SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Melvin Cheatum scored a game-high 20 points and teammate Keith Askins added 17 to lead Alabama to a 64-48 championship win over Santa Clara in the Cable Car Classic Saturday.
Iona defeated Penn 52-49 to win the consolation bracket.
Askins made four of Alabama's five three-pointers in the second half to spark a Crimson Tide late rally over the host Broncos, two-time defending champions. Alabama (9-2) had runs of nine and 11 consecutive points at separate points in the second half.
Cheatum scored 18 points in the first half as Alabama struggled to a 24-20 half-time lead over Santa Clara (3-8).
The Crimson Tide trailed almost the entire first half until an 8-0 run in the final 3:46 sparked by Cheatum who tallied the final six points of the half.
Santa Clara outrebounded Alabama 17-11 in the first half and scored 14 of its points in the first half from the frontline of Ron Reis, Nels Becker and Karl Larsen.
In the first game, Joey Johnson scored 20 points, including six free throws over the final 41 seconds, to seal an Iona victory over Penn.
The Gaels (4-6) led 35-22 until Penn (2-5) went on a 18-1 tear to take a 43-40 lead with 6:46 remaining in the game.
Johnson hit a 10-footer and teammate Shawn Worthy scored on a breakaway slam dunk to tie the score at 40-40.
A three-pointer by Johnson gave Iona the lead again, but Hassan Duncombe cut the lead to one at 43-42 with 1:58 remaining.
Green converted a three-point play to put the Gaels up by four at 46-42 but the Quakers once again closed the gap, 46-45, when Paul McMahon sank a three-pointer from the left baseline corner with just 45 seconds left.
Johnson scored the Gaels' final six points from the free-throw line as Penn chose to put Iona on the line in the closing seconds of the game.
Iona held a 28-19 advantage at the half over Penn.
