Live Updates: Alabama Hosts Mississippi State in SEC Home Opener

Follow along here for live updates before, during, and after the game
Live Updates: Alabama Hosts Mississippi State in SEC Home Opener
Live Updates: Alabama Hosts Mississippi State in SEC Home Opener /

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - After a disappointing 104-98 loss in double overtime to Florida on Saturday, Alabama men's basketball (7-6) returns to Coleman Coliseum to face the Mississippi State Bulldogs (9-4) in its SEC home opener. 

Alabama enters this contest winners of five of its last seven and Mississippi State finds itself losers of two of its last three. 

According to BetOnline.Ag, the Crimson Tide is a three point favorite over the Bulldogs. The over/under is set for 153. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m., CT on the SEC Network.

Pregame

  • Former Kentucky and Detroit Pistons standout Tayshaun Prince is here as a scout for the Memphis Grizzlies. He is currently the Vice President of Basketball Affairs for the team. 

Alabama starters: Kira Lewis, Jr., John Petty, Jr., Herbert Jones, Alex Reese, and Galin Smith. 

Mississippi State starters: Nick Weatherspoon, Tyson Carter, Robert Woodard II, Reggie Perry, and Abdul Ado. 

  • The officials for tonight's game are Doug Shows, Gerald Williams, and Owen Shortt. 

First Half

  • Alabama has won the tip. 
  • Smith scores the first basket for Alabama, but the Bulldogs are off to a 4-2 start. 
  • The Crimson Tide's first subs off the game is Jaden Shackelford and Javian Davis. 
  • At the first media timeout, we are tied at five. 
  • Alabama broadcaster Chris Stewart was just shown on the jumbotron and received a standing ovation. Tonight is his first home game back from dealing with multiple health conditions over the past year. 
  • Beetle Bolden and Jaylen Forbes have checked in. 
  • Forbes hit a three-pointer and the Alabama leads 10-5 with 14 minutes remaining in the half. 
  • Bolden nails a three and the Crimson Tide lead 18-12 going into the 12 minute media timeout. 
  • Woodards slams home a ferocious dunk to make it 20-14. 
  • Davis misses both of his free throw attempts. Alabama leads 22-16. 
  • The Crimson Tide has only made one of its last nine field goals and none over the last 4:45. 
  • Mississippi State will go to the free throw line when action resumes. Alabama owns a 23-21 lead. 6:37 to go. 
  • Weatherspoon makes one of two.
  • Carter takes it coast to coast and lays it up to put the Bulldogs back in front, 24-23. 
  • Smith answers a basket of his own. Crimson Tide up 25-24. 
  • After a jumper by Stewart and layup by Carter, the Bulldogs have the lead again, 28-27. 4:18 remaining. 
  • Alabama on a quick 5-0 run out of the timeout to regain the lead, 32-28.
  • The treys are starting to fall. Bolden hits another one. Crimson Tide up 35-30 with 2:50 to go. Mississippi State calls a 30-second timeout.  
  • Reese dribbles past Woodard and scores a one-handed jam. That got Coleman on its feet. 
  • Lewis with a layup and then Jones takes a charge on the other end. Alabama starting to take full control. 
  • After another basket by Lewis, Alabama leads 42-32 with 25 seconds left. 
  • Molinar scores two from the line for the Bulldogs. 
  • The Crimson Tide will take a 42-34 lead into intermission. 
  • Lewis leads all scorers with 10 points. He also has four rebounds and one assist. Bolden has nine points off of the bench. 
  • Coming into tonight's matchup, the rebounding battle would be a significant factor in the outcome and Alabama is winning on the glass, 23-19, through the first 20 minutes. 
Screen Shot 2020-01-08 at 6.52.57 PM

Second Half

  • The starters for the second half are the same that started the game for both teams.
  • Jones opens the scoring of the half with a layup. Crimson Tide up 44-34.
  • The Crimson Tide now has its biggest lead of the game at 14 after that Smith putback. 
  • Petty shows off his ball-handling skills, crossing up the defender and then sinking a step back three-pointer. It is getting rowdy here in Coleman.  
  • Davis, Shackelford, and Bolden have entered the game. 
  • Davis sinks two free throws to put the Crimson Tide up 53-39 with 16:24 to go.
  • Bolden just picked up his fourth foul on Weatherspoon's three-point attempt. His situation will be worth watching as the evening progresses.  
  • Weatherspoon makes two out of three. 
  • Alabama's lead has been cut to six, 58-52. The Bulldogs have made four of their last five field goals. 
  • We have reached the under 12 minute timeout and it's still 58-52, Alabama.
  • A steal and layup by Lewis has Alabama back out in front, 62-53. 
  • Mississippi State has not scored a field goal in the last 3:21 of action. 
  • Lewis hits a three-pointer from the corner and Bulldogs head coach Ben Howland calls a timeout. Alabama leads 67-53 with 8:56 remaining. 
  • Weatherspoon makes a layup as he is fouled to make it 70-55 going into the under eight minute media timeout. He converts the free throw. 
  • Perry has fouled out for the Bulldogs. He leaves the game with 14 points, five rebounds, and two assists. 
  • Petty just hit his fourth three-pointer of the game. He is one shy of 200 for his career. He would become only the fifth player in program history to reach that mark. 
  • Shackelford splashes in a three and Alabama has their largest lead of the game, 19. Crimson Tide up 81-62 with 3:56 to play. 
  • Lewis with a nice alley-oop to Smith for the slam. 83-62 Alabama. 
  • Shackelford just hit two of three from the line to reach the double figure mark with 10 points. Four other Alabama players have more than 10 points, Petty has 18, Lewis has 17, Bolden and Smith have 11. 
  • The walk-ons (Tyler Barnes and Britton Johnson) have entered the game for Alabama with 1:25 to go. 
  • Forbes makes two free throws to give the Crimson Tide 90 points for the fifth straight game. 
  • Alabama defeats Mississippi State, 90-69. 
Screen Shot 2020-01-08 at 8.03.06 PM

Published
Tyler Martin
TYLER MARTIN

Tyler Martin is a staff writer with Bama Central and has been covering the Crimson Tide since August of 2019. He emphasizes in recruiting, football, and basketball, while covering all other Alabama athletics.