JaMychal Green's season-high 23 points led five Alabama players in double-figure scoring as the Crimson Tide routed Pepperdine 83-60 on Tuesday night.
Tony Mitchell added 17 points, Charvez Davis 15 points, and Chris Hines and Senario Hillman 10 points apiece as the Tide presented coach Anthony Grant with his 100th career coaching victory. Hines added 11 rebounds and Green nine.
Keion Bell scored 17 points for Pepperdine (5-10).
Alabama (7-6) took a 34-12 lead when Green completed a three-point play at the 7:41 mark of the first half. The Crimson Tide raced ahead by shooting 66.7 percent (14 of 21) from the field and 5 for 5 from the free-throw line, while limiting Pepperdine to 23.8 percent (5 of 21) from the floor and 20 percent (1 of 5) from 3-point range.
Alabama had its largest lead of the first half, 43-20, on a dunk by Green with 3:06 left. Green had 16 points in the first half as the Crimson Tide led at intermission 43-24.
''I thought we set the tone defensively,'' Grant said. ''I thought our defensive intensity was really good early. It got us out to a lead and we were able to make some shots. We established our interior game with JaMychal early on. It was good tonight to see some shots falling. It's great to see everybody making the extra pass.''
Green said he gained confidence from his early scoring.
''Once I started scoring, it opened up the perimeter and I was able to kick it out and (the other guys) started knocking down shots,'' he said.
Alabama had its largest lead of the game, 65-34, when Trevor Releford made a 3-point shot with 13:38 to go.
''Everybody was knocking down shots,'' Green said. ''We're unselfish, competing on both ends of the floor and playing good defense. Everybody is contributing. We just want to get better and we want to win.''
Grant was pleased with his team's improvement.
''I thought in the second half that we were able to sustain a little bit of intensity and push the lead out as well,'' the coach said. ''I thought overall our team is making progress and we're heading in the right direction as we approach the SEC. I like the direction we're heading. It's good to see the consistency of effort after a five- or six-day break. The score indicates that your hard work is paying off. That's what fun is.''
Despite the loss, Pepperdine coach Tom Asbury, a former assistant coach at Alabama from 2003 through 2007, said he enjoyed returning to Coleman Coliseum.
''It was great,'' Asbury said. ''It was fun to come back and see some friends.''
All of Alabama's wins have come at home, where it's 7-0 this season.
