Murphy’s Legislation states that something that may go incorrect will go incorrect.
For the primary jiffy in Mizzou Area on the night time of February 19, 2025, this was definitely the case for No. 4 Alabama males’s basketball because the Crimson Tide ended up falling to No. 15 Missouri 110-98. It is the Tigers’ most factors in an SEC recreation in program historical past.
A bit of over two minutes into the sport, the Tigers got here out swinging as their 5-for-7 clip from the sphere whereas the Crimson Tide’s 0-for-3 slate with two turnovers led to a right away 12-0 lead in entrance of a raucous Mizzou crowd.
Alabama’s offense began to get up and put factors on the board, however the Crimson Tide protection was nowhere to be discovered. Down 42-28 with simply over 5 minutes remaining within the first half, Alabama head coach Nate Oats received his first technical foul of the season after throwing his clipboard down onto the hardwood, forcing it to interrupt into a number of items on affect.
The Crimson Tide closed the primary half down 59-46. It is Missouri’s most factors scored in a half in opposition to a ranked opponent this season and the fourth-most in a half this season (most in SEC play). Tigers massive man Mark Mitchell was an enormous purpose for this as he scored 18 factors on 8-for-11 from the sphere. This was a theme for Mizzou within the opening 20 minutes because it shot 61 p.c in that span.
Oats made the strikes to bench beginning guard Chris Youngblood and beginning heart Clifford Omoruyi to open the second half and changed them with forwards Jarin Stevenson and Mouhamed Dioubate. Alabama made a bit extra progress with this new lineup because it reduce the result in inside 10 quite a few occasions, however the sluggish protection stored the Crimson Tide from being in a single-digit deficit till the beneath 12-minute mark.
Alabama guard Mark Sears was one of many Crimson Tide’s few vibrant lights as he scored 14 factors within the first half. This continued within the second interval as he led his staff out from the darkish to slender the deficit all the best way down to 6 factors with lower than 10 minutes to go.
Nonetheless, regardless of scoring 26 factors previous to the timeout, the remainder of Alabama could not assist Sears the remainder of the best way. Tigers guard Caleb Grill was an enormous purpose for this as he completed with 25 factors and Mitchell continued his dominance to whole a career-high 31 factors. Sears scored a season-high 35 factors.
Alabama has not had a lead within the final two video games.
This loss provides the Tide a 10-3 document in SEC play. No. 2 Florida got here into Wednesday third within the SEC with a 10-3 document in opposition to the convention after dismantling Arkansas on Tuesday. In different phrases, the Gators and Crimson Tide are actually tied for second place within the convention.
The query is not if Alabama will make the NCAA Match. It is what seed will Oats and company be on Sunday, March 16. The Crimson Tide was positioned on the No. 2 total spot and the No. 1 seed within the Midwest Area of the bracket in the course of the choice committee’s preliminary high 16 seeds reveal on Saturday morning, however that was earlier than it misplaced to No. 1 Auburn.
It’s going to be a race between the Crimson Tide and the Gators for the two-seed within the SEC Match, however Florida indisputably has a neater last slate that features two unranked groups. Auburn has all however locked up the one-seed because it leads Alabama for the convention lead by one recreation and in addition has a much less difficult finish to the common season.
With this in thoughts, no matter whether or not Alabama is the No. 2 or No. 3 seed within the SEC Match, it’s going to doubtless be a No. 1 seed within the NCAA Match ought to the Tide attain the convention championship. Dropping within the semifinals in Nashville might convey Alabama to a two-seed in March Insanity.
This story will likely be up to date.
