Live Updates: Alabama Basketball vs No. 4 Baylor

The SEC-Big 12 Challenge returns to Tuscaloosa as Alabama looks to knock off another highly-ranked team.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Coming off its worst loss of the season against Georgia on Tuesday, Alabama (13-7, 4-4 SEC) looks to get a massive win and turn its season around as the defending national champion and fourth-ranked Baylor Bears (18-2, 6-2 Big 12) come to Coleman Coliseum. 

This is the third 2021 Final Four participant that Alabama has played this season. Alabama beat the previous two teams in Gonzaga and Houston.

Alabama and Baylor previously met in the 2019 SEC-Big 12 Challenge, where the Bears won 73-68 in Waco.

Final stats

Second Half

• 18:58 - Shackelford scores inside to open the half. Alabama leads 40-34.
• 16:42 - A double-technical foul has been called on Quinerly and Baylor's Akinjo. Alabama leads 43-38.
• 14:51 - Keon Ellis hits one free throw. Alabama leads 46-40.
• 14:04 - Ellis throws down a monster dunk off a steal. Alabama leads 50-40.
• 12:14 - Ellis hits two free throws. Alabama leads 54-42.
• 11:45 - A transition three goes down for Ellis. Alabama leads 57-42.
• 10:25 - Quinerly stops a small Baylor run with two free throws. Alabama leads 61-50.
• 7:55 - Baylor capitalizes on a three to make the score 65-60 Alabama's way. 
• 7:21 - Quinerly answers with a three. Alabama leads 68-60.
• 5:45 - Juwan Gary hits one free throw. Alabama leads 72-63.
• 4:55 - Shackelford drills a three at the end of the shot clock. Alabama leads 75-66.
• 3:40 - Noah Gurley scores inside. Alabama leads 77-71.
• 2:46 - Davison throws down a breakaway slam. Alabama leads 81-71.
• 1:19 - Davison hits a three. Alabama leads 84-75.
• 0:36 - Gary finishes a lob from Davison. Alabama leads 86-78.
• 0:28 - Shackelford hits one free throw. Alabama leads 87-78.
• FINAL - Alabama beats Baylor 87-78.

First half stats

First Half

• 18:56 - Rojas gets to the line for Alabama and hits two free throws. Alabama leads 2-0. 
• Baylor's Matthew Mayer has picked up two fouls. 
• 15:44 - Shackelford gets a layup inside. Alabama leads 6-2.
• 14:50 - JD Davison checks in and hits a three. Alabama leads 9-3.
• 13:03 - An offensive rebound and putback from Shackelford extends Alabama's lead to 13-6.
• 10:20 - Davison scores off a screen, then Baylor nails a three to make the score 17-14.
• 9:28 - Another three goes down as Baylor takes a 19-17. lead. 
• 7:47 - Quinerly hits a deep three. Alabama leads 22-20.
• 6:40 - Quinerly blows by his defender and finishes. Alabama leads 26-20.
• 5:20 - Quinerly dials up another deep three. Alabama leads 29-22.
• 3:10 - Baylor will shoot a one-and-one after the media timeout. Alabama leads 29-26.
• 2:14 - Two Quinerly free throws give Alabama the lead back, 31-30.
• 0:57 - Davison scores a layup. Alabama leads 35-32.
• HALF - Keon Ellis hits three free throws to end the half. Alabama leads Baylor 38-34.

Pregame

Sophomore forward Juwan Gary is expected to play for Alabama. Gary has been out since injuring his face against LSU on Jan. 19. Sophomore forward Darius Miles is expected to miss this afternoon's game with a knee injury suffered against Georgia earlier this week. 

Alabama will mix up its starting lineup yet again for this game. Jahvon Quinerly is back in the starting lineup, alongside Jaden Shackelford, Keon Ellis, James Rojas, and Charles Bediako. 

Today's officials will be Doug Shows, Tony Greene, and Owen Shortt.

Game Preview

The SEC/Big 12 Challenge has produced some legendary games throughout the years since its inception in 2013. One of the more memorable games for Alabama basketball fans is the 2018 matchup between the Crimson Tide and No. 12 Oklahoma in Coleman Coliseum. It was a battle between Herb Jones and Collin Sexton for the Crimson Tide and Trae Young for the Sooners with Alabama coming out on top 80-73 in a front of a completely full crowd inside Coleman Coliseum.

Alabama will be hoping to recreate that magic on Saturday when No. 4 Baylor comes into town for the 2022 edition of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. It will be Alabama's third matchup against one of last year's Final Four teams with the Crimson Tide already holding wins over Gonzaga and Houston.

The Crimson Tide lost last year on the road to Oklahoma, but the SEC won the challenge overall for the first time since 2018.

The Crimson Tide is also searching for answers and needs a win after losing to 6-14 Georiga in Athens Tuesday night.

Here's everything you need to know about Alabama's Saturday matchup with the defending national champions:

How to Watch:

Who: Alabama (13-7, 4-4 SEC) vs. No. 4 Baylor (18-2, 6-2 Big 12)

What: SEC/Big 12 Challenge

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When: 3:00 p.m. CT, Saturday

Where: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Ala.

TV: ESPN

Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network with Chris Stewart (play-by-play), Bryan Passink (analyst) and Roger Hoover (sideline) on the call. The pregame show will begin one hour prior to tipoff.

Last time out, Alabama: The Crimson Tide lost on the road Tuesday night to a previously winless in the SEC Georgia team. Alabama once again struggled to show consistent effort and energy and failed to make stops down the stretch. Outside of Jaden Shackelford shooting 6-9 from three, the team shot 3-23 from beyond the arc.

Last time out, Baylor: The Bears were also playing the team at the bottom of their league in the Kansas State Wildcats. Unlike Alabama, Baylor handled business and easily rolled over Kansas State 74-49 Tuesday night in Waco. Gaurd LJ Cryer led the Bears with 14 points. Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua had a double-double off the bench with 13 points and 12 rebounds for Baylor.

The series: Baylor and Alabama have only met twice with the two teams splitting the previous meetings. Most recently, the Bears and Crimson Tide met in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge in 2019 in Waco with Baylor coming away with the 73-68 win in Avery Johnson's final season at Alabama. The two teams first met Thanksgiving week in 2009 in a consolation game at the Old Spice Classic in Orlando. Alabama won that game 79-76 behind 22 points from JaMychal Green and 20 points from Mikhail Torrance.