Troy Falls at Alabama, 79-60

Monday, November 15

Tuscaloosa, AL

7:00 p.m.

Troy University

University of Alabama

Photo by: Edward Fieder

11/15/2010 8:12:22 PM | Basketball (M)

Trojans Out-Rebound Tide 37-36

By: Taylor Bryan

BOX SCORE

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Troy struggled from the field and Alabama used their athleticism and physical play to defeat the Trojans 79-60 on Monday night.

Troy kept fighting and were able to pare a lead that was once as high as 28 down the final margin of 19. They also fought hard on the glass all night and were able to take the rebounding battle 37-to-36.

“You have to look for positives in a game like this and if the stat sheet is correct, we won the rebound battle tonight,” head coach Don Maestri said. “To do that against an SEC team, with the caliber of athletes they have, is really good. I think one of the reasons we were able to do that was because we played so hard. We played hard on both offensive and defensive ends.”

The Trojans struggled from the field for the duration of the game to the tune of 39 percent from the field (23-of-59). Troy hit just 5-of-20 3-point attempts (25 percent).

“Vernon Taylor could have had 20-plus tonight, but missed some good looks,” Maestri said. “Bernard Toombs also missed some shots in the paint.

“We have to look at this game as a learning experience and have to capitalize in practice on the things we didn't do so well.”

Troy held close over the first eight minutes, but a 21-6 run by the Crimson Tide over the next seven minutes pushed their lead to 36-18 with 5:22 left in the first half. The run was capped by three-point play by Senario Hillman.

Toombs knocked down a foul line jumper with 1:06 left to start a 6-0 that cut the Crimson Tide lead to 45-32. Kendall Durant got a lay up to go as time expired in the first half to give Alabama a 47-32 halftime advantage.

The Crimson Tide big first half run was fueled by nine Troy turnovers that Alabama was able to convert into 16 points.

Taylor led the Trojans with eight opening half points. He struggled shooting just 4-of-14 from the field (missed all five 3-point attempts) and finished with 11 for the game.

Troy got a lay-up from Taylor with 10:12 remaining, but would cut it no closer than 13 as the Crimson Tide used a 19-4 run to stretch its lead out for good.

JaMychal Green led Alabama with 17 points and seven rebounds. Hillman added 16 points.

There were a couple of bright spot for the Trojans was the play inside of senior center Toombs. The Columbus, Ga.-native recorded his first career double-double with a team-best 12 points and 11 boards.

The Trojans are in action next on Friday when they face Georgia State on the road in Atlanta. Tip-off is set for 6 pm central time.