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Alabama 73, South Carolina 50: Gamecocks plucked clean in stirring upset

Jan 13, 2016; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide forward Riley Norris (1) celebrates with students after his team defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks 73-50 at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 13, 2016; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide forward Riley Norris (1) celebrates with students after his team defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks 73-50 at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

By Chris DePew
TideFans.com Staff
Jan. 13, 2016

Alabama rode the energy of a record night from Riley Norris to ambush previously unbeaten No. 19 South Carolina 73-50 at Coleman Coliseum for the Crimson Tide’s first SEC win of the year.

What did we learn today?: Players can be inspired by getting into the starting lineup … and by coming out of it. Coach Avery Johnson put Norris in for his first start of the season with the idea of bulking up on defense with a three-forward. And while he did his part to keep USC’s Michael Carrera in check, Norris broke the game open by hitting all five of his 3-pointers in the first half as Bama built a 35-22 halftime lead. The sophomore from Albertville scored a career-best 27 points and tied a school record with eight treys.

Fellow sophomore Justin Coleman was benched to make way for Norris, but the point guard not only didn’t pout but responded with his best game since before Christmas. He had 14 points on 4-for-8 field goal shooting and also racked up six assists and five rebounds.

What was the best part of the game?: Alabama’s full-tilt, breakneck aggression on defense and on the boards. The worst rebounding team in the SEC turned the tables on the best one, with Alabama taking a 35-31 edge. After looking tired and passive Saturday against Kentucky, the Tide played with renewed fire, hassling the Gamecocks all night, disrupting passing lanes, collecting eight steals and forcing South Carolina into 18 turnovers, including 12 in the first half. Soon enough, USC became so flustered that it became its own worst enemy on offense, missing 17 consecutive shots at one point.

Who was the star?: Norris matched his previous career high (18 points) by halftime and led the team with seven rebounds for good measure. Worth noting is Bama’s third-leading scorer. Shannon Hale had eight points on a pair of 3-pointers and notched 25 minutes. It’s easily the best he’s looked since returning from a “medical condition” that sidelined him for much of December.

What were the biggest concerns?: Starting guards Retin Obasohan and Arthur Edwards combined for just seven points, each going 1-for-5 from the floor, but that was more a function of feeding Norris while he had the hot hand. Both stayed active, with Edwards dishing out four assists and Obasohan tallying six rebounds and three steals. The only real basis for complaint got turned around in the second half when Bama went from 2-for-8 at the foul line to finishing by making nine of its last 10 free throws.

What’s next?: Alabama tries to claw back to .500 in SEC play Saturday when it visits a place it has traditionally wilted: Vanderbilt’s Memorial Gym. Tipoff on the SEC Network is at 5 p.m. Central.

Follow Chris DePew on Twitter @TideFansChris

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