Lee’s 38 leads Vanderbilt to 87-79 upset of Alabama

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Saben Lee scored a career-high 38 points, including 15 over the final five-plus minutes to lead Vanderbilt to an 87-79 upset of Alabama on Tuesday night.

Lee made 6 of 7 3-pointers for the Commodores (10-20, 2-15 Southeastern Conference), who snapped a seven-game losing streak.

Lee made three 3-pointers, scored on a couple of drives and hit two free throws over the final 5:12 to carry Vandy past the Crimson Tide (16-14- 8-9). The loss to the SEC’s last-place team was likely a fatal blow to Alabama’s already shaky NCAA Tournament hopes barring a huge run at the league tournament.

Lee caught fire after going a combined 8-of-30 shooting for 24 points over the previous two games. He made 14 of 20 shots and also had eight rebounds and five assists.

Dylan Disu made four 3s and scored 14 for the Commodores, who also got 13 from Scotty Pippen Jr.

Alabama got virtually all of its scoring from three players.

Kira Lewis Jr. had 30 points and eight assists. Beetle Bolden made seven 3-pointers and scored 24. Jaden Shackelford scored all 18 of his points in the first eight minutes of the second half.

The rest of the team made 1 of 12 field-goal attempts for seven collective points.

Alabama did erase a 10-point second-half deficit to take the lead before Lee took over.

BIG PICTURE

Vanderbilt made 15 of 28 3-pointers (53.6%) and shot 30 of 54 overall (55.6%). The 15 3s matched the season high set against SMU and Richmond.

Alabama’s Lewis joined James “Hollywood” Robinson as the only Tide players to reach 1,000 points in just two seasons. Made 12 of 36 3-pointers (33.3%).

SENIOR NIGHT

The only player Alabama had to honor on senior night was Bolden, a West Virginia graduate transfer. He played in 82 games before transferring but delivered a big finale in his final regular-season game at Coleman Coliseum.

UP NEXT

Vanderbilt’s finale for coach Jerry Stackhouse’s first regular season is home Saturday against South Carolina.

Alabama closes the regular season Saturday afternoon at Missouri.