Jarin Stevenson scored a career-high 22 points to help No. 2 Alabama cruise to a 103-80 victory over Texas on Tuesday night in a Southeastern Conference game in Austin, Texas.
Aden Holloway and Mark Sears added 18 points apiece for the Crimson Tide (21-3, 10-1 SEC), who have won seven straight games and 15 of their last 16. Alabama has a home showdown with No. 1 Auburn on Saturday.
Labaron Philon had 15 points and Mouhamed Dioubate added 13 for Alabama, which shot 61.8 percent, including a stellar 58.8 percent (17-of-29) from 3-point range, while topping 100 points for the seventh time this season.
Tre Johnson scored 24 points and Jayson Kent added a season-best 19 for the Longhorns (15-10, 4-8), who have lost four of their past five games. Julian Larry added 10 points and three steals.
Texas starter Arthur Kaluma aggravated a left knee injury in the first half and didn’t return. Backup Devon Pryor (right calf) missed the game.
Alabama possessed a 41-25 rebounding advantage. Stevenson made four 3-pointers and Dioubate, Holloway and Philon made three apiece.
The Longhorns made 42 percent of their shots and made 8 of 22 from 3-point range. Johnson sank four treys.
Sears scored four points during a 7-0 spurt early in the second half as the Crimson Tide pushed their lead to 56-34. Alabama’s lead again reached 22 when Sears narrowly beat the shot clock with a 3-pointer with 10:05 to play.
A 3-pointer by Stevenson made it 80-57 with 7:49 remaining. Stevenson later drained another 3-pointer and Holloway followed with a jumper to again make it a 23-point margin with 2:58 left.
The lead topped out at 25 on Dioubate’s trey with 1:27 left.
Alabama shot 65.4 percent in the first half while opening up a 49-31 lead at the break. Texas shot just 28.6 percent in the half despite Johnson scoring 14 points.
The Crimson Tide took a 35-24 lead after Nelson’s basket with 4:12 remaining. Two-plus minutes later, Holloway connected from 3-point range to make it a 13-point margin.
Grant Nelson and Philon each knocked down treys during a half-ending 7-0 run that gave Alabama the 18-point advantage.
–Field Level Media
