TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Rylen Griffin scored a career-high 21 points, shooting 5 for 7 from 3-point range, and Aaron Estrada also scored 21 as Alabama pulled away late for a 93-75 win over Missouri on Tuesday night.
It marked the 200th career win for Alabama head coach Nate Oates, who earlier separated one of his players and a Missouri player during a small scrum in front of the Crimson Tide bench in the second half.
Griffin entered averaging 9.8 points per game and shooting 34% (21 for 61) from distance. Grant Nelson scored 13 points, reserve Latrell Wrightsell Jr. added 11 and Nick Pringle 10 for the Crimson Tide (12-5, 4-0 SEC).
Alabama shot 30 for 57 (52.6%) including 13 for 27 (48.1%) from 3; 7 for 12 from deep in the second half. The Crimson Tide also made 20 of 21 foul shots (95.2%).
Tamar Bates scored 19 points for Missouri (8-9, 0-4). Nick Honor added 18, Noah Carter had 13 and reserve Jesus Carralero-Martin 10 for the Tigers.
Missouri kept it close through most of the second half and closed to within a single possession on a half-dozen occasions but could never take the lead. Missouri’s last lead occurred at 8-5, 2:40 into the game.
Alabama led 36-34 at halftime.
Griffin sandwiched a pair of 3-pointers around one from Latrell Wrightsell Jr. in an almost 1:30 span and Alabama turned a 59-55 lead into a 68-58 advantage with 6:23 remaining and led by double digits for the remainder. Griffin’s 3s followed a stretch where, up to that point, he’d missed 13 of his last 17 attempts from beyond the arc.
Missouri hosts Florida on Saturday. Alabama travels to face No. 6 Tennessee on Saturday.
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