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National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Wichita St. 72, Alabama 67
When: 9:00 PM ET, Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Where: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Officials: # John Hampton, # Rick Hartzell, # Keith Kimble
Attendance: 9918

No. 9 Wichita State 72, Alabama 67: Cleanthony Early scored 20 of his 26 points in the second half as the visiting Shockers continued the best start in program history with a win over the Crimson Tide.

Anthony made all 11 of his free throws and scored 11 points in the final six-plus minutes. Tekele Cotton and Fred VanVleet had 11 points apiece and Darius Carter added nine points and a game-high seven rebounds off the bench for Wichita State (11-0), which had a 38-26 advantage on the boards and was 25-of-27 from the line.

Trevor Releford returned from a one-game layoff due to a hip issue to score 22 points for the Crimson Tide (5-5). Rodney Cooper chipped in 14 points in a reserve role.

Releford hit back-to-back 3-pointers with with just under nine minutes left to put Alabama up 52-51 but Anthony made four straight free throws and then had a dunk and a three-point play to give the Shockers a 65-61 edge with two minutes left. The Crimson Tide twice got within a point but Carter and VanVleet had answers in the final minute to help Wichita State hang on.

The Shockers scored the game's first seven points and took an 18-9 lead on Carter's basket less than seven minutes in. Cooper's 3-pointer in the finale minute of the first half gave Alabama a short-lived lead as Cotton made two free throws to give Wichita State an advantage it would not lose until Releford's consecutive 3- pointers.

GAME NOTEBOOK:
The Shockers had zero assists at halftime and finished with six, led by four from G Ron Baker. ... Wichita State picked up its second win against a Southeastern Conference team in as many games, having defeated Tennessee at home Saturday. ... Alabama G Retin Obasohan, who entered averaging 15.2 points, was held to eight on 2-of-10 shooting.
Top Game Performances
 
Wichita St.   Alabama
Cleanthony Early 26 Scoring Trevor Releford 22
Ron Baker 4 Assists Trevor Releford 6
Darius Carter 7 Rebounds Jimmie Taylor 5
Cleanthony Early 11 Free Throws Made Trevor Releford 5
Ron Baker 1 Steals Retin Obasohan 1
Cleanthony Early 1 Blocks Nick Jacobs 2
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Wichita St. 72 44.0 3-12 25-27 6 36 2 6 12
Alabama 67 43.4 7-20 14-19 12 22 5 2 9