NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Retin Obasohan scored 17 points, Riley Norris added 16 and 10th-seeded Alabama made 12 3-pointers to upset No. 7 seed Mississippi 81-73 Thursday night in the Southeastern Conference tournament.
Needing to go deep this weekend to improve its NCAA Tournament prospects, Alabama (18-13) took an important first step behind impressive offense, especially from outside. Norris got the Crimson Tide started from long range and finished with four 3-pointers before Obasohan bounced back from early foul trouble to help them finish 28 of 53 (52.8 percent) from the field.
That kind of scoring helped counter the Rebels' Stefan Moody, whose 39 points tied for the second-highest single game total in SEC tournament history.
Arthur Edwards and Justin Coleman each added 15 points as Alabama advanced to Friday's quarterfinal against No. 2 seed Kentucky.
Mississippi (20-12) made 11 3-pointers but shot just 39 percent in having its two-game winning streak stopped.
