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ALABAMA 82, VANDERBILT 75

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By IRA KAUFMAN

ikaufman@tampatrib.com

Published: March 13, 2009

Updated: 03/13/2009 12:33 am

PLAYER OF THE GAME

Every time the Commodores sliced into Alabama's lead, Alonzo Gee responded.

The 6-foot-6 senior took only 12 shots Thursday evening en route to a game-high 25 points as the Tide advanced to tonight's SEC quarterfinals against Tennessee.

Gee sank nine of his 12 field-goal tries and shot seven of eight from the line, adding six rebounds in 33 dynamic minutes as Alabama (18-13) led from start to finish.

"We're stepping it up on both ends of the floor and we're having fun playing basketball," Gee said after leading Alabama in scoring for the 15th time this season. "We're just playing together as a team."

Gee made all five of his second-half field-goal attempts, including a dunk and a jumper after Vanderbilt pulled within seven points with 5:22 remaining.

TURNING POINT

The Tide wasted no time taking command, building a 10-2 advantage as Vanderbilt missed its first seven shots from the field. Freshman JaMychal Green was aggressive from the start, scoring eight points and grabbing five rebounds in the opening 10 minutes while shadowing 6-foot-11 A.J. Ogilvy.

Freshman Brad Tinsley was 5-for-10 from the 3-point line in leading Vanderbilt with 20 points, but the Commodores never got closer than five points after intermission.

"We had a bad start, and it felt like we were playing catch-up for the rest of the game," said Jermaine Beal, a junior guard who scored only five points for the Commodores, eight below his average. "We never gave up, but it wasn't our best night and in tournament time, you don't get a second chance."

UNSUNG HERO

Alabama G Mikhail Torrance averaged 9.5 points per game this season, but he burned Vanderbilt for 20 points and five assists, often finding Gee for easy buckets.

"Our coach Philip Pearson has been giving me a lot of confidence," said the 6-5 junior. "We're not ready to go home yet. Coming out and winning the first five minutes has been big for us."

Now Torrance prepares for a rematch against the Vols, who lost to Alabama 70-67 at home in Sunday's regular-season finale.

LITTLE BIG MAN

Ogilvy had scored in double figures in 57 of his 62 games before the Tide frustrated him thoroughly. The talented sophomore, who averaged 24 points during Vanderbilt's three-game winning streak entering Thursday's matchup, scored only eight points and didn't register a field goal until the final minute - with the game already decided.

"They came out with guns blazing, and we spent a lot of energy just trying to catch-up," said Ogilvy, who added eight rebounds and six assists. "It was hard to get the ball inside tonight. Give them credit - they packed it in and made it tough for me to get inside touches."

Ira Kaufman

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