ALABAMA HOOPS: Hillman leads Tide past LSU

TUSCALOOSA — LSU kept hanging around, lurking like a prowler ready to steal the SEC season opener against Alabama.

Crimson Tide sophomore Senario Hillman was a crimestopper. The 6-foot-1 guard scored a career-high 24 points — including Alabama’s final 9 in the last three minutes — to lead the Tide past LSU, 65-59.

Alabama (11-4, 1-0 SEC) led the entire way, but never put the game away, either.

LSU (12-3, 0-1) trailed by as many as 9 points with 11:12 remaining, but Chris Johnson cut that cushion to 56-54 with 3:32 remaining.

Hillman, who was averaging 13.6 points per game going into the game, took it from there. He made the game’s biggest play, stripping the ball from Marcus Thornton and driving in for a dunk that ignited the crowd of 10,711 and sparked his teammates.

“I feel like I needed to make something happen to get us going because we were kind of sluggish a little bit,” Hillman said. “I gotta do something to get the team going. I went for the steal and got the dunk ... I think I got the steal at the right time.”

“It was huge for us. It got us going as a team,” forward Alonzo Gee said. “It boosted our energy up. We felt them coming (back) because they’re a great team. But we stayed together as a team and we got the win.”

Hillman wasn’t done. He made 7 of 8 free throws in the final 41 seconds to keep Alabama ahead. He is a 72 percent foul shooter and finished the day 8-for-12 at the line, but Alabama coach Mark Gottfried said Hillman is better in the clutch.

“Senario Hillman is one those guys I wouldn’t care what his percentage is. When he steps to the line in that situation, I think he’ll make it,” Gottfried said.

“He’s one of those guys that’s not afraid of a tough situation. He’s got courage. Some of the plays he made in the second half on both ends of the floor, he just did a terrific job.”

Alabama led 30-24 at halftime. LSU shot just 9-for-29 from the field in the first half. Tasmin Mitchell played just eight minutes and didn’t score, sidelined with two early fouls.

“The majority of the game we weren’t able to have our best players on the floor,” LSU coach Trent Johnson said. He didn’t comment further about the officiating. LSU was called for 28 fouls to Alabama’s 14.

Thornton finished with 21 points for LSU. Mitchell and Bo Spencer scored 10 points each.

Alonzo Gee supported Hillman’s 24 points by scoring 14 and grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds.

Spencer’s 3-pointer with 27 seconds remaining cut LSU’s deficit to 60-57. Hillman drew a foul on the inbounds play.

He missed the first free throw, but made the second to make it a two-possession game.

“I thought it was huge,” Gottfried said. “I didn’t think he’d miss two. He’s one of those players. He’s a gamer. He wants the ball. He wants to make a play, even if it’s at the foul line.”

Alabama next plays Wednesday at Mississippi State. The Tide also is on the road Saturday at Auburn.

“Obviously, when you start out winning you feel better about things,” said Gottfried, whose team hadn’t won an SEC opener since 2003. “You’ve got 15 blockbusters in a row coming and we know that — starting Wednesday in Starkville.”