Griffin scores career-high 19, hits 5 of Alabama's 19 3s in 111-67 win over E. Kentucky

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- — Rylen Griffin scored a career-high 19 points and hit five of Alabama's 19 3-pointers, Grant Nelson made 7 of 9 from the field and also scored 19 points Saturday to help the Crimson Tide beat Eastern Kentucky 111-67 in a battle between two of the nation's top offenses.

Alabama (6-5), which went into the game ranked No. 5 nationally is scoring (90.5 per game) and No. 11 in made 3s per game (10.5), scored its most points since a 115-82 win over Georgia on Feb. 13, 2021 and hit 19 3s for the second time this season. The Crimson Tide, who have topped the 100-point plateau four times, scored at least 98 points for the sixth time this season.

Mark Sears hit a 3-pointer 16 seconds into the game and Alabama never trailed. Michael Moreno tied it with a 3 about a minute later but Mohamed Wague answered with a layup before Nelson followed with another layup and a 3-pointer to make it 10-3. Sam Walters hit from behind the arc with 14:27 left in the half to push the lead into double figures for good and spark a 14-2 run that made it 34-13 about four minutes later.

Aaron Estrada had 12 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals for Alabama. Davin Cosby Jr. hit 4 of 6 from 3-point range and finished with 12 points and Walters also scored 12 points. Sears, who went into the game No. 15 in the nation in scoring (20.4 ppg), scored a season-low 11 with five assists.

Leland Walker led Eastern Kentucky (4-7) with 20 points and six assists but shot 7 of 21 from the field, 2 of 8 from 3-point range. Isaiah Cozart had 19 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks and Michael Moreno added 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting — all 3-pointers. The rest of the Colonels made 2 of 20 (10%) from behind the arc.

Cozart, a 6-foot-7 fifth-year senior who set EKU single-season records for total blocks (94) and blocks per game (2.54), has 54 blocks in 11 games this season. Cozart played three years at Western Kentucky and had 21 blocks in 48 appearances — all off the bench.

EKU was held nearly-20 points below its season average (86.3 per game, No. 16 nationally). The Colonels shot 34% (24 of 71) from the field, hit 8 of 29 (28%) and made 11 of 17 (65%) from the free-throw line.

Alabama has a week off before taking on Liberty at the C.M. Newton Classic in Birmingham, Alabama. Eastern Kentucky wraps up its nonconference slate, and a three-game road trip, at Purdue on Friday.

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