Alabama
Live Updates for No. 17 Alabama Basketball’s Home Game Against Mississippi State
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — No. 17 Alabama basketball welcomes Mississippi State into Coleman Coliseum for the second to last home game of the year. The Crimson Tide enter on a six-game winning streak and beat the Bulldogs by 15 points in Starkville last month, but winning won’t be easy as Alabama will be without star guard Labaron Philon for the midweek contest after getting banged up last week against Arkansas.
Live Updates (Refresh Your Browser for Latest Updates):
Final Score
Second Half:
2:26 – Houston Mallette makes a 3-point shot to bring the Crimson Tide up to 22 makes from deep, tying a season high.
4:00 – Jalil Bethea makes a 3-pointer of his own and now Noah Williamson is the only Alabama player who hasn’t made one from deep against Mississippi State.
TIMEOUT 4:22 – Jalil Bethea calls timeout to save possession. The Crimson Tide has committed 13 turnovers without Labaron Philon in the lineup tonight.
4:45 – Nate Oats gets a technical foul after Taylor Bol Bowen’s followup dunk. Oats must have said something rude to the officials, but Josh Hubbard missed both free throws to the delight of the crowd.
5:42 – Alabama’s still a bit cold as they’ve only scored two points in the last four minutes of action, but the early 3-point shooting has the team in a comfortable spot, leading Mississippi State 84-62.
8:07 – Alabama’s gotten a little bit sloppy, allowing Mississippi State to cut the lead down to a 26 point margin. The game is still well in hand, but the Bulldogs have shaved 10 points off the lead as the Crimson Tide is 1-of-its-last-8.
TIMEOUT 9:47 – Alabama has finally cooled off and has missed their last six field goal attempts, resulting in a 2:13 scoring drought. The Crimson Tide still has a huge lead, up 82-53 with under 10 to play.
11:01 – Noah Williamson picks up his first foul as he’s played more minutes due to the Crimson Tide hammering the Bulldogs. Alabama leads 82-50 after the free throws.
TIMEOUT 12:00 – Time for the Full Moon Shoot For the Moon Challenge. Crew makes the layup easily, the free throw on two attempts, the 3-pointer on his third attempt, but comes up short on the halfcourt shot.
12:31 – Despite the large advantage for Alabama, Crimson Tide assistant Brian Adams is still screaming to get a defensive stop, imploring the team to show a killer instinct.
12:55 – Josh Hubbard finds his way to the free throw line for a three-point play the hard way. Alabama’s done a nice job limiting Hubbard to just 2-of-10 shooting and six points scored.
14:56 – Nate Oats has been on his team to start fast in the second half. The Crimson Tide opened the second frame on a 15-3 run to slam the door on the Bulldogs.
TIMEOUT 15:26 – It’s been more of the same in the second half as Alabama starts the half 4-of-5 from deep, taking the team to 20-of-32 on the game. The season high of 22 is certainly going to be reset tonight against the Bulldogs. Alabama leads 75-40.
15:44 – It is a 3-point downpour for Alabama as Aiden Sherrell makes his second from deep. He made two 3-point shots against Mississippi State in their last matchup, too.
17:36 – Amari Allen makes his sixth 3-point bucket of the game. Alabama is now 18-of-30 from deep. The season high is 22 makes and it came against Yale. The Crimson Tide leads 69-37.
18:41 – Latrell Wrightsell makes Alabama’s first 3-point shot of the second half. Alabama needs six more makes from deep to set a new season high.
19:00 – Quincy Ballard missed his second free throw, but Aiden Sherrell committed a lane violation and Ballard made his redo, robbing the students of “Goey Fries”.
Halftime:
First Half:
1:56 – The only Alabama players who haven’t made a 3-point shot and have checked into the game tonight are Jalil Bethea and Noah Williamson.
TIMEOUT 3:30 – Alabama leads Mississippi State 51-25 and the game’s been a total contrast in shot-making efficiency as the Crimson Tide is 16-of-26 from the floor (62%) and the Bulldogs are 9-of-30 (30%).
TIMEOUT 5:24 – Houston Mallette answers a Ja’Borri McGee 3-point shot with one of his own and the Crimson Tide is now 12-of-19 from deep and shooting 63% from the floor as Alabama leads 49-25. It’s been a shooting clinic by the home team so far.
6:35 – Mississippi State is called for a touch foul on Jalil Bethea and it already feels like the Crimson Tide has delivered a knockout blow as the team is up 42-22.
7:41 – It’s the Amari Allen show. The freshman just made his fifth 3-point shot and he hasn’t missed a single attempt. Allen leads all scorers with 16 points.
TIMEOUT 7:53 – The Crimson Tide is unstoppable, making 10-of-16 from deep with Amari Allen leading the way with four by himself. Alabama is leading 39-20 and staying busy on the glass outrebounding the Bulldogs 15-7.
8:55 – Amari Allen is on fire. He’s 4-of-4 from beyond the arc as Alabama has a 37-17 lead. Mississippi State is so discombobulated on defense.
10:04 – It’s contagious. Aden Holloway makes Alabama’s ninth deep shot of the half.
10:28 – More ridiculous 3-point shooting from Alabama as Amari Allen made a 3-point shot and got fouled in the process. He’s up to 10 points with the free throw and Alabama leads 29-15.
TIMEOUT 11:13 – Alabama leads 24-12 and continues to torch the Bulldogs from deep, converting 7-of-13 from beyond the arc. The Crimson Tide is dominating ont he glass with four offensive rebounds leading to five second-chance points.
11:32 – Jalil Bethea makes Alabama’s first two-point field goal with a layup off an offensive rebound. The Crimson Tide is up 24-12 and has been scorching from deep.
14:00 – Taylor Bol Bowen and Houston Mallette keep the long range shooting going for Alabama as they make the programs sixth and seventh 3-point shot of the half.
14:51 – Taylor Bol Bowen, Jalil Bethea and Houston Mallette all check into the game for their first action for Alabama.
TIMEOUT 14:51 – The first media timeout finds the Crimson Tide ahead 15-5 on five made 3-point shots. Amari Allen has two, Aden Holloway, London Jemison and Aden Sherrell all have one. The Crimson Tide is outrebounding Mississippi State 8-5 and all five made 3’s have come off assists, indicating strong ball movement early.
16:23 – Aden Holloway makes a 3-point basket on a possession that Alabama got four different three point shots. Latrell Wrightsell missed, Holloway missed, Amari Allen missed and then Holloway made his. Multiple offensive rebounds for the Crimson Tide.
17:25 – Amari Allen has started off 2-of-2 from 3-point range to start the game. The Crimson Tide is up 9-2 early with three made 3-point shots.
19:45 – London Jemison makes Alabama’s first 3-point attempt of the game to give the Crimson Tide a 3-0 lead right off the bat.
Pregame:
- Alabama basketball is wearing its white alternate uniforms tonight. The tops look identical to the Final Four uniforms, but the shorts have an alternate logo.
- There are still two minutes on the clock and the national anthem to perform, but the crowd is a bit sparse in Coleman Coliseum. Nate Oats called for a good home crowd, but the student section still has plenty of empty seating despite the team riding a six-game winning streak.
- Nate Oats indicated Jalil Bethea may be in line for more action tonight against Mississippi State. The Miami transfer is active in warmups, while Labaron Philon is in sweats as he’s out tonight.
- Officials tonight are Jeb Hartness, Keith Kimble and Kip Kissinger.
Starting Lineups:
Alabama:
G Aden Holloway
G Latrell Wrightsell Jr.
F Amari Allen
F London Jemison
F Aiden Sherrell
Mississippi State:
G Shawn Jones Jr.
G Jayden Epps
G Josh Hubbard
F Achor Achor
C Quincy Ballard
Alabama Final Availability Report (Feb. 25):
- Collins Onyejiaka — Out
- Davion Hannah — Out
- Keitenn Bristow — Out
- Labaron Philon — Out
Mississippi State Final Availability Report (Feb. 25):
- Jayden Epps — Game Time Decision
How to Watch: No. 17 Alabama vs. Mississippi State
Who: Mississippi State (13-14, 5-9 SEC) at No. 17 Alabama (20-7, 10-4 SEC)
What: Alabama’s 15th game of SEC Play (eighth at home)
When: Wednesday, Feb. 25, 8 p.m. CT
Where: Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
TV: ESPNU
Radio: Crimson Tide Sports Network (Play-By-Play: Chris Stewart, Color: Bryan Passink). The pregame show will begin one hour prior to tipoff.
SiriusXM: Channel 81 (Alabama), Channel 386 (Mississippi State)
Series: Alabama leads 138-77, with the first matchup occurring on Feb. 6, 1913. The Crimson Tide is 86-15 at home against the Bulldogs.
Last Meeting: Then-No. 18 Alabama dominated Mississippi State 97-82 on the road on Jan. 13, but that final score doesn’t frame the entire story. The Crimson Tide, which only had eight scholarship players available due to various injuries, found itself trailing 29-15 with less than eight minutes to go in the first half. However, Alabama went on a 21-5 run to close out the half and came out strong out of the break as well. The Tide tallied 82 points in the final 28 minutes, as Labaron Philon and Aiden Sherrell logged career-highs in points with 32 and 22, respectively. Additionally, freshman Amari Allen recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Last time out, Alabama: The then-No. 25 Crimson Tide took down LSU 90-83 on the road on Feb. 21, Feb. 18 It was Alabama’s sixth consecutive win, and gave head coach Nate Oats his fourth straight season with at least 20 victories. Aden Holloway led the way with 17 points and put up what head coach Nate Oats called the guard’s best game “on the defensive end all year.” Amari Allen and London Jemison were also big down the stretch as they finished the game with 16 and 12 points, respectively. Aiden Sherrell had 12 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out.
Last time out, Mississippi State: The Bulldogs fell to South Carolina 97-89 on the road on Feb. 21. The Gamecocks held a 7-point lead at halftime, and they were able to neutralize Mississippi State’s comeback effort by going bucket-for-bucket. MSU guard Josh Hubbard, who enters the Alabama game second in the SEC in scoring, finished with 13 points on 4 of 20 from the field. Four other Bulldogs finished in double figures, including a 15-point, 10-rebound performance by Quincy Ballard, but it wasn’t enough.
Alabama Stat Leaders
- Points: Labaron Philon Jr. (21.3 on 50.3 FG%) *THIRD IN SEC*
- Rebounds: Amari Allen (7.6, including 1.7 offensive) *FIFTH IN SEC*
- Assists: Labaron Philon Jr. (5.0 with 2.7 turnovers) *FOURTH IN SEC*
Mississippi State Stat Leaders
- Points: Josh Hubbard (22.0 on 42.1 FG%) *SECOND IN SEC*
- Rebounds: Achor Achor (6.6, including 2.3 offensive) *14th IN SEC*
- Assists: Josh Hubbard (3.6 with 2.3 turnovers) *12th IN SEC*
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – Alabama has expanded income eligibility for the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program, known as WIC, meaning more families may qualify.
WIC serves people who are pregnant, postpartum or breastfeeding, as well as parents or guardians of children younger than 5. Applications are handled through local county health departments and WIC clinics.
WIC provides food benefits for each eligible family member, including a monthly cash-value benefit that can be used for fruits and vegetables. Each child receives $26 a month, pregnant and postpartum participants receive $48 a month, and breastfeeding participants receive $52 a month. Other approved foods include whole-grain bread and cereal, milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, peanut butter, beans, canned fish and infant foods.
Participants can also receive nutrition education, breastfeeding support and health care referrals. Alabama’s WIC program issues benefits electronically.
| Family Size | Annual Income | Weekly Income |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | $40,034 | $770 |
| 3 | $50,542 | $972 |
| 4 | $61,050 | $1,175 |
| 5 | $71,558 | $1,377 |
| 6 | $82,066 | $1,579 |
Under the 2026 federal poverty guidelines, WIC is open to households with incomes up to 185% of the federal poverty level. Participants also must meet nutrition-risk requirements. Families already receiving Medicaid, SNAP or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families generally meet the income guidelines for WIC, though others may qualify as well.
Each unborn infant counts as one in the family size. For additional household sizes, see the Alabama Department of Public Health’s WIC information page.
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Copyright 2026 WSFA. All rights reserved.
Melissa Fortenberry saw a problem and sought a solution, a solution Alabama football is buying into.
Fortenberry invented HeatSense, a fitness tracker that measures athletes’ individual core body temperature with the “goal of proactively managing heat strain.” In August, Alabama will be Heat Sense’s first customer.
“They are all in,” Fortenberry told The Tuscaloosa News. “They very much want their player health to be at the top of the list.”
With a background in technology, Fortenberry came up with the idea of HeatSense as a fan, watching her three kids play youth sports in from the stands. She became sick, feeling dizzy and nauseous and coming to the conclusion that the pads and turf were hotter for athletes on the field.
Fortenberry conducted her own research and saw more reactive solutions than proactive.
“You can see heat strain forming in people and proactively cool them or keep pushing, where today, you’re flying blind,” Fortenberry said.
Jeff Allen, senior associate athletic director for health and performance and Alabama football’s head athletic trainer, has already been on the forefront of innovation for player safety, introducing the injury tent in 2015 to allow training staff and medical personnel to examine athletes privately on the sideline during games.
When Carson Tinker, a former Alabama and NFL long snapper and Fortenberry’s neighbor, heard about her idea, Allen was the first person Tinker thought of.
“Jeff was like, ‘Man, this sounds super interesting. Keep me in the loop with this,’” Tinker said. “It’s something he felt he knew that he could use. That was over a year ago now. … Now it’s all kind of come together. It’s crazy how it all kind of works out.”
“Once we got Jeff’s attention, he was really intrigued,” Fortenberry said, adding Allen “wants to be on the forefront of making the game better.”
Members of the HeatSense team attended an Alabama practice during its fourth-quarter program in March and put sensors on 10 players.
“I think the feedback they heard from players was validated in what we saw,” Fortenberry said.
Tinker views this not only as a safety tool, but an advantage overall to find a player’s peak body temperature.
“You want to be able to use the heat to your advantage. You want to be able to play your best in all conditions, but nobody knows until it’s too late and you got to get through in the cold tub because you overheated.”
Alabama is just the start for HeatSense, which has the goal of reaching three to five Division I programs this summer.
According to Weather Spark, the average temperature in Tuscaloosa eclipses 90 degrees during Alabama’s fall camp. Fortenberry now has a way for the Crimson Tide to respond.
“People, I think, are afraid of the heat, but you don’t know you can do something about it,” she said. “Now you can.”
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter or Instagram @colingaytnews.
A new survey of likely Republican runoff voters in Alabama suggests the state’s four statewide runoff contests remain at different stages heading into the June 16 election, with one race showing a clear leader, another appearing highly competitive, and a third remaining largely unsettled.
According to The Alabama Poll, which surveyed 600 likely Republican runoff voters on May 28, U.S. Senate candidate Jared Hudson leads Congressman Barry Moore 48.7% to 39.2%, while 12.1% of voters remain undecided. The poll indicates Hudson has built support among voters whose preferred candidates did not advance to the runoff.
In the race for lieutenant governor, Secretary of State Wes Allen holds a narrow overall lead over Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl, 41.9% to 38.4%. However, the survey found Wahl performing slightly better among voters who report they are certain to vote and among the most frequent Republican primary voters, highlighting the potential importance of turnout in the contest. Nearly one in five voters, 19.6%, remain undecided.
The attorney general runoff shows the largest margin among the four statewide races surveyed. Katherine Robertson leads Jay Mitchell 49.1% to 31.2%, with 19.7% of respondents undecided. Poll analysts noted that Mitchell’s path to closing the gap would likely depend on winning support from voters who view him favorably but have not yet committed to a candidate.
Meanwhile, the Republican runoff for commissioner of agriculture remains the most unsettled race in the survey. Corey Hill leads Christina Woerner McInnis 33.1% to 27.3%, but nearly 40% of likely runoff voters remain undecided, leaving substantial room for movement before Election Day.
Beyond the candidate matchups, the poll found Republican voters generally optimistic about the direction of Alabama, with 63.6% saying the state is headed in the right direction. At the same time, economic concerns continue to dominate voter priorities. Nearly 79% of respondents identified an economic issue as the most important problem facing the state, with grocery prices and utility costs cited most frequently.
The survey also found President Donald Trump’s approval rating among likely Republican runoff voters at 83.2%. Researchers reported that endorsements from both Trump and U.S. Senator Katie Britt carried similar persuasive weight among respondents.
The Alabama Poll surveyed 600 likely Republican primary runoff voters using a combination of live telephone interviews and text-message surveys. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points and was conducted May 28 among voters who said they are likely to participate in the June 16 Republican runoff election.
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