ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Alabama’s Braxton Key scored a career-best 26 points and was one of four Crimson Tide players to score in double figures Wednesday night in an 80-60 victory over Georgia.

Corban Collins and Riley Norris added 15 points each and Jimmie Taylor contributed 10 before fouling out for Alabama (12-7, 5-2 SEC).

Alabama coach Avery Johnson was pleased with his team’s performance, referencing the bounce-back from the Crimson Tide’s 84-64 loss at Auburn last Saturday.

“For our team, when we score 80 points, that’s pretty good for us,” Johnson said. “Our freshmen, Braxton and Dazon (Ingram), are growing up and sometimes it’s just growing pains. They’re not robots. We showed a lot of character for bouncing back the way we did.”

Coming into Wednesday’s game, Key was the only Crimson Tide player with an average in double figures, and he also connected on 3 of 4 3-point attempts.

“It’s something I’ve been working on,” Key said. “Everyone’s been working with me on that. I hadn’t been shooting that much from 3 but they keep telling me to shoot it and I got confidence as the game went on.”

Georgia (12-8, 4-4) was led by Yante Maten’s 20 points. Juwan Parker added 10. J.J. Frazier, who came in averaging 16.2, was held to four on 2-of-9 shooting.

The game’s notable moment came with 1:59 remaining in the first half when Georgia coach Mark Fox charged onto the floor to contest a carrying call on Jordan Harris. Fox was assessed two technicals and ejected, and Alabama went on to break open a four-point game and take a 41-27 lead at halftime.

Fox said several times after the game that he could not respond to questions about the officiating, but did say he would continue to advocate for his team, which fans feel was dealt a harsh hand by officials in losses to Florida and Texas A&M.

“We demand that these kids on our team perform a certain way in the classroom,” Fox said. “We demand that they are a certain kind of citizen. We demand a certain kind of effort for our team and our team worked their tails off. And in exchange for that, those expectations are that they know we are going to fight for them and we are going to fight for Georgia. . I have no regrets for what happened.”

BIG PICTURE

Alabama: Won for the seventh time in its last nine games and posted one of its largest margins of victory this season.

Georgia: Lost for the second consecutive game and is 3-3 in its last six outings. The Bulldogs, considered an NCAA Tournament bubble team a week ago, are seeing their postseason options dwindle.

WE’LL MEET AGAIN

Georgia and Alabama will play again on Feb. 23 in Tuscaloosa. This is the first time the two teams will have met twice in the same season since 2012-13.

THE COMMISH IN THE HOUSE

Perhaps based on some of the bad luck Georgia feels it’s has experienced with officiating, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey was in attendance at Wednesday’s game and witnessed Fox’s ejection. Philip Pearson stepped in to coach for Fox.

UP NEXT

Alabama: Host to Mississippi State on Saturday.

Georgia: Host to Texas on Saturday in the SEC-Big 12 Challenge.