COLUMBIA, Mo. — Noah Clowney and Mark Sears each scored 17 points, and No. 4 Alabama beat Missouri 85-64 on Saturday.
Alabama (17-2, 7-0 Southeastern Conference) remained undefeated against unranked teams this season. Freshman Brandon Miller added 15 points and eight rebounds, and reserve Jahvon Quinterly scored 13 points.
“Give our guys a lot of credit because I thought we played hard for the majority of the game,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said. “We took care of the ball, a big point of emphasis coming in. Missouri's No. 1 in the country in turnover rate on defense.”
Clowney also had 14 rebounds, and Sears finished with eight rebounds and three steals.
“Probably his best numbers at 17 and 14,” Oats said about Clowney. “He's had some pretty good games though. He's obviously shot 3s for us at a high clip before. He's played really well for us. There's a reason he's been playing as many minutes as he's been playing this year.”
Isiaih Mosley led Missouri (14-5, 3-4) with 19 points. Mohamed Diarra had eight points and 12 rebounds.
The Tigers shot 33% (23 for 70) from the field, including 3 for 28 from 3-point range. The Crimson Tide went 10 for 35 from beyond the arc.
“No. 1 team in the country, Alabama,” Missouri coach Dennis Gates said. “I said it all along. They have the length. They have the athleticism. They have the shooting ability which I thought we stifled in the first half because they rely on it.”
Alabama broke the game open with a 17-6 run over the first 4:28 of the second half.
Missouri's Nick Honor hit a jump shot to tie it at 23 with 5:14 remaining in the first half. But Alabama responded with a 15-5 run for a 38-28 halftime lead.
“They go on a run at the end of the first and the beginning of the second consistently,” Gates said about Alabama. “That is consistently how they have played, and we didn’t mitigate it at all, and it’s hard when you see a team shoot the ball the way that they do, and you hold them to a sort of low standard, meaning a lower average, and they get those shots off in that timeframe.”
Alabama has won each of its two games, both on the road, since junior Darius Miles was dismissed from the team following his arrest on capital murder charges.
AILING
Missouri forward and leading scorer Kobe Brown was scratched with an ankle injury. He got hurt during Wednesday night’s game versus Arkansas.
“Our student-athletes’ health is our top priority,” Gates said in a pregame statement. “For Kobe’s long-term future and success, I have elected to rest him tonight and not risk any further injury by allowing his ankle to properly heal.”
Missouri guard Kaleb Brown, Kobe’s brother, also did not dress because of a non-COVID-19 illness.
BIG PICTURE
Alabama: The Crimson Tide has won its first seven SEC games by double figures. It is 7-0 in conference play for the second time under Oats. Alabama also won its first seven SEC contests in 2020-21.
Missouri: The Tigers lost against a ranked Alabama team for the first time after winning its first three contests against ranked Crimson Tide squads.
UP NEXT
Alabama: Hosts Mississippi State on Wednesday night.
Missouri: At Ole Miss on Tuesday night.
