NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Matt Bonner's first-half performance was all No. 5 Florida needed to reach the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference Tournament.
Bonner scored 19 of his career-high 22 points in the first half on 7-of-8
shooting from the field and 4-of-4 from beyond the arc as Florida (23-5) took a
quick 20-7 lead and never trailed en route to a 69-61 win over Alabama on Friday night.
Alabama (21-10) rallied in the final minutes and got as close as two points,
but Crimson Tide coach Mark Gottfried said Bonner was the key.
"That was the difference I thought in the game," Gottfried said. "He
stepped up and made (3-pointers). That gave them a cushion in the first half."
Bonner tried not to be conscious of his hot scoring. He said he wasn't
thinking about anything as those four 3s went in.
"That's the key," Bonner said. "They tell me I think too much and worry
about too many things."
Bonner only scored one basket -- a 3-pointer -- in the second half, but the
damage was done.
"Offensively, he took a load off us," Florida coach Billy Donovan said.
"I know he didn't score much in the second half, but he's an offensive threat
out there."
Brett Nelson added 19 points and Udonis Haslem 12 for second-seeded Florida,
which has won 12 of its last 13 and eight in a row.
The Gators, who won a share of the SEC regular-season title, play No. 14
Mississippi in the semifinals on Saturday. The Rebels beat Tennessee 86-73 in
the quarterfinals.
Alabama, which trailed by as many as 12 in the first half, wouldn't go away
easily. The Crimson Tide cut it to 44-42 with an 8-3 run capped by Erwin
Dudley's jumper with 16:03 to go. It was the closest Alabama could get.
Florida reeled off six points in a row to restore its lead to 50-42 four
minutes later.
Dudley had a chance to cut it back to two points, but he missed the front
end of a one-and-one. Nelson then hit a jumper, and Teddy Dupay had a 3-pointer
to put the Gators ahead 58-49 with 6:02 remaining.
Alabama, which had won five consecutive games, made another run in the final
three minutes and cut the lead to three points twice. The last came after
Dudley's jumper with 1:31 left, making it 64-61, and Florida responded again.
Major Parker made one free throw, and Nelson made two after Terrance Meade
was called for intentionally fouling Nelson on a fast break with 48.2 seconds
left. Nelson made two more free throws to seal it with 19.5 seconds to go.
"Every time they made a run, we came back at them," Nelson said.
Travis Stinnett scored 11 points, and Rod Grizzard and Dudley each had 10
for third-seeded Alabama, which beat Vanderbilt 78-59 in the first round.
The Crimson Tide might have needed another win to ensure a spot in the NCAA
tournament.
"We're disappointed. We had some chances," Gottfried said. "They didn't
play to look good against Florida. Our goal was to win the game."
Florida was ahead 41-33 at halftime after Bonner hit his fourth 3-pointer of
the first half with 3.5 seconds left.
The Gators opened a 20-7 lead after an 11-0 run, but Alabama trimmed it to
26-23 when Grizzard's long 3-pointer with 8:03 to go capped a 14-6 run.
Florida senior Brent Wright, a key reserve who has had surgery to insert
screws in his right foot and right thumb this season, didn't dress for the
game. Donovan said he would make an announcement Monday about whether Wright
will be able to play the rest of the season.
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