Against the purple backdrop of the Maravich Center, there was not much blue-collar play to be found from Alabama through most of Saturday’s trip to Baton Rouge.

The Tide built an early lead over LSU but struggled to extend it, allowing one of the SEC’s bottom-feeding teams of the season to hang around against the conference’s best.

Ultimately, Alabama’s shot-making prevented another upset scare on the road. The Tide made 44.8 percent of its three pointers to win, 79-69, despite being out-rebounded by the Tigers, 40-35.

“I’m a little disappointed with the effort, to be honest with you,” coach Nate Oats said. “Like, we got out-rebounded by five. We’ve got to do a better job. We’ve got to find a group of guys that’s really going to play hard no matter what and kind of get back to — we can’t be up and down, every other game. We’re not gonna be able to do that and get wins moving forward.”

The victory improved Alabama’s record to 20-3, including its fourth 10-0 SEC start in program history. It is the second time Alabama has started 10-0 in SEC play over the past three seasons, after doing so in 1955-56 and 1946-47.

Alabama never gave up a lead it held Saturday from the 13-minute mark of the first half, but it never put away the game as it did during a 57-point blowout Tuesday against Vanderbilt. The Tigers, who entered with a nine-game losing streak and 1-8 record in the SEC, consistently responded to each of Alabama’s advances.

The Tide seemed to pull away midway through the second half when it made five three pointers in a row, stretching its lead to a game-high 12 points with 7:20 remaining. But the second of Mark Sears’ back-to-back triples was the last field goal Alabama made on the afternoon, missing its final 10 shots to keep LSU within striking range.

The Tigers could not take advantage, missing nine of their final 10 shots. LSU pulled within six points with less than a minute remaining, but Mark Sears and Brandon Miller combined to hit four free throws in the closing minute — the Tide’s only points of the final seven minutes — to seal the win.

LSU shot 30 percent, the sixth-lowest rate against Alabama this season, and only 25 percent on threes. But it attempted 31 free throws, the second-most by a Tide opponent, and made 24. Its 13-of-14 free-throw shooting in the first half limited Alabama’s halftime lead to seven points despite the Tide out-shooting the Tigers, 53 to 28 percent.

LSU out-rebounded Alabama, 13-4, on the offensive boards. The Tigers finished with eight blocks and seven steals, compared to five blocks and four steals for Alabama.

Saturday was only the fifth game this season in which Alabama had a negative rebounding margin, but the second in the past three games. It was also out-rebounded by Oklahoma in a loss last Saturday.

Alabama hosts Florida on Wednesday before playing at Auburn next Saturday, followed by a midweek trip to Tennessee.

“We’ve got to play well in all three of those games coming up,” Oats said. “If we play like this, we’re not gonna get a win.”

This story will be updated.

Mike Rodak is an Alabama beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @mikerodak.