In a closely contested Southeastern Conference matchup on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide secured an 88-84 victory over the No. 14 Mississippi State Bulldogs at Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, Mississippi. The game featured standout performances from both teams, with Alabama’s Chris Youngblood and Mississippi State’s Josh Hubbard leading their respective squads.
Alabama’s offense was spearheaded by Youngblood, who delivered a season-high 23 points, highlighted by a career-best seven three-pointers. Guard Mark Sears returned to form – after not scoring and then being benched in the 2nd half of Alabama’s last game – and contributed 17 points and dished out nine assists, while forward Grant Nelson added 15 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks. The Crimson Tide shot 49.2% from the field and an impressive 48.4% from beyond the arc, connecting on 15 of their 31 three-point attempts.
Mississippi State’s Josh Hubbard responded with a career-high 38 points, making 14 of 28 field goal attempts, including six three-pointers. Forward KeShawn Murphy provided support with 18 points and six rebounds off the bench. Despite shooting 50% from the field, the Bulldogs struggled from long range, hitting 32% of their three-point shots.
The game featured multiple lead changes and ties, with both teams displaying resilience. A pivotal moment occurred with 2:30 remaining when Nelson drained a wide-open corner three-pointer, giving Alabama an 83-80 lead. Mississippi State had an opportunity to seize the lead late, but Murphy missed a layup with just over 13 seconds left. Youngblood then secured the win for Alabama by sinking two free throws, extending the lead to three points with 10.9 seconds remaining.
Alabama’s head coach, Nate Oats, praised his team’s performance, stating, “I thought Cliff’s (Omoruyi) block saved the game in my opinion because it would have put them up one point with under 30 seconds left. I thought a lot of guys made a lot of big plays and [Sears] had a great bounce back game. A lot of big plays and a huge road win over a really good team.” ”
Mississippi State’s head coach, Chris Jans, acknowledged the effort of his players despite the loss. My deduction at this point is that we’re not a top ten team. We’ve lost four games to top ten teams, and I don’t like admitting that because I like this team. I’m confident in this team, I believe in this group. I told them that before the game, during and after the game, as well. We just have to stay the course. Would’ve, could’ve, should’ve, but it’s a very hurt locker room from the top down. We expect them to be hurt. [The players] poured their hearts out, and we didn’t win. We’ve got more work to do.” Jans remarked.
With this victory, Alabama improved to 18-3 overall and 7-1 in SEC play, maintaining their position at the top of the conference standings. The Crimson Tide have now won 12 of their last 13 games and extended their winning streak against the Bulldogs to seven consecutive games.
Mississippi State fell to 16-5 overall and 4-4 in SEC competition. The Bulldogs have faced a challenging stretch, losing four of their last six games, all against teams ranked No. 6 or higher.
Both teams showcased their offensive capabilities in this high-scoring affair, but it was Alabama’s timely shooting and composure in the final moments that secured the win.
Looking ahead, Alabama (12-1 in last 13 games) will host the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday, February 1 (2pm on ESPN), aiming to continue their strong conference play. Mississippi State (2-3 in their last 5 games) is looking to rebound against #20 Missouri on the same day.