National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Alabama 56, UCLA 50
When: 6:30 PM ET, Sunday, December 28, 2014
Where: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Officials: # Tony Greene, # Joe Lindsay, # Doug Shows
Attendance: 13472

Alabama 56, UCLA 50: Ricky Tarrant recorded a season-high 24 points as the Crimson Tide took a big lead early and held off a second-half surge by the visiting Bruins.

Levi Randolph contributed 15 points, including five free throws in the final 34 seconds as Alabama (9-3) scored the game’s final six after UCLA rallied from 12 down in the final 20 minutes. Jimmie Taylor and Rodney Cooper each grabbed seven rebounds for the Crimson Tide, who improved to 8-0 at home despite shooting 33.3 percent from the field.

Bryce Alford led the way with 16 points, but missed two 3-pointers in the final minute, as UCLA (8-5) lost its third consecutive game. Isaac Hamilton chipped in with 15 points and Tony Parker added 10 for the Bruins, who turned the ball over 18 times and shot 30.8 percent from the field.

Alabama put together an 18-2 burst to lead by as much as 15, Tarrant scored 18 and UCLA shot 17.9 percent from the field as the Crimson Tide produced a 29-17 edge at intermission. Hamilton drained a pair of 3-pointers as the Bruins responded by running off the first 10 of the second half to get within two points.

Tarrant’s three-point play helped push Alabama’s lead back to eight, but UCLA crept back within 40-39 after freshman Kevon Looney’s dunk with just under 10 minutes left. Hamilton’s corner 3-pointer tied the game at 48 and his rebound basket knotted the game again at 50, but Tarrant hit one free throw and Randolph made 5-of-6 to seal it.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Randolph became the 47th Alabama player to reach 1,000 points in his career. He has 1,010. … Looney finished with a season-low four points, six rebounds and a season-high five steals before fouling out with 49.8 seconds left. … The Crimson Tide won for the second time in five meetings with the Bruins, snapping a three-game losing streak.
Top Game Performances
 
UCLA   Alabama
Bryce Alford 16 Scoring Ricky Tarrant 24
Bryce Alford 4 Assists Rodney Cooper 2
Bryce Alford 6 Rebounds Rodney Cooper 7
Bryce Alford 8 Free Throws Made Ricky Tarrant 8
Kevon Looney 5 Steals Levi Randolph 3
Kevon Looney 1 Blocks Shannon Hale 1
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
UCLA 50 30.8 5-19 13-19 9 34 3 9 18
Alabama 56 33.3 4-22 18-30 7 36 5 9 12