TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) -- JaMychal Green scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead Alabama to an easy 70-46 win over LSU on Saturday night.
Tony Mitchell scored 14 points, and Trevor Releford added 10 points and four assists as the Crimson Tide (13-7, 5-1 Southeastern Conference) improved to 11-0 at home.
Andre Stringer had 13 points and Matt Derenbecker added 10 for LSU (10-11, 2-4), which has lost four straight SEC games.
Alabama has won eight of its past nine games and is on top of the SEC West with its first 5-1 start in conference play since 2004-05.
"We're in a position where we can control our own destiny," Crimson Tide coach Anthony Grant said. "But we've got to keep everything in perspective. We're going to play one game at a time."
Alabama entered the game giving up only 57.3 points per game, the best in the SEC and sixth-best in the nation, and improved on that in the romp over the Tigers.
The Crimson Tide, which outrebounded LSU 43-24, shot 41.7 percent from the field (25 of 60), but hit only 2 of 12 3-pointers.
With Alabama ahead 18-16 at the 6:52 mark, the Crimson Tide went on an 11-4 run to go in front 29-20, taking its largest lead of the first half on a driving lay-up by Releford with 40 seconds remaining. LSU made a field goal to make the score 29-22 at intermission.
LSU opened the second half by outscoring the Crimson Tide 7-3 to cut the margin to 32-29, but then Alabama responded with a 24-4 run to bolt to a 56-33 lead when Mitchell made a field goal with 7:04 left.
Andrew Steele, who didn't score in the first half, triggered the rally with a 3-pointer and two layups in scoring seven of first 11 points of the run.
"It felt like a long time since I have been able to play quality basketball," Steele said, "and it feels nice to make a big contribution to our team tonight."
Alabama had its largest lead of the game, 69-43, with 27 seconds to go when substitute Jason Carter made two free throws.
"It was a great win for our team," Grant said. "Our defense carried us. I thought our guys did a good job taking away the 3 (point shot). In the first half we struggled offensively. I thought in the second half we maintained that intensity defensively and we were able to make some of those shots that weren't falling in the first half, and we came away with a comfortable win."
Grant added that Alabama was able to dictate the tempo and wear LSU down.
"In the second half we were much more aggressive," he said. "In the second half we got (into) the pace we wanted."
LSU coach Trent Johnson said the pressure bothered his team in the second half.
"In the second half they wanted it a little bit more than we did," he said. "The difference in the game was on the glass. They were physical. They've got a lot of swagger to them, which is good."
Updated January 29, 2011
