TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Cameron Forte certainly knows how to break out of the coach's doghouse.
Forte hit a contested jump shot from the baseline with 7 seconds left in overtime to lift Georgia to a 66-65 victory over Alabama on Saturday night, a big improvement from the previous night when he was running the Coleman Coliseum steps as punishment.
Coach Mark Fox didn't elaborate on Forte's infraction but said he felt confident the final shot was going in.
"When I saw him taking it, I said, 'He's about to win the game,'" Fox said. "He's just a basketball player. If that was practice, he probably would have messed up and made me angry, but when the scoreboard's on this kid's just terrific and he's the best teammate in the world. But he hates to practice so we go back and forth a lot."
Forte, who had eight points and 10 rebounds, made the shot over Riley Norris.
The Bulldogs (17-9, 8-6 Southeastern Conference) snapped a two-game losing streak in dramatic fashion. Yante Maten blocked Retin Obasohan's layup attempt from behind with 1 second remaining.
Rodney Cooper couldn't get a shot off after the inbounds pass in time for the Crimson Tide (16-11, 6-8), which had overcome an eight-point second-half deficit.
"We wanted the ball to be thrown away from the goal," Fox said. "I said, 'Don't foul them on a head fake because they don't have time to head fake and then take a shot.' Fortunately for us, they didn't have enough time."
Obasohan missed a 3-pointer and Cooper turned it over after grabbing the rebound with 26 seconds left and a 65-64 lead, giving Georgia a chance for the game-winning basket.
"Their last offensive possession, I thought we defended the ball well," Tide coach Anthony Grant said. "I thought he made a heck of a shot to put them up. It's a tough loss but at the same time for our guys, I think the character, the grit that they've shown all year manifested itself."
Nemanja Djurisic had 14 points to lead the Bulldogs and Charles Mann added 13 before fouling out. Marcus Thornton, who also fouled out, scored 10.
Obasohan matched his season-high with 16 points and collected a career-high 12 rebounds. Riley Norris added a career-high 14 and Cooper scored 11.
Alabama took a 65-63 lead when Obasohan made 1 of 2 free throws with 1:38 left in overtime. One official had initially called a travel after Obasohan grabbed a rebound on the other end but was overruled, giving Mann his fifth foul.
Djurisic then made a foul shot and missed his second with a chance to tie but managed to get the rebound. J.J. Frazier missed a layup to give Alabama the ball back with 52 seconds remaining.
TIP-INS
Georgia: The Bulldogs made 12 of 25 shots (48 percent) in the second half, had 11 assists and nine turnovers.
Alabama: The Crimson Tide is 2-5 in games decided by two points or less.
FOUL SHOOTING
The Tide made just 16 of 31 free throw attempts (51.6 percent) and missed 11 of 18 second-half attempts. Alabama came in ranked third in the SEC at 72.6 percent from the line.
FRAZIER'S BACK
Georgia's J.J. Frazier returned after missing the South Carolina game with a concussion and fractured orbital bone sustained when he took an elbow late in the Auburn game. He had eight points and three assists without a turnover while also playing with a hairline fracture in his left (shooting) hand.
FOUL TROUBLE
Georgia's Thornton and Mann both went to the bench after picking up their third foul within the first four minutes of the second half. They got their fourth within 40 seconds of each other with more than 5 minutes left and later fouled out.
UP NEXT
Georgia visits Mississippi on Wednesday.
Alabama hosts South Carolina on Tuesday.