Full Game Recap: Mississippi State Men's Basketball vs. No. 24 Alabama
Mississippi State basketball in its last contest against No. 24 Alabama, struggled on the defensive end because of high-octane the offense of the Crimson Tide. Mark Sears led all scorers with 22 points, and the kryptonite for the Bulldogs all season struck again with a major issue of empty trips at the free throw line.
The Bulldogs showed in their last contest that with the ball in Josh Hubbard's hands, the team could match anyone offensively. However, the key to winning is to slow down the guard play of Sears and the team's ability to hit shots at the charity stripe.
What: Mississippi State Bulldogs (14-7, 3-5 SEC) versus Alabama Crimson Tide (15-6, 7-1 SEC)
Where: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
TV: SEC Network
When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Central
Alabama Starting Five
Mark Sears
Rylan Griffen
Latrell Wrightsell Jr.
Aaron Estrada
Grant Nelson
Mississippi State Starting Five
Shakeel Moore
Josh Hubbard
D.J. Jeffries
Tolu Smith III
Cameron Matthews
First Half
This story will be regularly updated throughout the game.
Griffen opens the game with a 3-pointer for Alabama. Alabama leads 3-0.
Smith finishes at the other end to open the scoring for MSU. Alabama leads 3-2.
Hubbard attacks the paint and finishes with a layup. MSU leads 4-3.
Griffen responds with a jumper for Alabama. Alabama leads 5-4.
Smith is getting into the game early scoring with a jumper. MSU leads 6-5.
Hubbard gets fouled and sent to the free throw line and he makes both. MSU leads 8-5.
The Bulldogs turn the ball over on back-to-back possession and the Crimson Tide take advantage of both turnovers and score five points. Alabama leads 10-8.
Matthews gets fouled while also getting the goaltend called in his favor. He misses the extra point. The game is tied 10-10.
A nice feed into the paint for Alabama and scores inside the paint. Alabama leads 12-10.
MSU forces a turnover and Jimmy Bell Jr. scores a quick shot. The Bulldogs tied the game.
Shawn Jones Jr. fights for the offensive rebound and it leads to a Bell Jr. bucket. MSU leads 14-12.
Alabama drives the ball quickly and scores and on its next possession, they find a way to grab an offensive rebound and score again. Alabama leads 16-14.
Estrada finds a way to finish a difficult shot but Smith, on the other end, gets to his spot and scores. Alabama leads 18-16.
Hubbard misses the three and it leads to an Alabama three. Alabama leads 21-16.
Sears finds a window to deliver the ball to the cutting man. Alabama leads 23-16.
Jefferies gets hit hard with a screen and goes down. He hops back up but is visibly limping and heads to the locker room.
The turnover are piling up for the Bulldogs and Alabama takes advantage with a 3-pointer. Alabama leads 26-16.
Smith gets fouled while going up. He makes both of his shots. Alabama leads 26-18.
Hubbard is now gimpy and has headed to the bench.
Smith has 10 of MSU 20 points. Alabama leads 26-20.
Alabama has find its range and hits another three. Alabama leads 29-20.
Smith gets fouled again and sent to the line. He makes both and is 4-4 from the charity stripe. Alabama leads 29-22.
An easy layup from the Tide. Alabama leads 31-22.
Sears stops and shots a transition three and hits it. Alabama has its biggest lead of the night at 12 and the score 34-22.
Alabama is on a 8-0 run after getting fouled and finishes the and-one. The Crimson Tide lead 37-22.
Estrada makes Matthews jump and finishes around him. Alabama leads 39-22.
Smith gets back to the paint and gets fouled. He splits his attempts. Alabama leads 39-23.
Sears finds his range and hits another three. Alabama leads 42-23.
Three straight offensive rebounds for another three, this time from Griffen. Alabama leads 45-23.
Smith gets back to the line and splits them again. Alabama speeds the pace up and scores on the other end. Alabama leads 47-24.
Going into half, Mississippi State can't find a way to hit shots and are turning the ball over at a high rate. Alabama finds ways to make three and have taken 29 threes for the game up until this point.
Second Half
Smith tries to open the half with points but misses both. Alabama leads 47-24.
Smith is drawing multiple fouls whenever he trying to put anything up in the paint. He splits them. Alabama leads 47-25.
MSU are constantly getting sent to the free-throw line and can't find ways to hit their free-throws.
Hubbards tries to get something going but is block and has the ball throw off of him by Nelson. Nelson finishes on the other end. Alabama leads 49-25.
Alabama has five fouls on MSU only three minutes into the half. Smith finds a way to score after a deflection. Alabama leads 49-28.
Alabama head coach Nate Oats gets a technical called on him . Hubbard gets sent to take the shot but free-throws are not falling for the Bulldogs who are 10-19 from the line.
Estrada gets an offensive rebound, spins into the paint and finishes inside. Alabama leads 51-28.
Sears zig zags his way into the paint, makes a defender jump and finishes at the rim. Alabama leads 53-28.
Moore finds a shot over the defender to break the drought for the Bulldogs. Alabama leads 53-30.
MSU scores at the free-throw line but Alabama score on back-to-back for five. Alabama leads 58-33.
Alabama finds MSU sleeping on defense and scores a corner three. The Tide lead 61-33.
Estrada just walks into the paint to score and an athletic finishes for the Crimson Tide as well after a turnover. Alabama lead 65-33.
Smith has been the only bright spot for the Bulldogs all game. He finishes in the paint. Alabama leads 65-35.
Jones Jr. finishes a reverse layup in transition, but Alabama returns the favor and scores again. Alabama leads 70-37.
Jones Jr. scores the first 3-pointer of the night for the Bulldogs. MSU is 1-10 from behind the arch in this game. Alabama leads 70-40.
Hubbard gets sent to the line and makes both his free throws. Alabama leads 70-42.
MSU can't grab a rebound on either end and turn the ball over to frequently and it has allowed Alabama to score more points. Alabama leads 73-42.
Smith works his way into the paint and scores a layup. Estrada scores on the other end. Alabama leads 75-44.
Matthews finishes a dunk on the other end for a bucket. Alabama leads 75-46.
MSU only source of points is coming from the charity stripe. Alabama leads 75-48.
Jones Jr. hits a three but five points are scored for the Tide. Alabama leads 80-51.
The Crimson Tide hit their free throws and Moore scores on the other send with a layup. Alabama leads 82-53.
Alabama and MSU trade free-throws. Alabama leads 84-55.
Sears throws a no look pass for the score and Moore finishes a 3-pointer at the other end. 86-58.
Sears scores again with a jumper. The Tide leas 88-58.
MU has scored four straight points off of a bad turnover from the Crimson Tide. Alabama leads 88-62.
Another three from Alabama after finding a corner three from a sleeping MSU defender. Alabama leads 91-62.
Back-to-back missed dunks from both teams but Alabama hits a 3-pointer. Alabama leads 94-62.
Free-throws for Alabama and the Bulldogs respond with a three.
Alabama hits a three late into the game followed by a Moore layup.
Final Alabama 99, Mississippi St. 67
Tolu Smith III lead all scorer with 23 points but the story came down to the Bulldogs having an off night on all facets of the game. The Bulldogs shot 19-32 from the free-throw line and 4-16 from three. They also committed 18 turnover for the game while many players got into early foul trouble.
Alabama and four player in double figures. Mark Sears lead the Crimson Tide with 21 points, followed by Aaron Estrada with 15 and Jari Stevenson and Mouha Dioubate with 14. They finished the game with nearly 50 shots from behind the hard and making 15 3-pointers.
D.J. Jefferies went out early in the first half with an injury after taking a hard screen and that was a changing point in the game. Josh Hubbard went 1-9 from the field and 0-5 from three but was also seen hobbled earlier in the game.
