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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Mark Sears scored 21 points, Rylan Griffen added 16 points, and Alabama held on in the final minute to defeat Vanderbilt 78-75 in the SEC opener for both teams. With Alabama leading 77-74 with eight seconds remaining, Griffen, an 82% free-throw shooter, missed the front end of the one-and-one. To take advantage of what was still a three-point lead, Griffen fouled Tyrin Lawrence, who made his first free throw and missed the second. The foul-me, foul-you sequence continued over the final few seconds and Vanderbilt was unable to get closer than two points. Vanderbilt was led by Lawrence and Jason Rivera-Torres with 20 points each.