Mark Sears propels No. 6 Alabama in rout of Kent State

Field Level Media|published: Sun 22nd December, 15:33 2024

Dec 22, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Aden Holloway (2) shoots against Kent State Golden Flashes forward VonCameron Davis (1) during the first half at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Will McLelland-Imagn Images

Mark Sears scored 16 points and No. 6 Alabama overcame a slow start to post an 81-54 rout of Kent State on Sunday afternoon in nonconference play at Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Aden Holloway had 13 points and three steals for the Crimson Tide (10-2), who won their fourth consecutive game. Grant Nelson had nine points and a season-high 14 rebounds and Clifford Omoruyi collected a season-best 12 boards for Alabama.

The Crimson Tide never trailed and led by as many as 32 points.

Kent State's VonCameron Davis scored nine points to top 1,000 for his career. He has 1,002.

Marquis Barnett and Delrecco Gillespie also scored nine points for the Golden Flashes (8-3). Gillespie grabbed eight rebounds.

Kent State shot just 28.0 percent from the field and was 2 of 27 from 3-point range.

Alabama shot 45.0 percent from the field and was a shaky 9 of 35 from 3-point range. The Crimson Tide held a 60-40 rebounding advantage.

Kent State was within 47-33 nearly five minutes into the second half when the Crimson Tide delivered the knockout punch.

Chris Youngblood drained a 3-pointer to start a 13-2 run. Houston Mallette ended it with a trey to give Alabama a 60-35 advantage with 8:13 left in the game.

Holloway and Labaron Philon later drained consecutive 3-pointers to push the lead to 72-43 with 4:52 left.

Holloway knocked down another trey to make it 81-49 with 1:06 to play.

Nelson collected 12 rebounds during a cold-shooting first half that ended with the Crimson Tide holding a 39-24 lead.

Alabama missed its first seven field-goal attempts and ended up at 39.4 percent for the half and was 2 of 17 from 3-point range. Kent State missed its first seven shots and 19 of 21 before finishing the half at 23.1 percent. The Golden Flashes were 1 of 15 from behind the arc.

The score was tied at 4 nearly six minutes into the game when the Crimson Tide ripped off 16 consecutive points. Derrion Reid scored six straight at one point during the stretch as the Crimson Tide opened up the large lead.

Sears drained a trey to make it 30-12 with 5:03 left as 18 was Alabama's largest lead of the half.

--Field Level Media

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