Alabama gets miracle win over LSU

Posted 8:15AM on Sunday 6th January 2002 ( 23 years ago )

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - Terrance Meade scored four points in the final 38 seconds including two free throws with 1.3 left - and No. 18 Alabama rallied for a 76-74 victory Saturday night over LSU as the teams began Southeastern Conference play. The Crimson Tide (13-2) trailed 72-64 with four minutes left before closing with a 12-2 run. Alabama tied the game on Meade's jumper from the top of the key. He scored after getting Jermaine Williams to bite on a pump fake. On the other end, Collis Temple missed a runner in the lane for the Tigers (10-4) to set up the final sequence. Antoine Pettway then heaved the ball across midcourt to Meade, who quickly threw up an off-balance 3-pointer. He was fouled by Ronald Dupree and hit his first and third free throws. After a timeout, Williams heaved a long inbounds pass to Charlie Thompson, who overshot the rim on a desperation 30-footer. Rod Grizzard led five Alabama players in double figures with 19 points and five assists, making 10-of-12 free throws. Erwin Dudley had 15 points and 11 rebounds while Meade added 12 points, Maurice Williams 11 and Travis Stinnett 10. Dupree had 20 points and 10 rebounds for LSU, which got all but six of its points from four players. Temple had 18 points, Antonio Hudson 16 and Torris Bright 14 points and six assists. Both teams entered the game winning their nonconference games by an average of about 18 points, but eight was the largest margin in this one. The Tigers matched the biggest lead on Hudson's 3-pointer with 4:02 left. Then Grizzard and Dudley hit two free throws apiece and Maurice Williams had a steal and pullup jumper to bring Alabama within 72-70. Dupree made one of two free throws before Dudley scored another basket. Then Bright made one of two from the line for LSU's 74-72 lead. It was Alabama's seventh straight win and 12th in a row at Coleman Coliseum. The Tide scored nine straight points to build a 28-22 lead with 5:05 left in the first half, then got sloppy. Hudson had a layup and a 3-pointer after Alabama misses, then LSU forced two straight errant passes in a 12-0 run. Hudson polished off the half with a 3-pointer over Demetrius Smith at the buzzer for a 38-32 lead. LSU shot 58 percent from the floor in the half, including 5-of-10 3-pointers. There was no sign of last season's simmering tempers. Grizzard and LSU coach John Brady were reprimanded by the SEC for postgame antics and comments in Baton Rouge.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/1/200579