NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The game was no more than a couple of minutes old. Ole Miss had made every one of the five shots it had attempted. Retin Obasohan was in foul trouble.
It turned out to be just what the Alabama basketball team needed.
"Believe it or not, it was kind of a blessing in disguise when (Retin) got in foul trouble," Alabama head coach Avery Johnson said. "We had other guys step up."
Using a balanced attack and a strong defensive presence around the basket, the Crimson Tide won its SEC Tournament matchup with Ole Miss 81-73, surviving a 39-point barrage by Ole Miss guard Stefan Moody and advancing to a quarterfinals against second-seeded Kentucky tonight.