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STARKVILLE, Miss. — Alabama basketball and Mississippi State have had a few parallels this season.
The two were near-seamless in non-conference play. The No. 4 Crimson Tide hasn’t left the top 25, while the Bulldogs have spent more weeks ranked than not.
Fans of the Crimson Tide and the No. 13 Bulldogs alike have also seen their respective top-scoring point guards overcoming struggles. Granted, Josh Hubbard’s shift could be chalked up to a sophomore slump. Meanwhile, Alabama’s Mark Sears has posted a lower, but still league-leading, points average that could be attributed to Alabama’s roster having four other double-digit scorers.
Alas, Hubbard looked most like the old version of himself on Wednesday.
Jan 29, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Mark Sears (1) shoots the ball against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the first half at Humphrey Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images
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“We didn’t do a very good job on him,” Alabama coach Oats said after the win.
Of Miss. State’s 84 points vs. Alabama, 38 were scored by Hubbard, who went 14-for-28 and 6-for-15 beyond the arc.
Oats noted in postgame that he thought it was a good “bounce-back” and “overall game” for Sears.
Sears showed the hustle and grit that’s seen his evolution on defense, beating out three Mississippi State guards for a board about five minutes into the game. There seemed to be a timidity when the ball was in Sears’ hands on offense, though.
Although Sears finished 6 for 11 with 17 points and three 3-pointers, highlighted by a 28-footer to put Alabama up by eight with five minutes to halftime, he didn’t attempt his first shot until 13:39 remained in the first half.
In six of the first seven games of conference play, Sears tried for his first basket in the first three minutes. In three of those…
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Author : The Tuscaloosa News
Publish date : 2025-01-30 05:23:00
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