First, Tennessee got Tuesday’s men’s basketball game at Alabama at a pace it wanted.
Then it got the result it wanted.
Led by senior Jordan Bowden and juniors John Fulkerson and Yves Pons, the Volunteers overcame a 15-point first-half deficit and defeated the Crimson Tide 69-68 at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa.
The win puts the Vols at 13-9 overall and 5-4 in the Southeastern Conference, with Kentucky coming to Thompson-Boling Arena this Saturday. That 1 p.m. game will be broadcast by CBS.
The Crimson Tide (12-10, 4-5) led by 15 points on three occasions in the first half, the last time 39-24 with 1:49 to play. The Vols responded with an 8-1 run to finish the half, then continued slicing into the lead when play resumed.
Tennessee guard Jordan Bowden (23) plays against Vanderbilt in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. Tennessee won 66-45. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)The Vols didn’t shoot well from 3-point range (2-for-15) but were 23-for-32 on free throws and made 15 of 21 in the second half. The attacking nature led to Alabama being called for 15 fouls in the final 20 minutes, with posts Javian Davis, Alex Reese and Galin Smith all fouling out.
Tennessee’s defense also held up against the Tide, forcing 20 turnovers and holding the home team to 39% shooting in the second half.
Fulkerson had a career-high 22 points while adding three blocked shots. Bowden had 20 points and was 10-for-11 from the free-throw line. He added seven rebounds and a career-high six steals. Pons had 14 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks. Santiago Vescovi had eight points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Kira Lewis Jr. scored 19 points to lead Alabama.
TUESDAY STAR
There are multiple possibilities, and we’re going to go with three. Coach Rick Barnes has been hard on his upperclassmen, but on Bowden, Fulkerson and Pons combined for 56 points, 24 rebounds, six blocks and seven steals. In the second half, the trio scored 32 of the Vols’ 37 points.
TUESDAY STAT
21 and 32. That’s how many free throws the Vols shot in the second half and the game, respectively. For more context on why those numbers are important, Tennessee has had 14 games this season that it didn’t shoot 21 free throws, and the 32 attempts are a season high. The Vols attacked Tuesday and didn’t fall in love with the 3-pointer, something they’ve had a tendency to do this season. The 23 made foul shots are the second-most this season, with 24 against Florida State.
TURNING POINT
The game had so many twists and turns and lead changes, but Pons made two of the biggest plays, blocking a game-tying Jaylen Forbes shot and recovering the rebound with four seconds to play. Then the 6-foot-6 junior was fouled and knocked down the two ensuing free throws that put the game out of reach.
WHAT IT MEANS
There will be plenty of time to discuss what Tuesday means in the big picture, as far as NCAA tournament resume stuff. After losing three straight and being manhandled on the interior in two of those games, Tennessee started slowly but found the level of toughness it had been lacking in previous games to dominate the second half and get a big win on the road.
UP NEXT
The Vols return home after two straight on the road and welcome 15th-ranked Kentucky on Saturday. Tennessee won two of three last season in battles of top-10 programs, but this season isn’t that. Still, the Vols come out of Tuesday with a level of optimism that likely will bleed into the fan base and could lead to a great crowd.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3 or at Facebook.com/VolsUpdate.