Drew Fielder and London Jemison scored 15 points apiece to help No. 20 Alabama sail to a 96-74 victory over Sam Houston on Tuesday night in the season opener for both teams at Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Tarris Bouie added 13 points and Amari Allen had 12 for the Crimson Tide, who scored 33 points off 23 Bearkats turnovers.
Alabama played without standout guard Aden Holloway, who was serving the next-to-last contest of a five-game suspension for last March’s arrest for drug possession. The Crimson Tide’s three exhibition games were part of Holloway’s penalty.
Jacobe Coleman scored 16 points and Justin Begg tallied all 13 of his points in the second half for Sam Houston. Zion Pipkin added 11 points, six assists and four steals but committed eight turnovers.
Alabama made 48% of its shots and hit 10 of 31 from 3-point range. Jemison made three treys, Qayden Samuels had four steals and Keitenn Bristow blocked four shots for the Crimson Tide, who committed 10 turnovers.
Aidan McDowell added 10 points for the Bearkats, who shot 38.5% from the field and were 15-of-33 from behind the arc.
The Crimson Tide scored the final basket of the first half and then opened the second with a 16-2 surge. Samuels ended the stretch with a layup to make it 56-31 with 15:57 to play.
Alabama’s lead reached 30 for the first time when Fielder hit a layup with 12:40 left.
The Crimson Tide’s largest lead was 32.
Jemison scored 10 first-half points as Alabama led 40-29 at the break.
Sam Houston trailed 20-15 after a 3-pointer by Mahliq Guiseppi-Kitson with 8:03 left in the first half.
Bouie scored the last five points of a 10-1 run as the Crimson Tide took a 30-16 lead with 5:48 left in the half.
The Bearkats later used an 11-4 burst to creep within nine. Coleman capped the run with a 3-pointer with 1:05 remaining before Allen’s layup capped the first half scoring for the Crimson Tide.