Jones scores 22, Richmond tops Alabama 71-64 in NIT (Mar 14, 2017)

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) ShawnDre' Jones scored 22 points and Richmond pulled away to defeat Alabama 71-64 on Tuesday night in an opening-round game of the NIT.

T.J. Cline added 15 points and De'Monte Buckingham had 14 for the Spiders (20-12), who are seeded sixth in their bracket and face No. 7 Oakland in the second round. Khwan Fore scored 11 points, including a last-second alley-oop dunk after a clinching steal by Buckingham.

That was one of 16 turnovers for the third-seeded Crimson Tide (19-15) that led to 20 Richmond points. Alabama also shot just 37.5 percent (12 of 32) in the second half, going 4 of 14 behind the arc.

Alabama scored the first seven points of the second half to lead 39-36 and its last lead was 45-44 on a 3-point play by Dazon Ingram with 14:50 to go. Jones and Cline quickly answered with 3-pointers. Ingram tied the game with a layup at the 5:15 mark but Alabama was outscored 10-3 the rest of the way, missing five straight shots and seven of its last eight.

Corban Collins had five 3s and 19 points for the Tide and Ingram scored 11.

Richmond, which shot 54 percent, beat Alabama for the first time in four meetings, the last coming in 1988.