Live Updates: Alabama Basketball vs Florida

The Crimson Tide and the Gators enter Tuesday night as the only two teams that are 2-0 in SEC play

Second Half:

• Duruji opens up the second half with two points for Florida.

• Castleton cuts the Alabama lead to three with two more points for the Gators.

• Duruji hits a three from the corner. Alabama calls a timeout. The Gators have now tied the game at 39-39 with a 7-0 run to start the second half.

• A field goal by Jones finally ends the scoreless streak for the Crimson Tide.

• Petty fouled while going up to the net, basket counts. Petty steps up to the line and gets the and-one. Alabama leads 46-41 with just over 16 minutes left in the contest.

• Ellis nails a deep three, assist credited to Rojas. 49-41 Crimson Tide. Media timeout with 15:33 remaining.

• Ellis is now 3-for-3 from beyond the arc in tonight's game.

• Shackelford hits a field goal for two. Alabama now has a 10-point lead with just under 15 minutes left.

• The Crimson Tide is currently out-rebounding the Gators 32-23, one of its best rebounding efforts of the season.

• Shackelford shoots both free throws after being fouled going up to the net. The Crimson Tide leads by 53-41. Florida timeout.

• Florida finally gets a basket after a 14-2 run by the Crimson Tide. The next possession, Rojas gets two with a layup, but is fouled for the and-one.

• Three-point basket by Petty. Alabama takes a 16-point lead with 12:11 remaining. Mann answers for Florida with two of his own.

• Petty picks up an assist with a pass to Rojas who rings in the layup. Alabama leads Florida at the under-12 media timeout 61-45.

• Ellis picks up the rebound and strolls down the court for a layup.

• Shackelford is fouled on his way up yet again. The sophomore guard nails both free throws, extending the Crimson Tide's lead to 18 with 10 minutes left.

• Reese is called for his third personal. Both Reese and Jones are tied for the most personals with three each.

• Alabama is issued a bench warning after a ball is tossed out of bounds by the Gators. The ball appeared to be a missed pass by Florida. We in the arena unfortunately don't have replay, but it didn't appear to touch any Alabama players.

• Florida now has back-to-back threes, cutting Alabama's lead to 12.

• Jones is fouled under the net, makes both free throws for the Crimson Tide. Alabama's lead is back to 14 at 67-53 with 8:14 remaining.

• Castleton turns the ball over for the Gators. Media timeout with 7:57 left to go.

• Ellis scores two from the free-throw line. Alabama is back in front by 16.

• Ellis just took a foul heading up for a layup. Basket rolls around the rim and in. Ellis hits the and-one, and now leads the Crimson Tide in points with 16. He is also two rebounds away from a double-double with eight.

• Alabama is now three of its last three with a layup by Petty, assist by Jones.

• At the under-four media timeout, the Crimson Tide lead the Gators 79-61 with 3:46 remaining in the game. While Castleton started the game strong and was eating the Crimson Tide alive in the paint, it is clear that Oats pairing Bruner with the 6'11" forward is tiring out the Gator.

• Three-point basket by Jones puts the Crimson Tide up 19 with less than two minutes to go.

• Florida is charged with goaltending on a short jumper by Rojas. Basket is counted. Alabama leads 86-65 with 1:25 left to go. Oats is calling in the team and sending the bench players out onto the court for the final minutes. The student section is going crazy.

• Final score: Alabama 86, Florida 71

Halftime Notes:

• At the break, Alabama Athletics began playing the Heisman Trophy ceremony on the screens over center court. Here is the crowd's reaction to Crimson Tide wide receiver DeVonta Smith winning the award:

Congratulations @DeVontaSmith_6 and @AlabamaFTBL‼️#RollTide pic.twitter.com/S7vg7nM5Ai

— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) January 6, 2021

• Five Alabama players are tied for the most points at the half with six each: Jones, Bruner, Shackelford, Ellis and Rojas.

• Bruner leads the team in rebounds with seven at the break, making him four points and three rebounds away from a double-double.

First Half:

• Florida wins the opening tip, and we are underway here in Coleman Coliseum.

• Noah Locke scores the first points for the Gators, a three-point basket.

• Jaden Shackelford gets the first points for the Crimson Tide with a three-point basket of his own, assisted by John Petty Jr.

• Jordan Bruner gets the layup. Alabama and Florida are tied 5-5 with 17:22 remaining in the first half.

• Bruner picks up his first foul, a blocking foul. Florida makes one free throw. Media timeout. Florida leads 8-7 with 15:57 remaining in the first half.

• Alabama forward James Rojas is fouled on the layup attempt. Rojas goes to the line and makes one of his two free throws.

• Three-point basket by Tre Mann of Florida. Herbert Jones responds with two on the opposite end.

• Jones gets two more points. The Crimson Tide takes its first lead of the game. Florida timeout with 13:35 remaining in the first half. Alabama leads 12-11.

• Shackelford picks up his first personal foul. Florida's Tyree Appleby makes both free throws to give Florida the 13-12 lead.

• Mann went down hard on his head, forcing the refs to stop play. Mann has been escorted by a trainer to the bench.

• Florida scores five unanswered before the under-12 media timeout. Gators lead 18-14.

• Keon Ellis nails a three from the corner, then runs down the court to pick up a rebound. Bruner rebounds it on the offensive end, then gets the layup for a five-point run and an Alabama lead.

• Bruner slams down a two-handed dunk. Coleman Coliseum is rocking.

• Two more points by Florida's Colin Castleton and the Gators are back on top 22-21 at the under-8 timeout.

• Alex Reese drains a three to once again tie the game at 24.

• Reese picks up his first personal, but Florida misses the rebound off of the missed free throw and Reese rebounds the ball. On the ensuing possession, Reese tips in a layup for two. Alabama gains a 26-24 lead with 5 minutes left in the first half.

• Ellis drains a three, assisted by Primo. 29-24 Alabama.

• Reese was subbed from the game and limped to his seat. After talking to a trainer, Reese is walking to the exercise bike where a trainer is putting a brace on left knee.

• Between a layup by Rojas and short jumper by Petty, Alabama has scored four unanswered to take a 34-29 lead.

• Castleton is tearing Alabama up in the paint. Another quick layup good. Alabama 34, Florida 31 with 1:29 remaining in the first half.

• Rojas is fouled, hits both subsequent free throws.

• Reese is back on the court, sporting a brace on his left knee.

• Shackelford hits a three from deep. 39-31 Crimson Tide.

• End of the first half. Alabama 39, Florida 32.

Pregame:

• According to Nate Oats, sophomore guard Jahvon Quinerly will be unavailable for Alabama in tonight's game due to a medical condition. It is currently unknown whether or not the the condition is COVID-related.

• Alabama starting five: Herbert Jones (W), Jordan Bruner (F), Jaden Shackelford (G), Josh Primo (G), John Petty Jr. (G).

• Florida starting five: Tre Mann (G), Anthony Duruji (F), Noah Locke (G), Colin Castleton (F), Scottie Lewis (G).

• Tonight's officials: Doug Shows, Bart Lenox, John Gaffney.

Preview:

Alabama's had a long time to think about its last meeting with Florida on the basketball court, but that's not usual of late.

Tuesday night, the Crimson Tide will host the Gators with both teams undefeated in league play, and if last season's conference opener was a fair indication of what to expect it should be quite a game.

Florida came back from a 21-point deficit to pull out a 104-98 victory in double overtime. The Crimson Tide trailed only once in regulation, and for less than a minute, until overtime. However, in the process, Herbert Jones, Galin Smith and Javian Davis all fouled out

"Stuff that coaches lose sleep over definitely went the wrong way for us," Alabama coach Nate Oats said after the game.

Florida has dominated the series lately, having won 14 of 16, and 25 of the last 30 meetings.

However, the games have been close, with 15 of the last 20 decided by 10 points or less.

How to Watch:

When: 6 p.m. Tuesday, ESPN2.

Where: Coleman Coliseum

TV: ESPN2/ESPNU

Radio: Crimson Tide Radio Network

Series history: Florida and Alabama will meet for the 146th time. Alabama leads the series 75-70.

Last time out, Alabama: The Crimson Tide used a big 19-6 second half run to upset No. 7 Tennessee, 71-63, at Thompson-Boling on Saturday night. It marked the Crimson Tide’s first road win over a top-10 team since knocking off then-No. 4 Mississippi State, 77-73 in Starkville, Miss., on Feb 21, 2004. Alabama (7-3, 2-0 SEC) knocked down 8-of-11 (72.7 percent) three pointers and shot 50 percent from deep after the intermission. John Petty Jr. had a game-high 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field and a perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the arc to go along with six boards. Jahvon Quinerly added 12 points a game-high five assists. Herbert Jones and Joshua Primo each scored 11 points.

Last time out, Florida: Junior forward Colin Castleton, a 6-10 transfer from Michigan, had his second straight standout performance while scoring 21 points, including 19 in the second half, as the Gators won their SEC home opener against LSU to go to 2-0 in league play. Florida had four different players score at least 16 points during 83-79 victory.