Alabama
No. 14/13 Alabama Falls to No. 4/4 Tennessee, 81-74 – University of Alabama Athletics
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The No. 14/13 Alabama men’s basketball team fell to No. 4/4 Tennessee, 81-74, Saturday night inside Coleman Coliseum. The Crimson Tide held a seven-point lead midway through the second half, however, the Volunteers would use a 14-4 run to regain the lead and go on to the road win.
Alabama (20-9, 12-4 SEC) used a 29-12 run that spanned halftime that turned a 39-29 UA deficit into a 58-51 lead with 13:42 remaining. However, Tennessee’s Jonas Aidoo would score six points during the game-changing run that gave the Vols a 65-62 lead with just under six minutes remaining. The Tide cut the lead to one point, 70-69, at the 2:48 mark but would not be able to regain the lead down the stretch.
UA’s Mark Sears led all scoring with 22 points to go along with a team-best six assists. Aaron Estrada collected 16 points and eight boards, with Nick Pringle chipping in with 13 and a team-high nine rebounds.
Tennessee (23-6, 13-3 SEC) was led by Zakai Zeigler’s 18 points, while Josiah-Jordan James had a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds.
Head Coach Nate Oats Postgame Comments
“It was not the outcome that we were looking for. I have to thank the fans for the amazing atmosphere today. It was great to have College GameDay here to show where our program is going and what we are doing over here. We would’ve loved to have the regular season SEC Championship. But it is out of our hands now, we still get a shot at it, but we are fighting for a share of it now.
It was disappointing. They (Tennessee) are a tough veteran team. They cut it down to seven midway through the second half when (Dalton) Knecht was in foul trouble, and it carried down and other guys stepped up and made big shots. We did a fairly good job on Knecht, but the other guys stepped up and had some big nights.
We have to get our guys back together. Florida was an overtime game here and it is not going to be easy playing down there. But we will try to win two and go out on a good note this week.”
TEAM STATS
- The loss snapped the Crimson Tide’s 16-game home winning streak vs. SEC teams
- Alabama’s two lowest point totals in SEC play have come against the Volunteers (71 at Tennessee and 74 tonight)
- The Tide had scored at least 80 points in nine straight contests entering tonight
- Alabama’s 41 first-half points is the most points scored in the first half against Tennessee in the Nate Oats Era
- The statistics were fairly even, however, the Tide had 12 turnovers compared to six for the Vols which resulted in Tennessee owning a 17-9 lead in points off turnovers
- Alabama shot just 38 percent (23-60) from the floor, 24 percent (9-37) from range and 76 percent (19-25) from the charity stripe
- In comparison, Tennessee shot 36 percent (24-66) from the field, 30 percent (12-40) from deep and 72 percent (21-29) from the line
FIRST HALF
- Tennessee led for a majority of the opening stanza, taking its biggest lead of the contest, 23-12, at the 10:53 mark
- The Crimson Tide scored 12 straight points over the final 2:50 of the half, turning a 10-point deficit into a two-point lead as the teams headed into the break (41-39)
- Both Mark Sears (12 pts) and Aaron Estrada (11 pts) led Alabama at the Half with double figures
- UA held Tennessee’s Knecht to just seven points in the first half
SECOND HALF
- The Tide would continue to grow the lead to its largest of the game at seven, 58-51, with just over 13 minutes remaining
- Alabama would go on to miss 16 of the next 17 shots from the field as Tennessee slowly extended its lead
- After UA cut the lead to one, 70-69, UT would score nine of the game’s next 12 points to seal the victory and the series sweep
UP NEXT
- Alabama heads to Gainesville, Fla., next Tuesday to take on the Florida Gators inside the Exactech Arena at Stephen C. O’Connell Center
- The Tide’s final regular season road game is slated for a 6 p.m. CT tipoff and will air live on ESPN
- In its first matchup of the season, the Crimson Tide outlasted the Gators 98-93 in an overtime thriller inside Coleman Coliseum
For all the latest information on the team, follow AlabamaMBB on X, Instagram and Facebook. General athletic news can be found @UA_Athletics on X and Instagram and Alabama Athletics on Facebook.
Alabama
Jacob Crews scores 20 for Missouri in 85-77 win over Alabama State
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Jacob Crews scored 20, and Anthony Robinson II added 19 in Missouri’s 85-77 win over Alabama State on Thursday night.
Crews shot 7 of 9 from the field, including 6 of 8 from the 3-point arc. Mark Mitchell added 15 points for Missouri (9-2), and Sebastian Mack added 10.
The Tigers had a 15-0 run in the first half, heading into the locker room up 52-39. Alabama State was held scoreless over a 4:19 drought in the middle of the second half to open a 9-0 run for the Tigers. The Hornets (3-8) responded with their own 10-0 run to bring the game within eight, 74-62. The Tigers regained control, though, to keep their eight-point lead the rest of the game, handing Alabama State their fourth loss in a row.
The Tigers shot 65% (33 of 51). Both teams shot 50% from the free-throw line.
Alabama State outscored Missouri in the final period, 38-33. Asjon Anderscon scored 23 for the Hornets, leading all players in scoring.
Up next
Missouri hosts Bethune-Cookman on Dec. 14.
Alabama State travels to Cincinnati to face the Bearcats on Dec. 17.
___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Alabama
Katie Windham Highlights Alabama Areas of Improvement on The Joe Gaither Show
Let’s crank up a Thursday edition of “The Joe Gaither Show on BamaCentral” with Mason Woods and Katie Windham as we start getting ready for next week’s College Football Playoff game between Alabama and Oklahoma. Windham detailed how the Crimson Tide can improve over the next few weeks, we discuss the team’s health and look back at our last road trip to Norman. The show then discusses the Heisman Trophy finalists before addressing a Kalen DeBoer coaching rumor.
The program opens by power ranking the holidays before discussing Windham’s three areas the Crimson Tide can improve over the next week. Our trio picks the easiest area the team can improve and how Alabama must perform in Norman. Windham details our last trip to Oklahoma as we go down memory lane to the Sooners’ 24-3 victory last season.
The show continues on by getting Windham’s thoughts on Alabama’a College Football Playoff selection and if the Crimson Tide actually deserved its place in the field. She brings up a unique aspect of Alabama’s blowout loss in the SEC Championship and how it played into the program’s inclusion in the College Football Playoffs.
We move from next week’s game into a small discussion on Notre Dame’s reaction of being left out of the field and how it relates to Alabama’s future home-and-home dates with the Fighting Irish. Will the two esteemed programs still face off in a few years?
The show heads into the only college football action of the weekend by highlighting the strong Heisman Trophy finalist field. Who brings home the bronze statue?
Lastly, we spend the final bit of the show talking about Michigan firing Sherrone Moore and the reports of the Wolverines considering persuing Kalen DeBeor for their next head coach. Will DeBoer leave Tuscaloosa for Ann Arbor?
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Call (205) 462-7340 Extension 800 to leave your thoughts in a voicemail, and you’ll be featured on the show. You can also join us live in the comment sections Monday through Friday at 8:15 a.m. CT.
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Alabama
New Alabama law raises penalties for porch piracy
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – As holiday deliveries ramp up, a new Alabama law aims to deter package theft by raising penalties for so-called “porch piracy.” The law, which went into effect on October 1, 2025, makes repeated package theft a felony and can carry prison sentences of up to 10 years in the most serious cases.
What changed
Previously, many package thefts in Alabama were charged as misdemeanor theft because the value of individual stolen packages often fell below felony thresholds. Under the new law however, lawmakers established penalties that focus on the number of homes targeted rather than the dollar value of items stolen:
- Stealing from 1 to 9 homes: most serious misdemeanor
- Stealing from 10 to 29 homes: felony
- Stealing from 30 or more homes: can result in up to 10 years in prison
The law also increases penalties if stolen packages are used to commit identity theft or fraud. In addition, anyone who knowingly receives packages stolen by a porch pirate can be charged under the new rules.
Lawmakers weigh in
Senator April Weaver, one of the bill’s sponsors, said the change was meant to protect Alabama families during the holidays.
“It was really important to protect the people not only in my district but throughout the state of Alabama and to make sure their hard-earned money is going to their children’s Christmas,” she said.
On camera, Senator Weaver added with holiday humor, “It means the Grinch may have stolen Christmas in Whoville, but if he does it in Alabama, he’ll have plenty of time in state prison for his heart to grow three sizes.”
What police recommend if your package is stolen
If you discover a stolen package, law enforcement recommends:
- Report the theft to police immediately.
- Preserve any doorbell or surveillance footage that may show the theft.
- Contact the delivery company right away to report the missing item.
- Consider requiring a signature on delivery to reduce the risk of theft.
The law went into effect on October 1, 2025; this December marks the first holiday season it is in effect. Alabama is now one of more than a dozen states that have passed laws specifically targeting package theft. Supporters say the law sends a stronger message that porch piracy will no longer be treated as a minor offense.
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