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Sports

Cooper's 20 helps Alabama surge past South Florida 82-71

Associated Press
Published | Updated
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    Alabama forward Mike Kessens (3) battles for a loose ball against South Florida forward/center Chris Perry (1) and South Florida center Jaleel Cousins (15) during an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014, at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/AL.com, Vasha Hunt) MAGS OUT (The Associated Press)

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    Alabama guard Rodney Cooper (21) shoots the ball against the South Florida in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/The Tuscaloosa News, Robert Sutton) (The Associated Press)

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Rodney Cooper with 20 points led Alabama to an easy 82-71 victory over South Florida on Tuesday night.

Ricky Tarrant added 17 points and eight assists, Levi Randolph 14 points and Justin Coleman 11 points for the Crimson Tide. Jimmie Taylor contributed 11 rebounds.

Alabama (5-1) led from start to finish, building up a double-digit lead, 32-22, when Coleman made two free throws at the 7:21 mark. The Crimson Tide extended the advantage to 43-28 on a lay-up by Michael Kessens with 1:15 left. The Bulls scored the final four points of the half, with a dunk by Ruben Guerrero at the buzzer cutting the lead to 43-32 at intermission.

Cooper had 10 points in the first half for Alabama and Nehemias Morillo had 10 points for South Florida (4-2).

Corey Allen Jr. led South Florida with 16 points, followed by Morillo with 13 and Chris Perry with 11.

With the score 49-36 with 16:49 remaining South Florida went on a 9-4 run to slice the lead to 51-45 on a field goal by Perry at the 13:31 mark. The Crimson Tide responded with 13 unanswered points to push the margin to 64-45, matching its largest lead of the game, on a lay-up by Kessens with a little over nine minutes left. The Bulls countered by outscoring the Crimson Tide 18-7 to pull within 71-63 on a lay-up by Allen with 3:53 to go.

TIP-INS

South Florida: In experience South Florida is the second-youngest team in NCAA Division I. .Coming into the game the Bulls' only loss was a three-point (68-65) setback to N.C. State. .First year coach Orlando Antigua had to replace seven players with remaining eligibility who left the program with the offseason coaching change. .South Florida entered the game with four players averaging double-figures in scoring. .The Bulls returned only three letter winners from last year's team, the second fewest in Division I. .Antigua is one of two Hispanic NCAA Division I head coaches, the other being South Carolina's Frank Martin.

Alabama: Coming into the game the Crimson Tide led the nation in free throw shooting percentage (81.5. .Levi Randolph entered the game leading the country in free throw shooting percentage (35 of 35), leading the SEC in scoring average and having made 37 consecutive free throws going back to last season, two away from Alvin Lee's school record of 39 straight.

UP NEXT

South Florida: At Detroit on Saturday.

Alabama: At Xavier on Saturday.