No. 5 Alabama men’s basketball won its first SEC road test over South Carolina 88-68 on Wednesday evening in relatively easy fashion.

One big reason for this being a must-see matchup was due to the reunion with former Alabama and current South Carolina forward Nick Pringle, who was a part of the Crimson Tide’s Final Four run last season. Alabama head coach Nate Oats said during Tuesday’s press conference that like most players facing their former team, Pringle will likely tell the Gamecocks about the Tide’s play style to try and gain an advantage well ahead of tipoff.

However, this was not the case early as Alabama cruised to a commanding 45-28 halftime lead. Crimson Tide Preseason All-American guard Mark Sears quickly lived up to that status as he started the game 6-of-7, with 16 points including 4-of-4 on attempts from behind the arc.

Sears’ effort certainly rubbed off on the rest of the team in the first half as Alabama’s 60 percent from the field (18-of-30), including a 6-of-11 clip from downtown. In addition to 13 assists, the Tide also grabbed six offensive rebounds, which led to seven second-chance points, scored 22 points in the paint and recorded five steals and three blocks.

Crimson Tide center Clifford Omoruyi and conference-leading three-time SEC Freshman of the Week Labaron Philon also had a very solid first half on both ends of the floor to help contribute to the massive lead.

The start to the second half was a bit slower for Alabama, as after a poor play, Oats took out the entire starting five. One of the replacements was guard Aden Holloway who scored seven straight points for Alabama to regain the Tide’s momentum and build a more comfortable 56-39 lead with 15 minutes to go in the second half.

The importance of depth played a role in this one as Holloway led Alabama to 36 bench points while the Gamecocks had four. Furthermore, South Carolina’s secondary group didn’t score a bench point until there were less than two minutes remaining in regulation.

From there on, both teams traded buckets, but Alabama’s tremendous start kept the Tide composed and Gamecocks unable to make a massive comeback. Even when Alabama had scoring droughts, its defense prevailed in making sure South Carolina didn’t chip away. Forward Grant Nelson played a key role here as Gamecocks forward Collin Murray-Boyles, SC’s leading scorer coming into the game, finished 1-of-6 from the field.

In short, Alabama’s first half was significantly better than the second, but the Crimson Tide’s defense in the latter portion of the night made the offensive performance not matter as much. Of course, consistency in both halves will be important for the rest of the gauntlet of an SEC slate.

Alabama improves to 13-2 (2-0 SEC) while South Carolina slides down to 10-5 (0-2 SEC).

An Alabama police lieutenant died on Monday after he was hit by a car while directing traffic at a church.

Irondale police Lt. Mark Meadows, 60, was setting out cones at an intersection outside the Church of the Highlands’ main campus when he was hit by a man driving a Chevrolet Colorado, local outlet AL.com reported. The driver immediately stopped.

The incident took place before 7 a.m. on Monday as the church’s popular “21 Days of Prayer” event, which runs from Jan. 5 to Jan. 25, was preparing to end for the day.

Meadows was taken to nearby Grandview Medical Center, where he died from his injuries, according to Irondale police.

DETROIT POLICE OFFICER KILLED IN HIT-AND-RUN CRASH, PERSON OF INTEREST AT LARGE

Irondale Mayor James Stewart Jr., described Meadows as a “treasured member” of the city’s family for decades.

“He was a man of few words but always led by example and embodied the heart of a true public servant,” Stewart said in a statement. “Lt. Meadows will be dearly missed by his brothers and sisters at the Irondale Police Department, as well as by all of our City employees and citizens. We are comforted in knowing that he is with his heavenly father, and we will continue to cover his family in prayer as they grieve this great loss.”

The police department announced that grief support is available for officers and others in need following Meadows’ death.

FLORIDA SHERIFF MOURNS ‘REALLY GREAT’ DEPUTY KILLED DURING TRAFFIC STOP; SUSPECT LATER KILLED

Meadows was an Army veteran and had worked in law enforcement for decades when he was killed. (Irondale Police Department / Facebook)

Church of the Highlands lead pastor Chris Hodges said Meadows had worked with the church since its main campus at Grants Mill opened almost 18 years ago.

In a statement to AL.com, Hodges said “our hearts are heavy beyond measure,” adding that Meadows was considered family.

“All our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, daughter, son, family members, fellow officers and the many who loved him,” Hodges said. “Even in the most difficult and trying times, we know our God will provide comfort, strength and reassurance based on the promise of heaven. We as a church will do all we can to care for his family.”

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey expressed condolences to Meadows’ loved ones and church family following his death in a post on X on Monday.

“My heart is heavy as I have learned of the tragic loss of Irondale Police Lieutenant Mark Meadows, a veteran and true public servant. I join all Alabamians in lifting up his family, the Irondale Police Department and the Church of the Highlands community in prayer,” Ivey wrote.

Irondale Lt. Mark Meadows helped direct traffic at Church of the Highlands since it opened nearly 18 years ago, according to lead pastor Chris Hodges. (Irondale Police Department / Facebook)

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., also said he was “saddened to hear of the loss” and thanked Meadows for his service to Alabama as a police officer and the United States as an Army veteran.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Meadows began his law enforcement career in 1992 with the nearby Mountain Brook Police Department before transferring to Irondale.

He was an FBI instructor certified in pistol and rifle, and an NRA instructor certified in pistol, according to AL.com. He is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is leading the investigation into the deadly incident.