BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Alabama’s Dazon Ingram looked right at home in front of a hostile sellout crowd and provided the poise the Crimson Tide needed to end its recent road futility.
Keeping one’s composure became a bigger challenge for LSU coach Will Wade, whose frustration with officials boiled over after two calls extended Alabama possessions that ended with baskets.
Ingram capped an 18-point, 10-rebound performance with a dunk and six free throws in the final 1:22, and Alabama defeated LSU 74-66 on Saturday night.
“We just wanted to stay patient and poised at the end,” Ingram said. “I am just glad we were able to come here and not be fazed by the crowd. We just played our game and got a win.”
Wade, who received a technical foul with 1:10 left and his team trailing by five, said he regretted his behavior.
“I’ve got to do a better job,” Wade said. “I was frustrated. We didn’t fight like we needed to fight. We weren’t as tough as we needed to be. I’m just so competitive. I want to win and sometimes you want it too much.”
Collin Sexton scored 15 points for Alabama (11-6, 3-2 Southeastern Conference), which won a league game on the road for the first time in three tries this season.
Sexton, who came in averaging a team-leading 19.5 points, was the apparent focal point of LSU’s defensive strategy and had to work for everything. He made only 4 of 16 shots and turned the ball over nine times, but also hit all six of his free throws, including two following the technical on Wade.
Tremont Waters made five 3-pointers and finished with 19 for LSU (11-5, 2-2), which has lost its first two league games at home, the other against No. 21 Kentucky.
Aaron Epps scored 14 points and Duop Reath scored 12 for LSU, which had one of its worst shooting nights this season.
The Tigers passed up open shots “and tried to just make an extra play for no reason,” Waters said. “We just didn’t shoot the ball.”
Alabama began to pull away early in the second half with seven straight points on Sexton’s jumper, Ingram’s layup and John Petty’s 3, which made it 45-36.
The lead grew to 15 when Alex Reese’s 3 and Herbert Jones’ jumper made it 58-43 with 7:31 to go.
The Crimson Tide also outrebounded LSU 40-24 and had 12 offensive rebounds, which led to 13 second-chance points.
Alabama “really took it to us physically. They punished us,” Wade said. “That was disappointing. I feel terrible. I feel like I let everybody down.”
BIG PICTURE
Alabama: Starting 6-foot-9 forward Donta Hall missed his first game of the season as he recovers from wrist surgery, leaving the Crimson Tide without a player who averages 11.5 points and 7.2 rebounds. Daniel Giddens, a 6-11 sophomore transfer from Ohio State, started in his spot. Giddens had only two points and two rebounds in eight minutes, but the Tide received steady play from four reserves, none of whom had fewer than five points. In all, Alabama reserves outscored LSU’s 28-11.
LSU: While the Tigers entered the game leading the SEC with a field goal percentage of 50.3, they shot 40.4 percent (21 of 52) against Alabama and scored their second-fewest points this season.
RED FACED
Wade received his technical foul when he made contact with an official during a prolonged rant that began when Waters made an awkward, leaping steal by pinning the ball between his hand and his leg. Officials called it a kicked ball, returning possession to Alabama. His face turning red, Wade slammed the scorers’ table with both hands several times and yelled at officials while Alabama capitalized with Ingram’s dunk to make it 66-58 with 1:22 to go.
Wade continued voicing his displeasure through LSU’s next possession, which ended with Waters’ 3. Wade said that if he touched an official it was incidental as he called timeout, but also acknowledged that he’d been complaining about two decisions by officials. While Wade declined to specifically discuss which calls upset him, he also animatedly disputed an out-of-bounds call that went in Alabama’s favor and led to a Crimson Tide basket. Replays showed the ball hitting an Alabama player’s foot before rolling over the sideline.
After Alabama scored, Wade pointed at an official and said, “That’s on you.”
UP NEXT
Alabama returns home to against rival Auburn on Wednesday night.
LSU hosts Georgia on Tuesday night.
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A previous version of this story incorrectly listed Ingram with 16 points and Sexton with 18 points.
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