Labaron Philon Jr. Hits Late Jumper to Lift No. 17 Alabama Over No. 22 Tennessee 71-69

KNOXVILLE — Labaron Philon Jr. drained a 22.8-second go-ahead jumper as No. 17 Alabama erased a 12-point halftime deficit to secure a 71-69 victory over No. 22 Tennessee Saturday night, extending the Crimson Tide’s strong SEC momentum.

Latrell Wrightsell led Alabama with 25 points, including six three pointers, while Philon contributed 23 points off the bench, scoring 15 in the second half alone. Aden Holloway added 12 points to bolster Alabama’s comeback effort. The Crimson Tide improved to 22-7 overall and 12-4 in Southeastern Conference play, keeping pace with the top SEC contenders and setting up a crucial matchup at Georgia on Tuesday.

Tennessee (20-9, 10-6) fell short despite Ja’Kobi Gillespie’s 26 points, eight steals, and seven assists. J.P. Estrella added 12 points, and Jaylen Carey contributed 10 points and nine rebounds. The Volunteers squandered a double-digit first half lead, missing three critical shots within five feet of the basket in the final seconds, which ultimately sealed their fate. Tennessee freshman Nate Ament suffered what appeared to be a right knee injury in the first half, briefly returned to the game, but left with 17:53 remaining.

Alabama’s victory marked another example of the Tide’s resilience against ranked opponents. The team overcame challenges posed by injuries to key freshmen, including Amari Allen, who returned from a groin injury but contributed just two points. Philon, returning from an undisclosed injury, demonstrated his impact with clutch scoring that shifted momentum late in the second half.

Next steps: Alabama travels to Georgia on Tuesday for a pivotal SEC matchup with tournament seeding implications, while Tennessee heads to South Carolina, aiming to rebound and maintain its position among the top SEC teams heading into postseason play.