ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Freshman Trevor Lacy scored a career-high 19 points, all but two of those in the first half, in leading Alabama to a 74-59 win over Georgia on Saturday night in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.
Freshman Kentavious Caldwell-Pope also had a career night for Georgia (9-6, 0-1) with 22 points.
Alabama (12-3, 1-0) got 17 points from Tony Mitchell, who had a big Swainsboro, Ga., cheering section watching. Trevor Releford added 12 for the Crimson Tide.
Lacy outdid his previous career-best of 12 points with 17 first-half points as Alabama led 38-26 at intermission.
Caldwell-Pope led a second-half rally by Georgia, which closed to within four on Donte Williams’ stuff tip of his own miss, making it 52-48 Alabama with 9:20 to play.
But Alabama went on a 12-2 run over the next 4 12 minutes, capped by Mitchell’s three-point play with 5:00 to go, to lead 64-50.
