Tennessee's hopes of a No. 1 seed remain after Jahmai Mashack buried a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat Alabama, 79-76 on Saturday at Food City Center.

In a game with major NCAA Tournament seeding implications, the No. 5 Vols (24-5, 11-5 SEC) inched closer to one of the coveted four 1 seeds after hanging in with the No. 6 Crimson Tide (23-6, 12-4) in the final seconds until Mashack's go-ahead shot.

TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM

Tennessee trailed by as much as nine in the second half, battling back to tie and then take the lead with just over four minutes left. Alabama went back up two possessions with 36 seconds left before Mashack grabbed a rebound off of a Chaz Lanier missed free throw and was fouled, giving the Vols life with game-tying free throws.

The Crimson Tide appeared in position for the final shot, but Tennessee got the ball back with three seconds left after forcing a five-second violation, leading to the game-winner.

Here is everything said Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes said about the performance.

“What a game. Both teams, I thought, played their heart out. Obviously we have the utmost respect for (Alabama head coach) Nate Oats and his program and his players. And it’s so hard to guard them. Really hard to guard. But to be honest with you, I was calling time out (during Jahmai Mashack’s shot). I didn’t see the play. I knew when the way they lined up, (Mashack) and I made eye contact and I felt like if he could get it, we get it as far down the floor, if we could just get it across half court and have one second on the clock, we got a play where I thought we could get a high-percentage shot instead of the shot from half court. (The players) know, they know what to do there.

“He's normally not in that position, but I looked at him and said, you got to go, you got to go. And I told him. They know I’m going to call the timeout. I made one good coaching move today. I didn’t tell the referee I was going to call timeout. I normally tell them and they would probably have given it to me. But I’m screaming and, really, I did not see the shot.

"“But I’m happy for Jahmai. He’s been just incredible with everything. I mean, he exemplifies everything that you want in a player, a person, great family. And the free throw, getting fouled, going to get the ball. To be frank, coaches were asking if I want to go big (with the lineup). I said I want (Mashack) on the court and I want him out there. Because he’s been through a lot. This time of year, he knows what it’s about. Big play at the free-throw line to make those free throws. And then obviously at the end, the five-second count was huge, obviously.

“But again, when I looked at Nate, I mean I’ve been on that side before, where somebody throws it up. And his teams, again, they play so hard. I think they’re better than they were a year ago. And we know they went to the Final Four.

“Their offensive rebounding is really underrated and they did a great job there doing that. Our turnovers in the first half gave them what, 12 or 14 points. And we keep talking about we need to find a way to clean up five possessions game where we’re not just giving those baskets away. But we found a way. And I love this group of guys. We know we’ve got to continue to improve. I think every team in the country, they want to continue to play and be there at the end.

Got to get better. But again, just proud of the effort our guys gave today against an outstanding basketball team.”

"We weren’t going to foul. We had confidence. A lot of things go through your mind. There’s a lot that goes through your mind. Do we want to foul? We don’t want them to have a walk-off win like we had. You don’t want that. But again, you got to give our guys credit, stayed with it. Again, we knew what we didn’t want to do was, we felt they would really try to work hard to get to the rim. We really felt like that, once they got there, that we didn’t want them to kick out for a three. If they’re going to make a three, we’re hoping it was going be off of bounce. And if they make it, they make it. But we just didn’t want to let them. We obviously didn’t want to foul, then the five-second count, we went with the biggest lineup we could put out there and it worked out for us.

"And then again, I’ll be honest with you, (Mashack's) never been in that position where he was today, but his basketball IQ and the fact we’ve done it enough. My deal was, if he couldn’t get it to (Zakai Zeigler) to go, but he shot it and I’m glad he did. I’m glad the referee didn’t hear me call timeout.”

it obviously takes away some of our aggression defensively and him. And, again, I thought our guys really played hard through that. And I knew, I kept thinking to myself, and we’re talking about as the coaching staff, do I really want him to sit here for 16 minutes? And I’m saying, and we’re talking as a staff, do we want to (sit him) if we stay within striking distance so he doesn’t pick up the third foul? Because it’s so hard for him not to be aggressive. And the way the game is being called. And again, I thought the officiating was consistent all day. But he can’t help himself sometimes, he really can’t. But then I thought Jordan (Gainey) got tired. And at that time I thought it was critical that we find a way to stay there. And they did a really smart thing. And again, we knew it, they went at (Zeigler) every chance they got when he was out there in the first half. But maybe in the long run, the fact that he got a little more rest. But Jordan’s three-point bucket at the end was a big point in the game. But the last couple possessions. maybe I should have put (Zeigler) in a little bit (earlier). I don’t know. I’m not sure I would have if Jordan wasn’t tired. And I’m not sure I wouldn’t have kept him there because most of the thoughts that went through my mind.

"You put him back and he picks up a third one, because I knew they would go at him. And they have the players that are capable of doing that. They’re hard enough to guard anyway, let alone trying to put him in a tough situation like that. And again, he’s got so much pride in himself. He did it one time, he’s not going to let it happen, I just know how he is. It worked out.”

“I got a great memory of it. We earned a five-second count. They did’t. We (Texas) got a bad call. We didn’t today. That’s what I remember. They had five-second call that wasn’t even three. So yeah, that’s what I remember about that shot.”

“It just goes to show you his impact and understanding what it takes to win basketball games. Again, we knew he had to stay aggressive. Even when we came out at the timeout, remember he had to foul, when he fouled (Grant) Nelson. That’s him trying to make plays. He’s always trying to make plays. He’s a high-level competitor. Mentally he’s gotten so much better at understanding every spot on the court. But that’s why, again, as coaches, we want him out there because he’s going to find a way to try to make something happen.”

"I think today says a lot about our guys. We weren’t perfect by any stretch of imagination. I thought we played hard. And again, I don’t ever want to take away anything from Alabama because they are incredible. All you go to do is where they are every year, the consistency where they are in the program that Nate built there. But we fought. Again, without Zakai in the first half, it puts us in a little bit of, I think (Darlinstone Dubar) coming in the game, his threes. Everybody made play. Igor (Milicic Jr.) I thought was really focused today. And actually when he fouled in the back court, we were yelling no foul. And he thought we yelled foul. And it just works out sometimes. But anytime you win, and our guys have a great deal of respect for Alabama and how hard they are and how well they shoot it. And we know that if you give them a chance to shoot, the other night they shot 45 threes made (22) of them. And we know you got to guard. And even when you guard, they’re great at constantly moving, pass, chase it, get it and go.

"Through a game like that., I thought our guys, the prep was good the last couple days. And we knew it would be a hard-fought game. And it was, and again, the way it ended, what can I say? It worked out for us today. The ball bounced our way today.”

“I thought Jordan, through a part of the game where we really needed him made some really big plays. He did. And he came up huge today. He really did. I mean, Jordan is, and he was having to guard. I mean you got to guard those guys. I mean they were quick and work hard at getting downhill. Putting hard fouls on you and you know they can shoot it. But where he’s improved so much in so many different ways, but when he gets going, you that little mid-range game, he loves it. He’s good at it. But at maybe the most critical time he was at his best today.”

“When the crowd went nuts. I’m looking up and like don’t call timeout. I think I’m right up against, and I have to tell you full disclosure, that has happened to me twice in my career. When I was at Texas, we were playing at Providence, the score was tied four seconds on the clock, P.J. Tucker took the ball out, exact same play and we were able to throw back to him and I told him to dribble to half court and then I said, you go as far as you can go and I’ll call time out. And I kid you not, he crossed half court and it’s like the Red Sea parted, but I, for whatever reason, called time out. Referee didn’t see it. He lays it in and we win the game. But twice I’ve called time out and thank goodness the referee didn’t see it. But, again, (Mashack) and I made eye contact.

“I said, if you can’t get it back (to Zeigler), you got to go with it. And I didn’t want him to worry about the time. I just wanted him to go. But I can’t wait to see it because I didn’t see it. I really didn’t see any part of it.

“Obviously when I looked up and I saw Nate and it’s hard to play as hard as you play and lose those games but sometimes it’s the way it works out. Because I just have so much respect for he and his program and players and especially when two teams. Both teams fought hard today. They did. Both teams went at it. High level game. That’s what you expected. And so I told the guys, I guess, welcome to March.”

“Because I’ve seen him do it. I mean right now, that’s one of the biggest things we’re talking to the guys that have never been in these kind of games this time of year. I said it’s not a lot about Xs and Os, it’s about toughness, making plays. And the fact is that’s what he does, that’s how he plays. But there was no question in my mind, I told them (his assistants), he’s got to be out there and he willed his way into, he made the free throws and made the shot at the end. The five seconds was a big play for us.”

“When I walked out to do the radio show I said, I really thank God for the blessing that (it) was (to) come to Tennessee and so many people I’ve met. And I said the first thing I said was it’s great to be a Tennessee Volunteer. And I’ve been around the game a long time and actually when I walked off the floor I told Danny White, I said, there’s none better, there’s not a better fan base in the entire country. It’s not just in our sport here. Today was electric. I mean just the crowd came to their feet and stayed in it. And when we were even down they stayed with it. But our fan base here, I don’t care what, you pick a sport, it’s just phenomenal. And all I can truly say is I’m thankful that God brought me here and our family and it’s great to be a Tennessee Volunteer.”

“Well he’s become arguably our best driver, and he can score at all three levels. We came out when we needed a basket. I mean honestly we went to him. He was our first option when we came out, we got him going downhill and he got fouled and got it high off the glass. But I think that’s probably where, I think that probably tells you how we feel about him. The fact that he’s worked his way into where we were confident putting the ball into his hand in any situation and he’s worked so hard to get better defensively and he’s a huge part of this and he’s made some big baskets since he’s been here. And today, I mean it’s hard — when you have to play Alabama, they’re so good in the first 10 seconds and they’re so disciplined, again, I thought they did a really good job of trying to take advantage of throwing over tops some fade screens, those type things.

"And your guards get hit a lot and that’s what even makes it more impressive when you can still stay effective on the offensive end when had to play defensive as long and hard as we do. And his conditioning has gotten so— that’s the biggest difference between him now and a year ago. His condition has gone to a whole other level.”

– TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM.

– ENJOY VOLREPORT WITH A PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION.

– SUBSCRIBE TO THE VOLREPORT YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

– FOLLOW VOLREPORT ON TWITTER: @TennesseeRivals, @ByNoahTaylor, @RyanTSylvia, @Dale_Dowden, @ShayneP_Media.