In a surprising turn of events, Alabama’s leading scorer and preseason All-American Mark Sears spent the entire second half on the bench as the No. 4 Crimson Tide rallied to defeat LSU 80-73 on Saturday night. The benching came after Sears, who leads the SEC in scoring at 19 points per game, went scoreless in the first half on 0-for-5 shooting.
Oats Opts for Lineup Changes
Alabama head coach Nate Oats explained the decision to sit Sears, citing defensive consistency as the primary reason for the lineup shakeup. “We played the guys that we thought gave us the best chance to win in the second half,” Oats said. “I didn’t think our second-half defense has been very good lately, so we made the point to the guys, we’re done starting the same group that starts the game.”
Holloway and Dioubate Step Up
In Sears’ absence, Aden Holloway and Mouhamed Dioubate rose to the occasion, scoring 19 and 14 points respectively off the bench. This marked the second straight game in which the duo has provided a significant spark, following their combined 44-point performance in Tuesday’s win over Vanderbilt.
“Our defense was significantly better in the second half than in the first half, and we haven’t done that much this year.”
– Nate Oats, Alabama head coach
Sears’ Struggles Continue
Sears’ scoreless outing marked a continuation of his recent offensive struggles. Despite leading the SEC in scoring, he has now failed to reach double figures in three of his last five games. His 0-for-5 shooting performance against LSU lowered his field goal percentage to just 38% over that span.
- Sears’ last 5 games: 9.2 ppg, 38% FG
- Season averages: 19.0 ppg, 45% FG
Questions Loom for Crimson Tide
While Alabama secured the victory without Sears, questions remain about his role moving forward. Will Coach Oats continue to prioritize defense and bring Sears off the bench? Or will the preseason All-American regain his starting spot and rediscover his scoring touch? As the Crimson Tide push for an SEC title and deep NCAA Tournament run, finding the right lineup balance will be crucial.
For now, Alabama sits atop the SEC standings at 17-3 overall and 6-1 in conference play. They will look to extend their winning streak when they host Mississippi State on Wednesday night, with or without Mark Sears leading the charge.