Chris Youngblood scored a season-high 27 points and matched his career best of seven 3-pointers to help No. 6 Alabama demolish No. 24 Mississippi State 111-73 on Tuesday night in Southeastern Conference play at Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Mark Sears made five 3-pointers while recording 21 points and 10 assists to help the Crimson Tide (23-5, 12-3 SEC) register a season best for points and 3-point baskets. Alabama has reached the century mark eight times this season.
Aden Holloway scored 13 points and Mouhamed Dioubate and Labaron Philon added 10 points apiece as Alabama defeated the Bulldogs for the eighth consecutive time.
Josh Hubbard scored 21 points and KeShawn Murphy added 18 points for Mississippi State (19-9, 7-8), which lost its second straight game.
Youngblood averaged 25 points in two meetings against the Bulldogs this season. He also made seven 3-pointers in the first clash, won 88-84 by Alabama during a visit to Starkville on Jan. 29.
Alabama shot 52.1 percent from the field, including 22 of 45 from 3-point range.
Mississippi State made 38.4 percent of its shots and was a shaky 6 of 30 from behind the arc. RJ Melendez added 11 points for the Bulldogs.
The Crimson Tide led by 26 at halftime and continued their assault in the second half.
Sears, Youngblood and Jarin Stevenson made consecutive 3-pointers as Alabama’s lead reached 68-35 with 14:55 left in the game.
Stevenson knocked down another trey as the Crimson Tide led 81-47 just past the midway point of the half.
A 3-pointer by Philon made it 95-59 with 5:04 remaining. Holloway’s trey with 2:21 left pushed Alabama over 100.
Youngblood (16 points) and Sears (12) each knocked down four treys in the first half as Alabama built a 53-27 advantage.
Sears buried a 3-pointer to give Alabama a double-digit lead at 19-9 nearly nine minutes into the game.
The Crimson Tide later ripped off 11 consecutive points behind Sears’ 3-pointer, Nelson’s dunk and two treys by Youngblood to boost the lead to 35-15 with 6:02 left in the half.
Sears finished the half with a 3-pointer in the final seconds for the 26-point halftime margin.
