Second Half Explosion Lifts Tide Over Top Seed Auburn

Photo courtesy: Alabama Athletics

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (Alabama Athletics) – After trailing by ten at the half, the Alabama men’s basketball team exploded in the second half, using a 50-22 performance to knock off No. 1-seed Auburn, 81-63, on Friday afternoon in the 2018 SEC Tournament Quarterfinal round in the Scottrade Center.

Freshman Collin Sexton remained red hot in St. Louis, dropping his third 30-point game of the season, scoring 31 points, and set the Alabama freshman scoring record, surpassing James Robinson’s record of 554 points set in the 1990-91 season. Sexton currently has 569 points this season.

Sexton also surged onto Alabama’s tournament record books, as his 31-point performance ranks third all-time in points scored in a conference tournament game, while his two-game total of 58 points ranks fourth all-time in total points scored at an SEC tournament.

Sophomore Dazon Ingram and junior Donta Hall also reached double figures, as Ingram collected 14 points and seven rebounds, while Hall added 11 points and six rebounds for the Tide. Alabama won the rebounding battle, 44-33 and had 36 points in the paint.

Up next, the Crimson Tide will face the winner of No. 4-seed Kentucky and No. 12-seed Georgia. The semifinal game will tipoff at noon CT on Saturday at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo., and will be broadcasted live on ESPN.