Florida 68 - 62 3Alabama
Final
  for this game

Florida escapes 'Bama, runs streak to 10

Jan 24, 2014 - 4:14 AM Tuscaloosa, AL (SportsNetwork.com) - Michael Frazier scored 18 points, Casey Prather had 14 and No. 6 Florida held on to beat Alabama 68-62 on Thursday.

Scottie Wilbekin added 10 points for the Gators (16-2, 5-0 SEC), who pushed their winning streak to 10 games. They have won eight in a row over Alabama.

Trevor Releford had 14 points to lead Alabama (8-10, 2-3) and Nick Jacobs scored 12.

The Crimson Tide have lost three of four. They cut their deficit from nine points to five after Levi Randolph scored four of his 11 points in a matter of seconds near the end of the game.

He made two free throws, stole the ball from Kasey Hill, then knocked down two more from the line with 1:07 remaining to get the Crimson Tide within 62-57.

But the Gators made their foul shots down the stretch to hang on, winning for the 15th time in their last 16 games.

Their only loss in the last 16 games came Dec. 2 to Connecticut on Shabazz Napier's buzzer-beater.

Florida's seniors earned their 100th win.

"It's a great accomplishment," said Prather. "It humbles us knowing that we have so far to go, but we have also come so far since our freshman year."

Florida's Billy Donovan bested Alabama's Anthony Grant to improve to 13-2 against his former assistant coaches. Grant served under Donovan from 1996-2006.

"They are a great basketball team," said Grant. "They are the sixth-ranked team in the country for a reason."

Dorian Finney-Smith and Frazier made back-to-back 3-pointers to cap an 11-4 Florida run to open the first half. Alabama never led but stayed within single digits most of the game.

The Gators had a 33-26 lead at halftime and went up by a game-high 12 with 8:57 remaining after Finney-Smith hit a 3 and Hill followed with a layup.

Game Notes

The Crimson Tide out-shot the Gators 38.6 percent to 37.7 percent but the Gators made 10 3-pointers (10-of-28) ... Will Yeguete and Finney-Smith both had 11 rebounds for Florida ... Alabama leads the all-time series 73-63 but Florida is 20-5 against the Crimson Tide under Donovan ... Both teams play again Saturday at home. Florida hosts Tennessee and Alabama hosts LSU.






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