Live Updates: No. 15 Alabama Basketball at Florida

Live stats, scoring and analysis as the Crimson Tide looks to improve to 2-0 in SEC play.

After a solid start to SEC play last Tuesday with a win over then-No. 17 Tennessee, Alabama basketball looks to keep the momentum rolling on Wednesday at Florida.

The Crimson Tide has started the season 10-3 and is 1-0 in SEC play, but faces a solid Gators squad on a court that has given it issues in the past. While Alabama holds a 76-70 all-time series lead over Florida, it is 20-42 in Gainesville — including having lost 10 of its last 13 trips. The game marks just the Crimson Tide's second true road game this season.

Florida was set to begin SEC play last Wednesday against Ole Miss, but COVID-19 issues forced the game to be postponed. The Gators have a 9-3 overall record, but have lost three of its last six games after starting the season 6-0.

The game is set to tip off at 6 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on ESPN2.

Keep refreshing this page all night for live updates, stats and analysis as the Crimson Tide looks to improve to improve to 2-0 in SEC play at the Gators' home court.

Second Half

• Final: Alabama 83, Florida 70.

• A dagger of a layup by Shackelford will about do it. Florida will dribble the ball out.

• An offensive rebound by Gary with :30 seconds left to play will add some insurance for Alabama. Quinerly heads to the line and hits both of his free throws. 81-70 Crimson Tide with :18 seconds to go.

• Castleton hits a layup to give him 19 points on the night. Alabama maintains a 9-point lead in the final minute.

• Back-to-back baskets by Gary thanks to assists by Quinerly put Alabama up 79-68 with 1:31 left.

• At the final media timeout, the Crimson Tide holds a 73-65 lead. The Gators will have possession after the break.

• Shackelford hits a key three to increase Alabama's lead to 11 points. McKissic responds with a three of his own. 73-65 Crimson Tide.

• Blocking foul on Jones will give Alabama the basketball back. That is Florida's sixth team foul. The Crimson Tide, meanwhile, has nine personals.

• Gurley has fouled out of the game.

• A goaltending call on Duruji gives Alabama two points. Another turnover for the Gators sets up a dunk for Ellis. 70-61 Crimson Tide with 4:55 left to play.

• A three-pointer by Felder makes it 66-60 Alabama with 6:17 to go. A Florida rebound at the opposite end gives them possession, and Bediako picks up his fourth foul.

• Castleton gets two points off of a putback. Gators have cut the Alabama lead to nine.

• Florida loses control, but Alabama gives it right back thanks to a double-dribble by Quinerly.

• At the under-8 media timeout, Alabama holds a 64-55 lead. The Gators have managed to get the crowd back into the game and will have possession of the basketball after the break.

• Davison tosses up an alley-oop to Bediako. 64-53 Alabama with eight minutes left.

• Back-to-back threes for Jones makes it 61-51 in favor of the Crimson Tide.

• Jones hits a three for Florida. 60-49 Alabama.

• Make that seven turnovers. Ellis capitalizes with a dunk. A layup by Quinerly makes it a 16-3 run for Alabama.

• So far in the second half, Florida is 0-of-8 from the floor and has turned the ball over six times.

• Great team basketball results in another two points for Ellis. Two for Gary after a steal on the defensive end of the court for Alabama. Florida calls another timeout. 56-43 Alabama at the 12:44 mark.

• Ellis hits his second three of the game, and Florida calls a timeout to regroup. With 13:48 left in the game, Alabama leads 52-43 after an 11-1 run.

• Gurley drains a three. 47-43 Alabama at the 14:22 mark. Two good free throws by Gary gives the Crimson Tide a six-point lead.

• Florida turns over the basketball for the 11th time. Alabama fails to capitalize with Bediako's shot being blocked. However, the Crimson Tide maintains a 44-42 lead.

• A huge dunk by Bediako results in a delay of game warning. On the ensuing Florida possession, Miles steals the basketball. Alabama is playing much tighter defense this half.

• Appleby hits two free throws to give Florida a 42-41 lead.

• Ellis is shaken up on the court and is taken straight to the locker room. He was hit across the bridge of the mouth (incidental) and is likely getting a quick look in the locker room.

• A steal by Gary and a three by Quinerly to open up the second half ties the game at 39.

Halftime Notes

• At the break, Gary leads the Crimson Tide with 9 points. Shackelford and Quinerly are tied for second in points with 8 apiece. Bediako has 5, Ellis 4 and Amrose-Hylton 2.

• Bediako leads Alabama with four rebounds. Ambrose-Hylton is second with three. Of the nine players that have seen action on the court for the Crimson Tide, eight of them have at least one rebound on the night.

• While Alabama's defense was the storyline heading into Wednesday night's game, its offense has been the portion that has been struggling. Through the first 20 minutes, the Crimson Tide is shooting just 31-percent from the floor (11-of-35) and is 29-percent from beyond the arc (5-of-17).

• In total rebounds, Florida holds a 21-19 edge.

First Half

• Halftime: Florida 39, Alabama 36

• Quinerly misses a three in the final seconds.

• Quinerly heads to the line and makes one of his two free throws. On the ensuing Florida possession, Fleming Jr. loses control of the basketball and kicks it out of bounds with 7.8 seconds left.

• Ambrose-Hylton picks up his second personal foul, and Castleton makes both free throws to put the Gators up 39-35.

• Two free-throws by Shackelford bring Alabama within two. 53.4 seconds left.

• A shot-clock violation is called, so no basket. 37-33 Florida with 1:36 left in the first half.

• Shackelford hit a three as the shot clock expired, but the officials are heading to the side of the court to see if he got the shot off in time.

• Felder responds with a three, and the Gators are back on top. Final media timeout.

• Gary hits a layup, and the game is now tied at 33 with just over three minutes left in the first half.

• Brandon McKissic hits a three for the Gators. Gary responds with three. On the play, Bediako was fouled under the net, and he hits both of his free throws to pull the Crimson Tide within two.

• Alabama finally gets a basket with a layup by Juwan Gary. However, Florida still leads 30-26 with 5:14 left to play in the first half.

• Make that 0 of its last 8 for Alabama. Florida now has an 11-1 run.

• Alabama is currently 0 of its last 7 and has a scoring drought of 2:24. Defensive rebounds have been key for the Gators, who have 10.

• A layup by Felder and a dunk by Castleton give Florida a 25-22 lead at the under-8 media timeout. Alabama will have possession after the break.

• Bediako was fouled on the shot attempt and hits one of his two free throws. 22-21 Alabama a the 9:44 mark.

• Two of Alabama's four forwards have two fouls, while Gurley now has three. Ambros-Hylton has one.

• At the 10:15 mark, Florida is already in the bonus thanks to seven personals called on Alabama. The Gators have four.

• Corner three hit by Anthony Duruji for the Gators.

• Keon Ellis hits a three at the buzzer and is fouled. Ellis steps up to the line and hits his and-one opportunity. 21-15 Alabama at the 10:46 mark.

• Castleton was fouled on his way up by Keon Ambrose-Hylton, but got the shot off before the whistle was blown. The basket counts. 17-25 Alabama at the under-12 media timeout.

• Shackelford hits his second three of the night.

• Castleton makes a layup, and the Gators have pulled within one. 14-13 Alabama at the 12:14 mark.

• And now Gurley has equalled Bediako in personal fouls. Both now have a pair.

• Quinerly nails a deep three, and just like that Alabama is back on top 12-11.

• Gurley picks up his first foul. Colin Castleton hits both of his free throws, and Florida has its first lead of the game. 11-9 Gators.

• A big dunk by C.J. Felder ties the game at 9-9 heading into the first media timeout.

• Bediako picks up his second personal at the 16:30 mark. Noah Gurley enters the game to replace him at F.

• A three for Shackelford puts the Crimson Tide up 5-2. Quinerly had a layup to give Alabama its first two points.

• Myreon Jones for Florida gets the first points of the game with a layup. 2-0 Florida.

• Alabama has won the tipoff, and we are underway.

Pregame

• Tonight's officials: Don Daily, Mike Nance, Vladimir Voyard-Tadal.

• Starting five for Alabama announced:

#BamaFirstFive pic.twitter.com/d8ommpIAFi

— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) January 5, 2022

• Florida starting five:

Starting ✋

0️⃣
4️⃣
1️⃣2️⃣
2️⃣2️⃣
2️⃣3️⃣#GoGators | #GatorsHoop pic.twitter.com/rd4pa1FQxF

— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) January 5, 2022