BAMA

MISSST

Sears scores 22 points, Alabama scores last 8 to beat Mississippi State 82-74 for 5th straight win

AP
Jan 13, 2024

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) Mark Sears scored 22 points and Alabama Crimson Tide scored the last eight points to beat Mississippi State Bulldogs 82-74 on Saturday night for its fifth straight win.

Mississippi State trailed by as many as 10 points and for most of the second half, but took a 70-69 lead on Tolu Smith's layup with 4:32 to play. Rylan Griffen answered with a layup and Sears hit a 3 and Alabama lead 74-70.

Shakeel Moore and Cameron Matthews each made a layup to tie the game 74-all with 2:42 remaining before Sears scored next the six points on a jumper and four free throws to help seal it.

Sears was 6 of 12 from the floor, made two 3-pointers and all eight of his free throws. Latrell Wrightsell Jr. hit five from distance and scored 19 points for Alabama (11-5, 3-0 Southeastern Conference). Griffen finished with 17 points.

Smith scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead Mississippi State (12-4, 1-2). Josh Hubbard added 14 points, Moore had 13 and Matthews 12.

Sears scored eight points during a 22-9 run to give Alabama a 62-52 with 12 minutes left. Wrightsell's 3 made it 65-57, but then Alabama went nearly four minutes without scoring before Griffen’s layup ended the drought, and the Crimson Tide led 67-62 with 7:05 remaining.

Smith scored six points during an 8-2 spurt that gave the Bulldogs their one-point lead late.

Wrightsell scored 11 points and Griffen had 10 as Alabama took a 40-38 advantage into the break. Smith and D.J. Jeffries scored seven points apiece for the Bulldogs.

Alabama hosts Missouri on Tuesday.

Mississippi State is on the road against sixth-ranked Kentucky on Wednesday.

-- Get poll alerts and updates on AP Top 25 basketball throughout the season. Sign up here --- AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

1st Half
ALA
Crimson Tide
40
MSST
Bulldogs
38

Time		Play	Score
20:00		(Bulldogs gains possession)
19:39	+2	Cameron Matthews makes two point dunk (Tolu Smith III assists)	0-2
19:17		Rylan Griffen misses three point jump shot
19:15		Bulldogs defensive rebound
18:55	+2	Cameron Matthews makes two point dunk	0-4
18:47	+3	Aaron Estrada makes three point jump shot	3-4
18:25	+2	Tolu Smith III makes two point layup	3-6
18:13		Nick Pringle offensive foul
18:13		Nick Pringle turnover (offensive foul)
18:01		Tolu Smith III misses two point layup
17:59		Grant Nelson defensive rebound
17:54		Rylan Griffen misses three point jump shot
17:52		Bulldogs defensive rebound
17:26	+2	Shakeel Moore makes two point jump shot (Tolu Smith III assists)	3-8
17:05	+2	Aaron Estrada makes two point jump shot	5-8
16:50		Nick Pringle shooting foul (Tolu Smith III draws the foul)
16:50		Tolu Smith III misses regular free throw 1 of 2
16:50		Tolu Smith III misses regular free throw 2 of 2
16:50		Shakeel Moore offensive rebound
16:33		Shakeel Moore misses two point layup
16:31		Tolu Smith III offensive rebound
16:29	+2	Tolu Smith III makes two point layup	5-10
16:17		Josh Hubbard shooting foul (Grant Nelson draws the foul)
16:17	+1	Grant Nelson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	6-10
16:17		Grant Nelson misses regular free throw 2 of 2
16:17		Josh Hubbard defensive rebound
15:55		Jimmy Bell Jr. misses two point layup
15:53		Aaron Estrada defensive rebound
15:44		Cameron Matthews shooting foul (Mouhamed Dioubate draws the foul)
15:44		TV timeout
15:44		Mouhamed Dioubate misses regular free throw 1 of 2
15:44		Mouhamed Dioubate misses regular free throw 2 of 2
15:44		Cameron Matthews defensive rebound
15:18		Mark Sears shooting foul (Josh Hubbard draws the foul)
15:18	+1	Josh Hubbard makes regular free throw 1 of 3	6-11
15:18	+1	Josh Hubbard makes regular free throw 2 of 3	6-12
15:18	+1	Josh Hubbard makes regular free throw 3 of 3	6-13
15:10		D.J. Jeffries blocks Mouhamed Dioubate's two point layup
15:08		Jimmy Bell Jr. defensive rebound
15:00		Josh Hubbard misses two point jump shot
14:58		Latrell Wrightsell Jr. defensive rebound
14:49		Aaron Estrada misses two point layup
14:47		D.J. Jeffries defensive rebound
14:24	+2	Josh Hubbard makes two point layup	6-15
14:07		Mark Sears misses three point jump shot
14:05		Mouhamed Dioubate offensive rebound
14:03		D.J. Jeffries shooting foul (Mouhamed Dioubate draws the foul)
14:03	+1	Mouhamed Dioubate makes regular free throw 1 of 2	7-15
14:03	+1	Mouhamed Dioubate makes regular free throw 2 of 2	8-15
13:39		D.J. Jeffries misses two point jump shot
13:37		Grant Nelson defensive rebound
13:26		Mark Sears turnover (bad pass) (Josh Hubbard steals)
13:23		Josh Hubbard turnover (bad pass)
13:11		Cameron Matthews personal foul
13:06	+2	Mark Sears makes two point layup	10-15
13:06		Dashawn Davis shooting foul (Mark Sears draws the foul)
13:06	+1	Mark Sears makes regular free throw 1 of 1	11-15
12:51		Tolu Smith III turnover (traveling)
12:39	+2	Rylan Griffen makes two point jump shot	13-15
12:18		Mohamed Wague personal foul
12:05		Tolu Smith III offensive foul
12:05		Tolu Smith III turnover (offensive foul)
11:45		Jaquan Scott blocks Mark Sears's two point layup
11:43		Jaquan Scott defensive rebound
11:38		Mark Sears shooting foul (Josh Hubbard draws the foul)
11:38		TV timeout
11:38		Josh Hubbard misses regular free throw 1 of 2
11:38		Josh Hubbard misses regular free throw 2 of 2
11:38		Sam Walters defensive rebound
11:29		Aaron Estrada misses three point jump shot
11:27		Rylan Griffen offensive rebound
11:26		Josh Hubbard personal foul
11:26	+1	Rylan Griffen makes regular free throw 1 of 2	14-15
11:26	+1	Rylan Griffen makes regular free throw 2 of 2	15-15
10:59	+3	Shawn Jones Jr. makes three point jump shot (Dashawn Davis assists)	15-18
10:45		Rylan Griffen turnover (bad pass) (Shakeel Moore steals)
10:34		Sam Walters blocks Tolu Smith III's two point layup
10:32		Mohamed Wague defensive rebound
10:25	+2	Mohamed Wague makes two point layup	17-18
9:56		Mohamed Wague shooting foul (Tolu Smith III draws the foul)
9:56		Tolu Smith III misses regular free throw 1 of 2
9:56	+1	Tolu Smith III makes regular free throw 2 of 2	17-19
9:50		Sam Walters misses three point jump shot
9:48		Jarin Stevenson offensive rebound
9:47		Jarin Stevenson turnover (lost ball) (D.J. Jeffries steals)
9:31		Tolu Smith III misses two point layup
9:29		D.J. Jeffries offensive rebound
9:28	+2	D.J. Jeffries makes two point layup	17-21
9:17		Grant Nelson turnover (bad pass) (Shakeel Moore steals)
9:00		Dashawn Davis misses three point jump shot
8:58		Aaron Estrada defensive rebound
8:44	+3	Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes three point jump shot (Sam Walters assists)	20-21
8:20		Dashawn Davis turnover (bad pass) (Jarin Stevenson steals)
8:13	+3	Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes three point jump shot (Aaron Estrada assists)	23-21
8:09		Bulldogs 30 second timeout
8:09		TV timeout
7:55		Shakeel Moore turnover (bad pass)
7:44	+2	Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes two point layup	25-21
7:25	+3	Trey Fort makes three point jump shot (Jimmy Bell Jr. assists)	25-24
7:10		Latrell Wrightsell Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Jaquan Scott steals)
7:07		Trey Fort misses two point dunk
6:54		Latrell Wrightsell Jr. misses three point jump shot
6:52		D.J. Jeffries defensive rebound
6:49		Aaron Estrada personal foul
6:49		Trey Fort misses regular free throw 1 of 1
6:49		Rylan Griffen defensive rebound
6:37	+2	Rylan Griffen makes two point layup	27-24
6:19		Trey Fort misses three point jump shot
6:17		Rylan Griffen defensive rebound
6:12		Latrell Wrightsell Jr. misses two point layup
6:10		Jimmy Bell Jr. defensive rebound
6:03		Jimmy Bell Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Latrell Wrightsell Jr. steals)
5:55		Latrell Wrightsell Jr. misses three point jump shot
5:53		Shakeel Moore defensive rebound
5:44	+2	D.J. Jeffries makes two point layup	27-26
5:31	+2	Rylan Griffen makes two point layup	29-26
5:03	+2	Jimmy Bell Jr. makes two point layup	29-28
4:44		Trey Fort personal foul
4:44	+1	Mark Sears makes regular free throw 1 of 2	30-28
4:44	+1	Mark Sears makes regular free throw 2 of 2	31-28
4:30	+2	Tolu Smith III makes two point dunk (Shawn Jones Jr. assists)	31-30
4:19		Aaron Estrada misses two point jump shot
4:17		Mouhamed Dioubate offensive rebound
4:09		Sam Walters misses three point jump shot
4:07		Tolu Smith III defensive rebound
4:03		Tolu Smith III turnover (lost ball) (Grant Nelson steals)
3:54		Grant Nelson misses two point layup
3:52		Shawn Jones Jr. defensive rebound
3:45	+3	D.J. Jeffries makes three point jump shot	31-33
3:20		Rylan Griffen turnover (bad pass) (D.J. Jeffries steals)
3:08		Tolu Smith III misses two point jump shot
3:06		Rylan Griffen defensive rebound
2:46	+3	Grant Nelson makes three point jump shot (Mark Sears assists)	34-33
2:27	+3	Trey Fort makes three point jump shot (Dashawn Davis assists)	34-36
2:12		Trey Fort blocks Mark Sears's two point layup
2:10		Rylan Griffen offensive rebound
2:10		Shawn Jones Jr. shooting foul (Rylan Griffen draws the foul)
2:10		TV timeout
2:10	+1	Rylan Griffen makes regular free throw 1 of 2	35-36
2:10	+1	Rylan Griffen makes regular free throw 2 of 2	36-36
1:58		Trey Fort turnover (bad pass) (Grant Nelson steals)
1:41		Latrell Wrightsell Jr. misses three point jump shot
1:39		Mouhamed Dioubate offensive rebound
1:35	+3	Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes three point jump shot (Mouhamed Dioubate assists)	39-36
1:02		Tolu Smith III misses two point jump shot
0:50		Tolu Smith III shooting foul (Grant Nelson draws the foul)
0:50		Grant Nelson misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:50	+1	Grant Nelson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	40-36
0:32		Dashawn Davis misses two point jump shot
0:30		Latrell Wrightsell Jr. defensive rebound
0:23		Crimson Tide 30 second timeout
0:23		Latrell Wrightsell Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Dashawn Davis steals)
0:02	+2	Shakeel Moore makes two point jump shot (Dashawn Davis assists)	40-38
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
ALA
Crimson Tide
42
MSST
Bulldogs
36

Time		Play	Score
19:42	+3	Shakeel Moore makes three point jump shot (Tolu Smith III assists)	40-41
19:34		Aaron Estrada offensive foul
19:34		Aaron Estrada turnover (offensive foul)
19:10		D.J. Jeffries misses three point jump shot
19:08		Aaron Estrada defensive rebound
19:02		Grant Nelson misses three point jump shot
19:00		D.J. Jeffries defensive rebound
19:00		Nick Pringle personal foul
18:47	+2	Shakeel Moore makes two point layup	40-43
18:23		Dashawn Davis blocks Aaron Estrada's two point layup
18:21		Mohamed Wague offensive rebound
18:18	+2	Mohamed Wague makes two point dunk	42-43
17:58		Shakeel Moore turnover (lost ball) (Aaron Estrada steals)
17:52	+3	Rylan Griffen makes three point jump shot (Mark Sears assists)	45-43
17:26		Tolu Smith III misses two point layup
17:24		Grant Nelson defensive rebound
17:18		Dashawn Davis shooting foul (Aaron Estrada draws the foul)
17:18	+1	Aaron Estrada makes regular free throw 1 of 2	46-43
17:18	+1	Aaron Estrada makes regular free throw 2 of 2	47-43
17:07		Cameron Matthews turnover (lost ball) (Grant Nelson steals)
17:02	+2	Aaron Estrada makes two point layup (Grant Nelson assists)	49-43
16:38		Mohamed Wague shooting foul (Cameron Matthews draws the foul)
16:38	+1	Cameron Matthews makes regular free throw 1 of 2	49-44
16:38	+1	Cameron Matthews makes regular free throw 2 of 2	49-45
16:27		Aaron Estrada misses three point jump shot
16:25		Grant Nelson offensive rebound
16:22	+2	Grant Nelson makes two point layup	51-45
16:03		Jarin Stevenson personal foul
15:54		Tolu Smith III turnover (lost ball)
15:52		Aaron Estrada turnover (lost ball)
15:52		TV timeout
15:44		Shakeel Moore misses two point jump shot
15:42		Tolu Smith III offensive rebound
15:39	+2	Tolu Smith III makes two point layup	51-47
15:15		Grant Nelson offensive foul
15:15		Grant Nelson turnover (offensive foul)
15:02		Josh Hubbard misses three point jump shot
15:00		Mark Sears defensive rebound
14:46		Rylan Griffen misses two point jump shot
14:44		Tolu Smith III defensive rebound
14:33		Grant Nelson blocks Josh Hubbard's two point layup
14:31		Grant Nelson defensive rebound
14:25	+3	Mark Sears makes three point jump shot (Rylan Griffen assists)	54-47
13:56		Grant Nelson blocks Cameron Matthews's two point layup
13:54		Jarin Stevenson defensive rebound
13:44	+2	Mark Sears makes two point layup	56-47
13:41		Bulldogs 30 second timeout
13:41		TV timeout
13:29	+2	Shakeel Moore makes two point jump shot	56-49
13:07		Aaron Estrada turnover (out of bounds)
12:52		Nick Pringle blocks Jimmy Bell Jr.'s two point layup
12:50		Crimson Tide defensive rebound
12:40	+2	Mark Sears makes two point layup	58-49
12:40		Shawn Jones Jr. shooting foul (Mark Sears draws the foul)
12:40	+1	Mark Sears makes regular free throw 1 of 1	59-49
12:28		Shakeel Moore misses three point jump shot
12:26		Jimmy Bell Jr. offensive rebound
12:26		Nick Pringle personal foul
12:24	+3	Josh Hubbard makes three point jump shot (Shakeel Moore assists)	59-52
12:02	+3	Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes three point jump shot (Mouhamed Dioubate assists)	62-52
11:36		Mouhamed Dioubate shooting foul
11:36		TV timeout
11:36	+1	Josh Hubbard makes regular free throw 1 of 3	62-53
11:36	+1	Josh Hubbard makes regular free throw 2 of 3	62-54
11:36	+1	Josh Hubbard makes regular free throw 3 of 3	62-55
11:17		Mark Sears turnover (traveling)
11:05	+2	Cameron Matthews makes two point dunk (Trey Fort assists)	62-57
10:49	+3	Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes three point jump shot (Rylan Griffen assists)	65-57
10:35	+3	Josh Hubbard makes three point jump shot (D.J. Jeffries assists)	65-60
10:20		Latrell Wrightsell Jr. misses three point jump shot
10:18		Trey Fort defensive rebound
10:10		Josh Hubbard misses three point jump shot
10:08		Cameron Matthews offensive rebound
10:03		D.J. Jeffries misses two point layup
9:43		Mark Sears misses three point jump shot
9:41		D.J. Jeffries defensive rebound
9:21		Josh Hubbard misses two point layup
9:19		Cameron Matthews offensive rebound
9:13		Trey Fort misses three point jump shot
9:11		Tolu Smith III offensive rebound
9:09		Josh Hubbard misses three point jump shot
9:07		Grant Nelson defensive rebound
8:54		Aaron Estrada misses two point layup
8:52		D.J. Jeffries defensive rebound
8:31		D.J. Jeffries misses two point layup
8:29		Tolu Smith III offensive rebound
8:27		Tolu Smith III misses two point layup
8:25		Grant Nelson defensive rebound
8:16		D.J. Jeffries blocks Rylan Griffen's two point layup
8:14		Trey Fort defensive rebound
7:57		Grant Nelson blocks Tolu Smith III's two point layup
7:55		Grant Nelson defensive rebound
7:48		Rylan Griffen misses three point jump shot
7:46		Grant Nelson offensive rebound
7:43		Grant Nelson misses two point layup
7:41		D.J. Jeffries defensive rebound
7:39		TV timeout
7:28	+2	Cameron Matthews makes two point layup	65-62
7:06	+2	Rylan Griffen makes two point layup	67-62
6:50		Josh Hubbard misses three point jump shot
6:48		Tolu Smith III offensive rebound
6:45		Nick Pringle shooting foul (Tolu Smith III draws the foul)
6:45	+1	Tolu Smith III makes regular free throw 1 of 2	67-63
6:45	+1	Tolu Smith III makes regular free throw 2 of 2	67-64
6:23		Cameron Matthews personal foul
6:11		Aaron Estrada misses three point jump shot
6:09		Tolu Smith III defensive rebound
5:43		Rylan Griffen shooting foul (Tolu Smith III draws the foul)
5:43	+1	Tolu Smith III makes regular free throw 1 of 2	67-65
5:43	+1	Tolu Smith III makes regular free throw 2 of 2	67-66
5:15		Cameron Matthews shooting foul (Grant Nelson draws the foul)
5:15	+1	Grant Nelson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	68-66
5:15	+1	Grant Nelson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	69-66
5:07		Mouhamed Dioubate personal foul
5:07	+1	D.J. Jeffries makes regular free throw 1 of 2	69-67
5:07	+1	D.J. Jeffries makes regular free throw 2 of 2	69-68
4:51		Shakeel Moore personal foul
4:50		Shawn Jones Jr. blocks Grant Nelson's two point layup
4:48		Crimson Tide offensive rebound
4:46		Rylan Griffen misses three point jump shot
4:44		Shakeel Moore defensive rebound
4:33	+2	Tolu Smith III makes two point layup (Josh Hubbard assists)	69-70
4:11	+2	Rylan Griffen makes two point layup	71-70
4:03		Shakeel Moore misses two point layup
4:01		Tolu Smith III offensive rebound
4:01		Tolu Smith III misses two point layup
3:59		Crimson Tide defensive rebound
3:50	+3	Mark Sears makes three point jump shot	74-70
3:34	+2	Shakeel Moore makes two point layup	74-72
3:11		TV timeout
3:02		Mark Sears misses three point jump shot
3:00		Aaron Estrada offensive rebound
2:58		Aaron Estrada misses two point layup
2:56		Tolu Smith III defensive rebound
2:47		Tolu Smith III misses two point layup
2:43		Cameron Matthews offensive rebound
2:39	+2	Cameron Matthews makes two point layup	74-74
2:22	+2	Mark Sears makes two point jump shot	76-74
2:05		Grant Nelson shooting foul (Tolu Smith III draws the foul)
2:05		Tolu Smith III misses regular free throw 1 of 2
2:05		Tolu Smith III misses regular free throw 2 of 2
2:05		Rylan Griffen defensive rebound
1:46		Grant Nelson misses three point jump shot
1:44		Josh Hubbard defensive rebound
1:18		Tolu Smith III turnover (lost ball) (Aaron Estrada steals)
0:49		Tolu Smith III blocks Mark Sears's two point layup
0:47		Bulldogs defensive rebound
0:34		Grant Nelson shooting foul (Cameron Matthews draws the foul)
0:34		Cameron Matthews misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:34		Cameron Matthews misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:34		Aaron Estrada defensive rebound
0:26		D.J. Jeffries personal foul
0:26		Crimson Tide 30 second timeout
0:26		Shakeel Moore personal foul
0:26	+1	Mark Sears makes regular free throw 1 of 2	77-74
0:26	+1	Mark Sears makes regular free throw 2 of 2	78-74
0:26		Bulldogs 30 second timeout
0:18		Latrell Wrightsell Jr. shooting foul (Shakeel Moore draws the foul)
0:18		Shakeel Moore misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:18		Shakeel Moore misses regular free throw 2 of 2
0:17		Crimson Tide defensive rebound
0:14		D.J. Jeffries personal foul
0:14	+1	Mark Sears makes regular free throw 1 of 2	79-74
0:14	+1	Mark Sears makes regular free throw 2 of 2	80-74
0:09		Josh Hubbard misses three point jump shot
0:07		Shawn Jones Jr. offensive rebound
0:06		Shawn Jones Jr. misses two point layup
0:04		Latrell Wrightsell Jr. defensive rebound
0:03		Shawn Jones Jr. personal foul
0:03	+1	Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	81-74
0:03	+1	Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	82-74
0:00		End of period

+ 1

Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2