No. 4 Alabama Basketball Downs Missouri on the Road, 85-64

The Crimson Tide picked up its seventh SEC win of the season and earned Nate Oats his first win in CoMo.

Alabama basketball's losing streak in 'CoMo' is finally over.

Columbia, Mo., has been a place that has stifled the Crimson Tide since the Missouri Tigers joined the conference. Since Alabama hired Nate Oats as its head coach back in 2019, the Crimson Tide had amassed an 0-3 record at Missouri.

On Saturday night, though, that changed. Led by a surging Mark Sears and Noah Clowney, No. 4 Alabama basketball finally earned Oats his first win at Missouri, downing the Tigers 85-64.

The win maintains Alabama's perfect 7-0 SEC record and improves it to 17-2 overall. Even more impressively, though, the 21-point margin of victory maintains another streak for Alabama: the Crimson Tide has won all seven of its SEC games so far by double-digits.

Freshman forward Noah Clowney was the story of the game for Alabama. Clowney recorded a double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds. He also recorded a steal and finished with a plus-22 in the plus/minus.

Tying him in points was junior guard Mark Sears, who continued to be a strong offensive force for the Crimson Tide. Just behind him was freshman forward phenom Brandon Miller, who finished with 15 points and eight steals along with a block.

As a team, Alabama shot 37 percent from the floor including 29 percent (10-of-35) from deep. The Crimson Tide was also 25-of-32 (78 percent) from the free-throw line on the evening.

Alabama finished the game with 11 turnovers and out-rebounded Missouri 53-45. Of those rebounds, 37 were defensive for the Crimson Tide compared to its 16 offensive boards.

With the win, Alabama improves to 17-2 on the season and is 7-0 in SEC play. Missouri, on the other hand, drops to 14-5 overall and is 3-4 in the conference. Up next, the Crimson Tide will host Mississippi State next Wednesday (8 p.m. CT, SEC Network).

How it Happened:

Second Half

• Final: Alabama 85, Missouri 64

• Sears sinks both shots as Oats empties the bench for Alabama. 85-64 Alabama with 24.1 seconds left on the clock.

• Sears was fouled on the layup attempt and will head to the line.

• Diarra headed to the line and made one of two free throws. 83-64 Crimson Tide.

• Honor picks up his second foul. Sears heads to the line and made his first, but missed his second. However, Quinerly gets the rebound, which leads to a dunk by Bediako. 83-63 Alabama.

• Miller sinks another 3-pointer. 80-63 Crimson Tide with just over a minute left.

• Diarra is fouled by Bediako, his third personal foul. Diarra sank the first free throw, but missed his second. Sears with the rebound for Alabama.

• Alabama gets called for a five-second violation.

• Dunk good by Diarra. He has now scored the last six points for the Tigers. 77-62 Crimson Tide with just under two minutes left to play.

• Diarra made two free throws. 77-60 Crimson Tide.

• Diarra made a layup, but Quinerly responds with a 3-pointer. 77-58 Alabama.

• Sears sinks two free throws. 74-56 Alabama with 3:45 left in the game.

• Hodge is called for his second personal, Missouri's ninth team foul. At the final media timeout, the Crimson Tide leads the Tigers 72-56.

• Bradley made both of his free throws. 72-56 Alabama.

• Bradley was fouled while attempting a tomahawk slam. He was fouled by Gholston, who has now fouled out of the game.

• Mosley hit a jumper. 70-56 Alabama.

• A missed 3-pointer by Sears means that Alabama has failed to score on its last six trips to the offensive end.

• Mosley made a jumper. 70-54 Alabama.

• Gholston was called for his fourth personal, putting Alabama in the bonus. Clowney headed to the line and made both free throws. 70-52 Crimson Tide.

• Bradley called for his first foul. Carter made his first free throw, then his second. 68-52 Alabama.

• Clowney missed his first, but made his second. 68-50 Crimson Tide.

• Clowney is fouled once again while making a layup attempt. He will head to the line after the under-8 media timeout. Score remains 67-50 in favor of the Crimson Tide.

• Clowney steals the ball and is fouled on the layup attempt. He headed to the line and made his first, but missed his second. 67-50 Alabama.

• Griffen sinks a much-needed 3-pointer for the Crimson Tide. 66-50 Alabama.

• Layup by Mosley good. Good then makes a layup of his own. 63-50 Alabama. Oats takes a timeout to cool things down.

• Another 3-pointer good by Gholston. 63-46 Alabama.

• Bradley with the layup for 2.

• Mosley drains a 3-pointer. 61-43 Alabama as we hit the 10-minute mark.

• Turnover by Missouri due to what appeared to be a miscommunication.

• Quinerly is called for an offensive foul. Missouri basketball.

• At the under-12 media timeout, Alabama has pulled out to a 61-40 lead. Alabama now has four player in double-digits, lead by Clowney with 13.

• A step-back 3-pointer from Quinerly makes it 61-40 in favor of the Crimson Tide.

• Honor made two free throws, but a 3-pointer by Griffen silences the Missouri crowd. 58-40 Alabama.

• Hodge sank two free throws. 55-36 Alabama.

• A layup by Quinerly forces Missouri to call a timeout. Alabama is on a 7-0 run and has scored on five of its last seven trips to the offensive end of the court. 55-34 Alabama.

• Dunk by Gurley give the Crimson Tide 2.

• Miller drains his second 3 of the evening. 51-34 Alabama. Media timeout at the 15:27 mark.

• Back-to-back baskets by Missouri gives its four points.

• 3-pointer good by Sears. 48-30 Alabama.

• Mosley gets the first points of the second half for Missouri. 45-30 Alabama.

• Clowney made the and-1. 45-28 Crimson Tide.

• Clowney now has a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, and could add to his point total with his upcoming and-1 chance..

• Clowney fouled by Hodge on a jumper, the basket counts. Missouri calls a timeout, and Clowney will head to the line after the break. 44-28 Crimson Tide.

• Two free throws by Miller give the Crimson Tide two more. 42-28 Alabama.

• Sears hit a layup to open up the second half. 40-28 Alabama.

First Half

• Halftime: Alabama 38, Missouri 28

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• Clowney hit a last-second layup as the clock expired. 38-28 Alabama.

• Alabama calls a timeout with 7.8 seconds left to play.

• Welch called for a foul, and Diarra headed to the line for Missouri. Free throw is no good, rebounded by Alabama.

• Quinerly hit a deep 3-pointer. 36-28 Alabama with just over a minute left in the first half.

• Quinerly hit a nifty jumper off of the backboard. 33-28 Alabama.

• Miller is called for his first foul. Gomillion hit both free throws. 31-28 Crimson Tide.

• Gholston made another layup. giving him seven on the afternoon. 31-26 Alabama with 1:51 left.

• Sears made a layup. 31-24 Alabama.

• Shaw fouled Miller, sending him to the line. Miller hit both of his shots. 29-24 Alabama.

• Gholston hit his first, but missed his second at the line. Rebounded by Clowney.

• At the final media timeout, the score remains the same. Sears is called for a foul, and Missouri will shoo free throws after the break.

• Griffen knocked down a 3-pointer. 27-23 Crimson Tide.

• Miller made one of two free throws. 24-23 Alabama with 4:26 left.

• An over-the-back call on DeGray gives the ball back to Alabama.

• Gurley is called for an offensive foul. Missouri basketball. Both teams now have five turnovers.

• Carter made a jumper to tie the game at 23.

• Sears made the and-1. 23-21 Alabama.

• Sears made a miraculous short jumper while being fouled. He will head to the line for the and-1 opportunity.

• Carter sinks a layup. 21-20 Missouri with just under six minutes left in the first half.

• Sears hit both free throws. 20-19 Alabama.

• A rare air ball by Miller leads to a Missouri rebound. On the opposite end, Carter fouls Sears after a steal and he will head to the line as the Crimson Tide is now in the bonus.

• Hodge sinks a 3-pointer, and just like that Missouri re-takes the lead.

• At the line, Bradley san both shots. 18-16 Alabama with 7:45 left to play in the first half.

• Media timeout. Bradley was fouled on a short-jumper attempt and will head to the charity stripe when we return.

• Sears made a layup. Tie game.

• Gholston is called for a reaching foul, his first. Missouri has five team fouls compared to Alabama's four.

• A blocking foul sends Miller to the line. He missed his first but made his second. 16-14 Tigers.

• Another jumper good by Mosley. 16-13 Missouri.

• A dunk by Shaw gives the Tigers the lead. 14-13 Missouri.

• Gholston headed to the line and sank both. 13-12 Crimson Tide at the 10:28 mark of the first half.

• After review, the contact was indeed ruled a common foul rather than a flagrant.

• Bediako is called for his first foul. The call is under review. It appears that his elbow made contact with the nose/face of Diarra of Missouri. It appears to be incidental contact.

• Clowney sank a jumper. 13-10 Alabama.

• Missouri is called for traveling. Alabama basketball.

• Alabama has started to look sloppy, particularly on offense. While the Crimson Tide has missed its last five shots, the Tigers have taken advantage by making four of its last five.

• Offensive foul by Alabama. Media timeout.

• A step-back deep two by Mosley makes it 11-10 in favor of Alabama.

• Gholston made a short jumper for Missouri. Quinerly loses control of the basketball on the opposite end, so the Tigers will get the ball right back. 11-8 Alabama.

• Gurley steps up to the line and sinks both free throws. 11-6 Crimson Tide at the 12:40 mark.

• A short jumper by Mosley pulls the Tiers within three. 9-6 Alabama.

• Mosley makes a layup for the Tigers. 9-4 Alabama at the 14:03 mark.

• Nimari Burnett has entered the game for the Crimson Tide.

• At the break, Alabama's defense is looking solid — particularly on the perimeter. Missouri has only attempted six shots and has made just one. 9-2 Alabama at the 15:29 mark.

• Miller with an alley-oop dunk, assist by Sears. 9-2 Alabama. The Tigers call a timeout.

• Miller sinks the first 3-pointer of the game. 7-2 Crimson Tide.

• Shot clock violation, Missouri. Alabama ball.

• Bradley fouled by Gomillion, but he missed both free throws. Ball rebounded by Missouri.

• A layup by Clowney gives the Crimson Tide back the lead.

• A stick-back short jumper by Clowney gives Alabama the first points of the game. Missouri answers with a short jumper of its own. 2-2 tie.

• 21 seconds into the game and Alabama turns the ball over with a heldball by Bradley.

• Alabama wins the opening tip and we are underway.

Pregame

• Kaleb Brown also out for Missouri:

Missouri Basketball Roster News pic.twitter.com/R6uLLaM5kw

— Mizzou Hoops (@MizzouHoops) January 21, 2023

• Starting lineups for both the Crimson Tide and the Tigers:

• Alabama makes it official:

pic.twitter.com/Ij6Ud42pQA

— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) January 21, 2023

• Nimari Burnett is out on the court during warmups with his Crimson Tide teammates.

• Missouri will be without one of its key pieces tonight against Alabama:

Missouri Basketball Roster News pic.twitter.com/X0kOsUiIHC

— Mizzou Hoops (@MizzouHoops) January 21, 2023

• Alabama might be getting Nimari Burnett much sooner than expected. As in tonight:

Alabama’s Nimari Burnett is expected to return tonight against Missouri, source told @Stadium.

Burnett is averaging 7.9 points per game. Has been out since mid-December with a wrist injury.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) January 21, 2023

• Officials for tonight's game: Steven Anderson, Jason Baker, Vladimir Voyard-Tadal.

• Alabama basketball is ready to go:

Today: 🐘 vs. 🐅 pic.twitter.com/ABoFGSfWtP

— Alabama Men’s Basketball (@AlabamaMBB) January 21, 2023

• Today's game is slated to tip off at 5 p.m. CT