Determined Alabama Solves South Carolina

Alabama made up 23 points in two months and four points twice in the second half Wednesday night.

Eric Washington scored 25 points for the Crimson Tide, and his three-point basket with four minutes to play put them ahead in a 68-67 victory over South Carolina in the third round of the National Invitation Tournament.

Alabama (19-11) had been beaten by 23 points the last time it played at South Carolina (19-12), on Jan. 23. That started a three-game slide that ended the Crimson Tide’s Southeastern Conference chances and labeled it a second-division team.

“We knew that wasn’t the Alabama team we wanted to be remembered by,” said Alabama forward Roy Rogers, who had 10 points, 13 rebounds and seven blocks.

Alabama Coach David Hobbs said his team was unquestionably better this time. “We understand our roles better. We’re a lot tougher mentally, and when things got tough in the game last time we kind of cracked a little bit,” he said. “But this time we didn’t do that.”

Instead, they got some help from South Carolina guard Melvin Watson, who missed a free throw with 54 seconds to play that would have tied the game and dribbled the ball off his foot with 10 seconds to play.

And they got some luck when BJ McKie’s three-quarter court shot slammed off the backboard, hit inside the front rim and bounced away at the buzzer.

South Carolina had been 16-1 at home before the loss, with only NCAA tournament favorite Kentucky winning in Columbia.

Tulane 83, Illinois State 72--The Green Wave got 18 of Jerald Honeycutt’s 25 points in the second half and shook off a late Redbird charge to win in New Orleans.

Tulane (21-9) had never won three postseason games.

LeVeldro Simmons added 21 points for the Green Wave and Patrick Lewis had 10.

Maurice Trotter led Illinois State (22-12) with 16 points, Rico Hill 14 and Dan Muller 13.