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National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Alabama 60, Appalachian St. 59
When: 6:30 PM ET, Sunday, December 21, 2014
Where: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Officials: # Brent Hampton, # Mike Nance, # Antinio Petty
Attendance: 9515

Alabama 60, Appalachian State 59: Michael Kessens recorded 17 points and 10 rebounds to help the host Crimson Tide erase an eight-point deficit in the second half and rebuff the Mountaineers.

Levi Randolph added 14 points, five assists and four rebounds as Alabama (8-3) survived a missed 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds left to win for the third time in four games. Ricky Tarrant scored 11 points before fouling out in the final seconds while Riley Norris added six points and eight rebounds for the Crimson Tide.

Tommy Spagnolo scored a season-high 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Appalachian State (3-6), which lost its fourth straight. Dustin Clarke registered 13 points and eight rebounds while Frank Eaves scored 13 for the Mountaineers, who were 7-for-28 from beyond the arc.

Alabama, which has held its last four opponents to less than 60 points, trailed by as many as nine before trimming the deficit to 29-27 at the break as the Crimson Tide shot 32.1 percent from the field and had trouble containing Spagnolo (11 points) and Eaves (10). Kessens scored the first bucket of the second half to tie it before Spagnolo sparked a 7-0 run with five points, and his dunk and completion of a three-point play gave Appalachian State a 45-37 lead with 13:01 to play.

Alabama took its first lead since 2-0 on Norris' bucket with 8:09 left to make it 52-51 as part of an 8-0 run and moved in front for good 56-54 on Tarrant's jumper with 5:43 remaining. The Crimson Tide led 60-59 with 27.7 seconds left before Randolph was called for a five-second violation after stifling defense by Eaves and after Alabama committed the two fouls it had to give - the second with 3.5 seconds remaining, Eaves' wild 3-point attempt caromed off the backboard.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Alabama sophomore F Jimmie Taylor recorded a career-high seven blocks. ... Appalachian State fell to 2-23 against current members of the SEC. ... The Mountaineers are 17-for-79 from 3-point range in their last four games.
Top Game Performances
 
Appalachian St.   Alabama
Tommy Spagnolo 18 Scoring Michael Kessens 17
Chris Burgess 6 Assists Levi Randolph 5
Tommy Spagnolo 10 Rebounds Michael Kessens 10
Griffin Kinney 2 Free Throws Made Michael Kessens 3
Jacob Lawson 2 Steals Michael Kessens 3
Jacob Lawson 1 Blocks Jimmie Taylor 7
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Appalachian St. 59 40.0 7-28 4-5 12 36 1 4 13
Alabama 60 41.1 4-17 10-16 11 37 9 7 11