Mississippi State vs. Alabama – Men’s College Basketball Game Recap – January 25, 2023 | ESPN

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — — The sport didn’t look really easy for Alabama unexpectedly.

The three-pointers weren’t falling and the second-ranked Crimson Tide fell behind by double digits as a substitute of constructing a commanding lead.

The tip end result was the identical: a ’Bama victory, albeit a down-to-the-wire 66-63 recreation in opposition to slumping Mississippi State on Wednesday evening.

The Crimson Tide (18-2, 8-0 Southeastern Convention) needed to climb out of a 10-point gap within the second half after which maintain on two days after reaching this system’s highest rating since rising to No. 1 within the 2002-03 season. The end result was a ninth straight win and the primary actual scare throughout that stretch.

“We did not begin the sport like we would have liked to however I give our guys a number of credit score,” Alabama coach Nate Oats stated. “Within the second half, they discovered a solution to get a win in a decent recreation.

“We haven’t had very many tight video games, so it’s not the worst. We had to determine methods to win a detailed recreation, particularly while you’re down.”

The Bulldogs (12-8, 1-7) had one final likelihood to tie however Noah Gurley blocked Shakeel Moore’s 3-point try within the last seconds. They’d additionally had two potential tying photographs on the finish of a 61-59 loss to Florida over the weekend and have now dropped 5 straight.

Jahvon Quinerly scored 9 of his 14 factors within the second half and had 4 assists for the Tide, which made simply 5 of 28 3-pointers (18%). Brandon Miller and Noah Clowney each scored 13, and Clowney had eight rebounds.

Clowney made two free throws and Quinerly went 1 of two within the last 2:15.

Tolu Smith led Mississippi State with 15 factors and 7 rebounds. Dashawn Davis added 14.

Mississippi State coach Chris Jans referred to as the loss “onerous to swallow.”

“Clearly, we had management for almost all of the sport,” Hans stated. “They overtook us and I like how we responded.

“Simply disenchanted. We had a possibility to get an enormous win for this group and this program in opposition to a group that’s having a terrific season.”

It was Alabama’s first house recreation because the Jan. 15 arrest of reserve ahead Darius Miles on a capital homicide cost.

The Tide trailed by as many as 11 within the first half. Alabama did not take its first lead till going up 48-46 on Rylan Griffen’s 3-pointer with 9:19 left. It got here after Miller took a cost on the opposite finish.

The Bulldogs’ Davis was fouled on a 3-point try and made all three foul photographs for a group that began 1 of 5 from the road.

“If you happen to’re going to win an SEC championship, you’ve obtained to win some video games that you do not play your greatest and that you determine a solution to win a recreation,” Oats stated. “Actually our protection within the second half, I feel, was what did it.”

BIG PICTURE

Mississippi State: Flirted with beating its highest ranked opponent since upending No. 1 Kentucky within the 1996 SEC event, 84-73. As an alternative, the Bulldogs have misplaced 9 straight in opposition to Prime 25 groups since beating No. 24 Alabama final season.

Alabama: The Tide lastly cooled off a bit after changing into simply the third group within the final 50 years to win its first seven SEC video games by double digits, however discovered a solution to win. Making 19 of twenty-two free throws (86%) definitely helped.

PRINGLE’S SHOOTING

Alabama junior faculty switch Nick Pringle made each of his photographs within the recreation and scored seven factors. He is now 19 of 20 (95%) on the season.

UP NEXT Mississippi State hosts No. 11 TCU on Saturday within the SEC-Massive 12 Problem.

Alabama visits Oklahoma on Saturday in one other SEC-Massive 12 matchup.

——

AP faculty basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP–Top25