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The Tuscaloosa News
Alabama basketball, Nate Oats react to 100-point game with zero points from Mark Sears
- Story byThe Tuscaloosa News
- Alabama basketball, Nate Oats react to 100-point game with zero points from Mark Sears
BIRMINGHAM — Alabama basketball notched its second 100-point game of the 2024-25 season against Illinois in the C.M. Newton Classic on Wednesday.
While accustomed to high-scoring affairs , it was hard for Crimson Tide fans to fathom that No. 7 Alabama (4-1) could pull out a 100-87 win over a ranked opponent like the No. 20 Fighting Illini with zero points from SEC Preseason Player of the Year Mark Sears .
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Head coach Nate Oats was joined by forward Grant Nelson , the night's top scorer with 23 points , and guard Labaron Philon during postgame press conferences at Legacy Arena in Birmingham. And Sears' teammates were quick to clarify that the returning Final Four starter still impacted the game.
In 21 minutes against Illinois (3-1), Sears was 0-for-5 with one rebound, two assists and a steal, tallying two turnovers.
"Tonight in the huddle, he kind of subbed himself out just because he saw guys were playing well," Nelson said of Sears. "I think that shows a lot of leadership."
Nov 20, 2024; Birmingham, AL, USA; Illinois center Tomislav Ivisic (13) attempts to drive against Alabama guard Mark Sears (1) but Sears holds his ground in the CM Newton Classic at Legacy Arena. Alabama defeated Illinois 100-87. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News
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Last year, Sears set the program record for most points scored in a single season with 797 points, averaging 21.5 per game. Now, he's averaging 17.2 points per game with a season-best 20 points in the season opener against UNC-Asheville, which UA won, 110-54.
Philon echoed Nelson's sentiment, saying that while Sears "wasn't on the floor, his leadership was still there."
"He would cheer guys on, try to put them in the right spots, checking that they're where they need to be," Philon said.
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Ten 100-plus point games highlighted Alabama's 25-12 run last season, including Eastern Kentucky, two appearances against LSU , Morehead State, Indiana State , South Alabama, Liberty, Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Charleston.
Sears contributed 11, 21, 23, 13, 24, 17, 16, 23, 26 and 30 points in those matchups, respectively.
Alabama basketball's Nate Oats expects Mark Sears to 'bounce back' vs. Houston
Illinois coach Brad Underwood said he believed the Fighting Illini did a "really good job" shutting down Sears and "stepped up to that challenge" by forcing him to be a passer.
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Meanwhile, Oats saw his guy "struggling," balancing the pressure of being the "home state kid" with greener billings like SEC Preseason Player of the Year.
"I took him out to kind of let him get his head together a little bit, and I tried to put him back in …" Oats said. "I'll be honest with you, similar to like what Herb Jones has done before. We've had some really good players here that have just kind of been unselfish enough and want to win bad enough to say, 'Hey, let the guys go.' "
Oats said he expects Sears to "bounce back" against the Cougars.
Alabama basketball returns to action next Tuesday in the first game of the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, NV. The Crimson Tide will tip off against Houston (2-1), who is tied for No. 7 in the nation with UA, at 7 p.m. CT.
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Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for the Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama basketball reacts to 100-point game without a point from Mark Sears
