University of Tennessee Athletics
University of Tennessee
15-8, 7-5
Alabama
15-8, 5-7
Alabama Defeats Tennessee 76-71
February 22, 2003 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 22, 2003
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By ELIZABETH A. DAVIS
AP Sports Writer
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Erwin Dudley scored 18 points and Mo Williams added 17 Saturday as Alabama withstood a late Tennessee rally to win its first Southeastern Conference away game 76-71.
Kennedy Winston added 15 points and eight rebounds for the Crimson Tide (15-8, 5-7 SEC), which tied a season high with nine 3-pointers.
The Volunteers (15-8, 7-5) faltered on defense all game long, but rallied to make the final minutes interesting.
Thaydeus Holden scored a career-high 22 points, including six 3-pointers, and Ron Slay added 23 points and nine rebounds for Tennessee.
The Vols, coming off a 77-63 loss at South Carolina that ended their six-game winning streak, didn't look anything like a week ago in their 66-59 victory over then-No. 4 Florida - until the final minutes.
Alabama led by as many as 18 early in the second half, but the Vols had two runs and eventually cut it to five with 1:26 remaining, setting up a frantic finish.
Dudley missed a free throw, but Tennessee's C.J. Watson missed a 3-pointer at the other end. Winston was fouled intentionally to stop the clock, and he missed the free throw. Dudley grabbed the rebound and scored to put Alabama ahead 70-63 with 45.9 seconds remaining, but Tennessee wasn't finished.
Watson hit a jumper and Jon Higgins had a 3-pointer with 19.8 seconds left to pull the Vols within three.
After Williams made a pair of free throws, Watson hit a 3-pointer with 13.8 seconds to go to trim it to 73-71. Tennessee couldn't get any closer as Alabama finished by scoring three free throws and preventing the Vols from getting another good look at the basket.
 Ron Slay, who scored 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds, shoots over Alabama's Erwin Dudley.  | |
Watson finished with 13 points.
Alabama started to gain confidence early, hitting 6-of-10 3-pointers in the first half.
The Tide pushed its lead to 18 early in the second half.
Holden had cut the lead to seven with a 3-pointer with 16 minutes left. Dudley had a 3-point play and a basket to start an 11-0 run for the Tide. Earnest Shelton's 3-pointer gave the Tide a 56-38 lead with 13:26 to go.
The Vols got as close as 61-51 after Holden's 3-pointer with 9:28 to go. Tennessee had cut the lead to 11 after a 6-0 run only to see Williams hit a jumper at the other end to push it back to 13.
Alabama grabbed the lead from the tipoff and led by as many as 14 in the first half as the Vols looked tired on offense and defense.
