Mississippi
How Chris Youngblood filled Latrell Wrightsell’s role vs. Mississippi State
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Chris Youngblood was a man possessed in his second start of the season. The fifth-year guard shot the lights out from 3-point range, scoring 23 points and connecting on 7 of 10 shots from beyond the arc in No. 4 Alabama’s 88-84 win over No. 14 Mississippi State on Wednesday. Youngblood’s timely 3s lifted Alabama past a ranked top-15 SEC opponent on the road for the third time this season.
After the game, Youngblood said that “humbly speaking” he was pretty sure he had connected on 70% of his shots from deep before. It’s an understandably confident response from a veteran guard who has been an elite scorer for four seasons and is finding that same level with Alabama.
“You just don’t really think about it, you know,” Youngblood reflected after the game. “You make the goal to go shot for shot, don’t really think about the next shot or the last shot. I missed two free throws in a row. That was crazy, but just keep it going.”
Youngblood’s outstanding evening from 3 was reminiscent of another sharpshooter who was supposed to dominate for the Tide this season. Fellow fifth-year guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. was shooting 42.2% from 3 through Alabama’s first eight games before a ruptured Achilles ended his season.
Wrightsell’s injury was a major blow for the Tide, especially its output from deep. Alabama has had some good shooting games without Wrightsell but entered Wednesday shooting just 32.5% from 3 as a team.
However, Youngblood’s best display in an Alabama uniform had shades of Wrightsell’s shotmaking as he hit timely 3 after timely 3 to bury the Bulldogs. Alabama coach Nate Oats is hoping Youngblood has turned a corner, and he might not have to worry about replacing the shooting output Wrightsell was supposed to provide this season.
“Would’ve been nice to have them together,” Oats said after the game. “We’d be shooting the ball from 3 a lot better as a team if we had them both this year. That was the original plan. Now, Latrell went out and Chris is finally getting back to where he’s feeling comfortable. His ankle’s feeling close to 100%. Yeah, I’d like for him to shoot it — Trelly shot it really well last year and in the games he played this year. Chris is getting more comfortable shooting it well.
“We need guys to kind of complement Mark [Sears]. Mark can make plays, get guys open. We need guys to knock down shots and hopefully, this is Chris’ coming out party here because he looked pretty good on both ends of the floor.”
There’s plenty of evidence Youngblood can be the answer to any of Alabama’s shooting struggles. He shot north of 40% from 3 in each of his last three seasons before arriving at Alabama. Youngblood’s scoring ability was a big factor in him winning Co-American Athletic Conference Player of the Year and why Alabama plucked him from the transfer portal this offseason. His latest performance upped his 3-point percentage to 35.2% this season.
Youngblood wasn’t the only one of Alabama’s guards embraced his inner Wrightsell on Wednesday. As a team, Alabama shot 15 of 31, 48% from deep which is by far its best outing of the season. In addition to Youngblood’s seven makes, Sears and sophomore forward Aden Holloway combined for six 3s.
“We weren’t really trying to do anything special,” Oats said of the Tide’s shooting performance. “They do a good job. They turned us over 14 times. Their defense was good. They kind of forced turnovers. We were trying to get the spacing right we didn’t do that like we needed to all the time. The ball was moving. I thought guys hit shots — you know, Youngblood’s open, he didn’t pass up open looks.”
Alabama’s guards took another huge step in collectively finding their rhythm and hit 3s at the same clip and efficiency that Wrightsell did Alabama in his first eight games this season and throughout last. Oats is continuing to hold the team’s best shooters to a high standard to do so.
“I thought Holloway passed some open ones up,” Oats said. “Him, Sears, Youngblood can never pass up an open shot, ever. Youngblood didn’t. I don’t think Sears did either. He didn’t get very many open ones with the way they were guarding him. But guys being confident, stepping up, making big shots was big for us.”
Alabama will look to replicate its elite shooting against Mississippi State when it returns home to take on Georgia on Saturday. The Tide and Bulldogs will face off at 3 p.m. CT inside Coleman Coliseum. The game will be broadcast on ESPN 2.
MISSISSIPPI COUNTY, Mo. (KFVS) – A 10-year-old girl is seriously injured following a UTV crash on Friday, June 26.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s crash report, a 10-year-old girl from Sikeston was driving a UTV southbound on Levee Road, 11 miles east of East Prairie.
MSHP said the crash occurred around 11 a.m. as the vehicle travelled off the left side of the roadway, returned to the road and then overturned.
The girl was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Cape Girardeau for serious injuries.
Copyright 2026 KFVS. All rights reserved.
IRS raises 401(k) contribution limits for 2026
IRS increases 401(k) and catch-up contribution limits for 2026, allowing workers to save up to $32,500 for retirement.
Many Americans worry their retirement savings won’t last — and a new report suggests that fear may be justified in Mississippi.
Surveys have shown that Americans fear running out of money in retirement more than they fear death itself. People are living longer, which means retirement lasts longer, and retirement costs are rising.
A new report from CareScout, the long-term care network, finds that the average American at age 65 faces a retirement shortfall of $109,000. That’s the difference between how much income they can expect, from Social Security, savings and other sources, and how much they should plan to spend on the expenses of daily life.
American retirees are likely to outlive their savings in 41 states, according to the data.
The report draws on state-level estimates of life expectancy at age 65 (16 to 20 years, more or less, depending on the state), average retirement benefits, median net worth and expected retirement expenses.
How likely are you to outlive your retirement savings in Mississippi? Here’s what we know about life expectancy, expenses and how much retiring here costs.
Mississippi retirees face a $160K savings gap
The average Mississippi senior can expect about $682,000 in expenses and $521,000 in income in retirement. Projected shortfall: $160,000.
It’s the 13th-largest shortfall in the U.S.
The state has some of the most affordable food costs and home prices in the country, but overall wages are also much lower than the national average.
What’s a realistic retirement age in Mississippi?
Nasdaq studied realistic retirement numbers for each state. For Mississippi, they determined that a realistic retirement age is 61 and recommend having at least $764,676 saved.
Mississippi residents aren’t taxed on income from:
- Social Security benefits
- IRAs
- 401(k)s
- Pensions
- Military benefits
The state income tax is also being phased out.
How long Mississippians live after age 65
Mississippi ranked next-to-last for life expectancy in a CDC list of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Data from 2022 is the newest available.
The Magnolia State had an average life expectancy of 72.6 years.
For men, Mississippi ranked 51st at 69.5 years. Women ranked 50th with an average life expectancy of 75.7.
At age 65, people in Mississippi are expected to live another 16.7 years, on average. It’s about 15.3 years for men and 17.9 years for women.
Retirement may last longer than you think
American life expectancy is about 79 years. By the time you reach retirement, however, you can expect to live longer than the overall life expectancy figure suggests. A woman of 70, for example, can expect to live to 87.
Many older Americans don’t know how long their own retirement is going to last: in other words, how long they are going to live.
Longevity literacy matters in retirement planning. If your retirement budget assumes you will live to 75, and you make it to 95, you will probably run out of money.
How to make your retirement savings last
Don’t want to outlive your savings? Here are some tips from the experts.
Ways to grow your retirement account faster
One surefire way to build retirement savings is to make aggressive contributions to a workplace retirement account.
The most successful retirement savers typically start saving early, contribute at least 10% of their income to a 401(k)-type account, and save continuously until they retire.
And try not to raid your retirement savings for a household expense. Instead, open an emergency savings account.
How timing Social Security affects your monthly check
The longer you wait to claim Social Security, the larger your monthly benefit checks will be.
Based on the longevity figures above, you’re generally better off claiming Social Security later in life, if you can afford to wait. Ideally, wait until age 70, when your monthly benefit maxes out.
In a 2025 story, USA TODAY explained the math behind that rule of thumb.
Mississippi cities certified for retirement living
There are 13 cities and towns in the Mississippi Hometown Retirement Program, also known as Welcome Home Mississippi.
The program encourages more people to retire in the Magnolia State. It uses no state income tax on retirement income, a tax exemption on the first $75,000 of a home’s true value and no state gift or inheritance taxes as selling points.
Certified cities “maintain high standards and boast many of the qualities and amenities retirees often seek when choosing a retirement destination,” according to the Welcome Home website.
Cities in the program include:
Daniel de Visé covers personal finance for USA Today and writes the Daily Money newsletter.
Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with USA TODAY Network. Email her at bbolden@usatodayco.com.
Odds of winning the Powerball and Mega Millions are NOT in your favor
Odds of hitting the jackpot in Mega Millions or Powerball are around 1-in-292 million. Here are things that you’re more likely to land than big bucks.
The Mississippi Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 25, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mississippi Match 5 numbers from June 25 drawing
01-06-09-13-23
Check Mississippi Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from June 25 drawing
Midday: 3-3-8, FB: 5
Evening: 4-0-8, FB: 7
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from June 25 drawing
Midday: 2-8-3-2, FB: 5
Evening: 5-0-3-2, FB: 7
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 25 drawing
Midday: 01
Evening: 07
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Story continues below gallery.
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
Winnings of $599 or less can be claimed at any authorized Mississippi Lottery retailer.
Prizes between $600 and $99,999, may be claimed at the Mississippi Lottery Headquarters or by mail. Mississippi Lottery Winner Claim form, proper identification (ID) and the original ticket must be provided for all claims of $600 or more. If mailing, send required documentation to:
Mississippi Lottery Corporation
P.O. Box 321462
Flowood, MS
39232
If your prize is $100,000 or more, the claim must be made in person at the Mississippi Lottery headquarters. Please bring identification, such as a government-issued photo ID and a Social Security card to verify your identity. Winners of large prizes may also have the option of setting up electronic funds transfer (EFT) for direct deposits into a bank account.
Mississippi Lottery Headquarters
1080 River Oaks Drive, Bldg. B-100
Flowood, MS
39232
Mississippi Lottery prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing date. For detailed instructions and necessary forms, please visit the Mississippi Lottery claim page.
When are the Mississippi Lottery drawings held?
- Cash 3: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
- Cash 4: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
- Match 5: Daily at 9:30 p.m. CT.
- Cash Pop: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Mississippi editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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