Tide keeps rolling with win over Ole Miss

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Posted 6:50AM on Thursday, February 7, 2002

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - Alabama's long memory continues to pay off on the court. Erwin Dudley had 22 points and 10 rebounds as the fifth-ranked Crimson Tide routed defending Western Division champion Mississippi 79-59 Wednesday night to match their best start in 25 years. ``It seems like their team is on a mission,'' Rebels coach Rod Barnes said. The mission for Alabama (20-3, 8-1 Southeastern Conference) is to win the West and avoid a repeat of last year's omission from the NCAA tournament. ``We know there are no gifts out there,'' Tide coach Mark Gottfried said. ``If we want it, we've got to go out and take it.'' The Rebels (17-6, 6-4) won the last meeting 105-71 in Oxford, a game that was on the minds of the Alabama players. ``They came in here with high intensity that they were going to get another win in our place, but we weren't going to let that happen,'' said Rod Grizzard, who had 10 of his 12 points in the second half. Antoine Pettway added 16 points off the bench and provided the key sequence of the second half for the Tide, who have won six straight and 14 of 15. The Rebels cut it to 62-53 early in the second half before Dudley made two free throws and Pettway followed with a steal and layin. Emmanuel Wade's foul on the basket was ruled intentional and Pettway hit his free throw and tacked on two more after the Tide retained possession. That sparked a 13-2 run as Alabama reached 20 wins the quickest since starting 20-3 in 1977. That places the Tide one win shy of the best start in school history, in 1974. Alabama, which brought its highest ranking since rising to No. 3 during that season, into the game, shot 52.6 percent and scored 22 points off 19 turnovers. ``Our problem is stopping them,'' Barnes said. ``If you're going to have a chance to win, you've got to get their shooting percentage down in the 40s. And we didn't do that.'' Alabama also outscored the Rebels 38-22 in the paint. Earnest Shelton scored his 10 points in a three-minute stretch of the first half for Alabama. Dudley also had four assists, two blocks and two steals. ``Erwin Dudley is one of the best big men in the country,'' Barnes said. ``He's been doing that against everybody.'' Justin Reed led the Rebels with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Aaron Harper added 14 points while David Sanders was held to two points, 10 below his average. Reserve guards Pettway and Shelton helped stake the Tide to a 40-27 halftime lead, sparking two key runs. After the Rebels closed to 11-9 Shelton scored eight points in just over a minute, including consecutive 3-pointers. He then capped a 16-3 run with two free throws. Alabama closed the half on a 13-5 run, getting nine points from Pettway. The Tide hold a 60-8 series lead in Tuscaloosa. Grizzard was asked if he thought the Crimson Tide could win the rest of their games. ``It's hard, but we've always got to be optimistic,'' he said. ``So I'm going to have to go with yes on that one.''