Alabama handles Sam Houston to win opener

Drew Fielder and London Jemison scored 15 points each as No. 20 Alabama opened its season with a 96-74 win over Sam Houston on Tuesday night at Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Tarris Bouie added 13 points and Amari Allen finished with 12 for the Crimson Tide, who scored 33 points off 23 Bearkats turnovers. Alabama played without standout guard Aden Holloway, serving the next-to-last game of a five-game suspension tied to last March’s drug possession arrest. Jemison hit three 3-pointers, while Keitenn Bristow blocked four shots. Sam Houston was led by Jacobe Coleman’s 16 and Justin Begg’s 13 points, all in the second half.