Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama Basketball Falls to Florida 80-67

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 3:37 p.m. ET

Fansided, Ronald Evans/FanSided via Bama Hammer

Alabama basketball Fought Hard but #23 Florida Gators Too Much for the Tide

Alabama basketball has experienced a tough decade against the Florida Gators. Alabama has only beaten Florida once, a 61-55 win last season in Gainesville. The rest of the decade has been Florida dominance with 10 Alabama losses.

On Tuesday night Alabama’s scrappy basketball team challenged the Florida Gators for much of the game but it was another loss for the Tide. Florida outlasted the Tide for an 80-67 in Tuscaloosa.

Braxton Key led the Tide with a career-high and Tide season-high 24 points. Dont’a Hall finished with 12 pts and Armond Davis added 10 pts.

Alabama opened with the game’s first 4 points, followed by an 11-0 run by Florida. After later Florida surges of 13-2 and 11-0, Alabama finally responded with a 14-2 run to cut the halftime lead to 38-31.

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After being down by as much as 18 points, the Tide battled back to lead for much of the second half. Key’s consistent scoring, Hall’s putbacks and a rainmaker 3 from Armond Hall, shot just inside halfcourt, spurred Tide runs.

The Tide’s superb defensive effort and determined offensive play were not enough. Alabama could not overcome too many, mostly self-inflicted mistakes.

Alabama was only 16-32 at the foul line while Florida was 24-32. Alabama also comitted18 turnovers that led to 21 Florida points.

Alabama again showed the toughness and grit that are becoming a trademark of Avery Johnson’s Tide teams. Their effort is admirable and it is clear Avery Johnson is slowly building a winner in Tuscaloosa.