeastern Conference).
Tahaad Pettiford scored 25 points, Keyshawn Hall had 24 before fouling out, Kevin Overton contributed 17 points and KeShawn Murphy added 13 points and 12 rebounds for the Tigers (14-9, 5-5), who lost their second straight after a four-game winning streak.
Auburn scored the first three points of the second half to open a 44-37 lead. Holloway’s layup produced Alabama’s first points, but the Tigers increased the lead to 54-47 on a Hall layup with 15:31 to play.
London Jemison scored seven consecutive points to start an 11-0 spurt that gave the Tide a 58-54 lead. Pettiford and Overton each made a 3-pointer to help the Tigers pull even at 60.
Philon’s 3-pointer broke the tie before the lead changed hands twice. The Tide opened a 71-65 lead on Aiden Sherrell’s layup with 9:10 to go. Auburn got within one point, but Philon scored the next five points.
Once again, the Tigers faced a six-point Alabama lead and crept within one. Allen made a 3-pointer, and the Tide pushed the lead back to six twice more. Murphy’s 3-pointer cut the lead in half, but Holloway made three free throws for a six-point margin with 28 seconds left.
At the game’s outset, the lead changed hands three times before Overton made consecutive 3-pointers to complete a 10-2 run and give Auburn a 14-7 lead. Philon made a 3-pointer to slow the momentum, but Elyjah Freeman scored four straight points to help the Tigers take a 20-12 lead.
The Tide scored the next six points before the Tigers extended the margin to six points on four occasions. They pushed the lead to 36-26 — the largest of the game — on two Pettiford free throws with 2:33 left in the half.
Houston Mallette made two 3-pointers during an 11-2 run by Alabama before Overton’s 3-pointer left Auburn with a 41-37 halftime lead.
–Field Level Media
