Alabama just reminded everyone why you never leave a Nate Oats game early, even when the Tide looks dead in the water. If you're looking for what is the score to the alabama game today, the Crimson Tide walked out of Starkville with a massive 97-82 win over Mississippi State.
It wasn't always that pretty. Honestly, for the first twelve minutes, it looked like Bama forgot how to play basketball. They were down 29-15. The "Hump" was rocking. Then, something clicked. A 21-5 run to end the half turned a potential blowout into a 36-34 lead, and they never looked back.
Breaking Down the Scoring Explosion in Starkville
Labaron Philon Jr. is officially a problem for the rest of the SEC. He put up a career-high 32 points, and he did it with an efficiency that felt almost robotic. 20 of those points came in the second half alone. When Alabama gets into that rhythm where the floor is spaced and the guards are downhill, they are basically impossible to guard.
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Aiden Sherrell was the other half of that two-headed monster. He dropped 22 points, also a career best. It’s rare to see a freshman duo take over a road environment like that. Mississippi State’s Josh Hubbard did his best to keep the Bulldogs in it with 23 points, but he was a volume shooter tonight, and Bama’s defense eventually squeezed the life out of their perimeter game.
Key Stats from the Victory
- Final Score: Alabama 97, Mississippi State 82
- Turnovers: Only 5 for Alabama (a season low)
- Rebounding: 47-43 advantage for the Tide
- Bench Contribution: 12 points, mostly from Jalil Bethea and the rotation guys
The 97 points is actually the most Bama has ever scored in Starkville under Nate Oats. That's a wild stat when you think about the offensive firecrackers he's coached over the last few years.
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The Turning Point Most People Missed
Everyone will talk about Philon’s scoring, but the game changed when Brandon Walker was ejected for Mississippi State. It was a Flagrant 2 foul on Amari Allen. That four-point possession for Alabama stretched the lead to 15, and the energy just evaporated from the home crowd. You could literally see fans heading for the exits with eight minutes left.
Alabama played with a shortened rotation too. Latrell Wrightsell and Taylor Bol Bowen were both out with injuries. Usually, that’s a recipe for a road loss in this league. Instead, Oats leaned on eight guys to play the bulk of the minutes, and they responded by shooting 50% from the floor in the second half.
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What’s Next for the Crimson Tide?
If you were searching for what is the score to the alabama game today to see if they’re back on track after those tough losses to Vanderbilt and Texas, the answer is a resounding yes. They moved to 12-5 overall and 2-2 in the SEC.
The schedule doesn't get any easier. They have to travel to Norman this Saturday to face an Oklahoma team that plays a very different, more methodical style. If Philon and Sherrell keep playing at this All-SEC level, the Tide might actually be the team to beat in the conference again.
Actionable Takeaways for Bama Fans
- Watch the turnover battle: When Bama keeps it under 10 turnovers like they did tonight (5), they are nearly unbeatable.
- Monitor the injury report: Keep an eye on Wrightsell’s leg injury before the Oklahoma tip-off.
- Check the NET rankings: This road win in Starkville is a "Quad 1" victory that will look great on the resume come March.
Alabama moves on to face Oklahoma on January 17th. That game starts at noon Central on the SEC Network.