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Sears hits 6 3s, scores 31 to help Alabama beat South Carolina 74-47

AP
Jan 09, 2024

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) Mark Sears hit six 3-pointers and scored 31 points, Aaron Estrada added 17 on 7-of-11 shooting and Alabama used two second-half runs to pull away as it beat South Carolina 74-46 Tuesday night and snapped the Gamecocks' six-game win streak.

Sears made 10 of 13 from the field, grabbed six rebounds and had three steals. Estrada, who hit 7 of 11 from 3-point range, finished with seven rebounds and two steals.

Alabama (10-5, 2-0 SEC) has won four straight following a three-game skid to No. 1 Purdue, No. 22 Creighton and No. 8 Arizona last month

Meechie Johnson led South Carolina (13-2, 1-1) with 16 points on 6-of-18 shooting, 2 of 9 from behind the arc. Ta'lon Cooper scored 10.

The Gamecocks made 10 of their first 21 field-goal attempts but just 1 of 7 to close the first half and missed their first 10 of the second as Alabama turned a two-point deficit into a 14-point lead. Sears hit a 3-pointer and Estrada added two more in a 13-0 run that made it 42-29 with 14 minutes left.

Johnson hit a 3 with 13:28 left that snapped a scoring drought of eight-plus minutes and a layup by Collin Murray-Boyles about a minute later cut South Carolina's deficit to 10. Jarin Stevenson answered with a 3-pointer seven seconds later and Sam Walters hit another to cap a 10-0 run for a 54-34 advantage with 8:57 remaining.

The Gamecocks shot a season-low 31% (17 of 55) from the field while scoring their fewest points this season in a game and a half (16 in the second).

Alabama made 15 3-pointers and, despite a 12-9 deficit in offensive rebounds, outscored South Carolina 15-5 in second-chance points.

Alabama hits the road to play Saturday at Mississippi State. South Carolina visits Missouri on Saturday.

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1st Half
SCAR
Gamecocks
29
ALA
Crimson Tide
30

Time		Play	Score
20:00		(Gamecocks gains possession)
19:41		Meechie Johnson misses three point jump shot
19:39		Mark Sears defensive rebound
19:27	+3	Aaron Estrada makes three point jump shot (Grant Nelson assists)	0-3
19:06	+2	Ta'Lon Cooper makes two point layup (Meechie Johnson assists)	2-3
18:44		Nick Pringle turnover (bad pass) (Myles Stute steals)
18:36	+3	B.J. Mack makes three point jump shot (Myles Stute assists)	5-3
18:12		Aaron Estrada turnover (Myles Stute steals)
18:03		Ta'Lon Cooper misses two point layup
18:03		Grant Nelson defensive rebound
18:03		Aaron Estrada turnover (traveling)
17:50		B.J. Mack misses three point jump shot
17:48		Myles Stute offensive rebound
17:36	+3	Ta'Lon Cooper makes three point jump shot (B.J. Mack assists)	8-3
17:18		Mark Sears turnover (bad pass) (Meechie Johnson steals)
17:11	+2	Meechie Johnson makes two point layup	10-3
17:02	+3	Mark Sears makes three point jump shot (Rylan Griffen assists)	10-6
16:33		Stephen Clark misses three point jump shot
16:31		Mark Sears defensive rebound
16:21		Grant Nelson misses three point jump shot
16:19		B.J. Mack defensive rebound
16:03	+3	Ta'Lon Cooper makes three point jump shot (Meechie Johnson assists)	13-6
15:34		Latrell Wrightsell Jr. misses three point jump shot
15:32		Ta'Lon Cooper defensive rebound
15:14		Grant Nelson blocks Stephen Clark's two point layup
15:12		Grant Nelson defensive rebound
15:08		Ta'Lon Cooper shooting foul (Mark Sears draws the foul)
15:08		TV timeout
15:08	+1	Mark Sears makes regular free throw 1 of 2	13-7
15:08	+1	Mark Sears makes regular free throw 2 of 2	13-8
14:50		Meechie Johnson turnover (bad pass) (Rylan Griffen steals)
14:38		Rylan Griffen turnover (lost ball) (Meechie Johnson steals)
14:32		Myles Stute turnover
14:18		Sam Walters misses two point layup
14:16		Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk defensive rebound
13:57		Ta'Lon Cooper misses three point jump shot
13:55		Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk offensive rebound
13:50		Myles Stute misses three point jump shot
13:48		Ta'Lon Cooper offensive rebound
13:36		Myles Stute turnover (bad pass)
13:15		Aaron Estrada misses two point layup
13:13		Collin Murray-Boyles defensive rebound
12:55		Collin Murray-Boyles misses two point layup
12:53		Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk offensive rebound
12:49		Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk turnover (Aaron Estrada steals)
12:49		Aaron Estrada turnover
12:27	+2	Collin Murray-Boyles makes two point layup	15-8
12:05	+3	Mark Sears makes three point jump shot (Nick Pringle assists)	15-11
11:42		Collin Murray-Boyles turnover (lost ball) (Mark Sears steals)
11:36		Rylan Griffen misses three point jump shot
11:34		Collin Murray-Boyles defensive rebound
11:09		Collin Murray-Boyles misses two point hook shot
11:07		Aaron Estrada defensive rebound
10:49		Aaron Estrada misses three point jump shot
10:47		Zachary Davis defensive rebound
10:26		B.J. Mack turnover (lost ball) (Mark Sears steals)
10:21		Mark Sears misses three point jump shot
10:19		Morris Ugusuk defensive rebound
9:59		B.J. Mack misses two point jump shot
9:57		Aaron Estrada defensive rebound
9:36	+2	Nick Pringle makes two point layup (Rylan Griffen assists)	15-13
9:19		Collin Murray-Boyles misses three point jump shot
9:17		Rylan Griffen defensive rebound
9:11	+3	Rylan Griffen makes three point jump shot	15-16
9:07		Gamecocks 30 second timeout
9:07		TV timeout
8:50	+2	Meechie Johnson makes two point jump shot	17-16
8:23		Sam Walters misses three point jump shot
8:21		B.J. Mack defensive rebound
8:11		Meechie Johnson turnover (lost ball)
7:57		Aaron Estrada misses two point jump shot
7:55		Myles Stute defensive rebound
7:26	+2	B.J. Mack makes two point layup	19-16
7:13	+3	Mark Sears makes three point jump shot (Aaron Estrada assists)	19-19
6:52		Grant Nelson shooting foul (Meechie Johnson draws the foul)
6:52		TV timeout
6:52	+1	Meechie Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	20-19
6:52	+1	Meechie Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	21-19
6:33		Rylan Griffen misses three point jump shot
6:31		Meechie Johnson defensive rebound
6:08		B.J. Mack turnover (bad pass) (Rylan Griffen steals)
6:02		Latrell Wrightsell Jr. misses three point jump shot
6:00		Crimson Tide offensive rebound
5:23	+2	Mark Sears makes two point jump shot	21-21
5:00	+2	Meechie Johnson makes two point layup	23-21
4:33	+2	Aaron Estrada makes two point layup	23-23
4:14		Nick Pringle shooting foul (B.J. Mack draws the foul)
4:14	+1	B.J. Mack makes regular free throw 1 of 2	24-23
4:14	+1	B.J. Mack makes regular free throw 2 of 2	25-23
4:00	+2	Mark Sears makes two point layup	25-25
3:34	+2	Jacobi Wright makes two point layup	27-25
3:21		Mark Sears misses three point jump shot
3:19		Meechie Johnson defensive rebound
3:19		Sam Walters personal foul
3:19		TV timeout
3:07		Meechie Johnson misses three point jump shot
3:05		Jarin Stevenson defensive rebound
2:59	+3	Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes three point jump shot (Rylan Griffen assists)	27-28
2:28		Meechie Johnson misses two point jump shot
2:26		Nick Pringle defensive rebound
2:19		Jacobi Wright personal foul
2:00		Crimson Tide 30 second timeout
1:56		Nick Pringle misses two point layup
1:54		Meechie Johnson defensive rebound
1:41		Nick Pringle blocks B.J. Mack's two point layup
1:39		Ta'Lon Cooper offensive rebound
1:28		Ta'Lon Cooper misses three point jump shot
1:26		Zachary Davis offensive rebound
1:23	+2	Zachary Davis makes two point layup	29-28
1:17		Collin Murray-Boyles personal foul
1:03		Grant Nelson misses three point jump shot
1:01		Meechie Johnson defensive rebound
0:48		Zachary Davis misses three point jump shot
0:46		Mark Sears defensive rebound
0:38		Collin Murray-Boyles personal foul
0:34	+2	Aaron Estrada makes two point jump shot	29-30
0:03		Meechie Johnson misses three point jump shot
0:01		Rylan Griffen defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
SCAR
Gamecocks
18
ALA
Crimson Tide
44

Time		Play	Score
19:37		Grant Nelson misses two point layup
19:35		B.J. Mack defensive rebound
19:20		B.J. Mack misses two point layup
19:18		Ta'Lon Cooper offensive rebound
19:10		Meechie Johnson misses three point jump shot
19:08		Stephen Clark offensive rebound
19:03		Stephen Clark turnover (bad pass) (Nick Pringle steals)
18:55		Rylan Griffen misses three point jump shot
18:53		Aaron Estrada offensive rebound
18:48	+3	Mark Sears makes three point jump shot (Grant Nelson assists)	29-33
18:23		Meechie Johnson misses two point jump shot
18:21		Nick Pringle defensive rebound
18:08		Stephen Clark personal foul
17:56		Grant Nelson turnover (out of bounds)
17:38		B.J. Mack misses two point jump shot
17:36		Nick Pringle defensive rebound
17:30		Aaron Estrada turnover (bad pass)
17:16		B.J. Mack misses two point layup
17:14		B.J. Mack offensive rebound
17:10		Meechie Johnson misses three point jump shot
17:08		Mark Sears defensive rebound
17:05	+2	Rylan Griffen makes two point dunk (Mark Sears assists)	29-35
16:34		Nick Pringle blocks Meechie Johnson's two point layup
16:32		Aaron Estrada defensive rebound
16:25	+3	Aaron Estrada makes three point jump shot (Mark Sears assists)	29-38
16:02		Rylan Griffen personal foul
15:59		TV timeout
15:52		B.J. Mack misses three point jump shot
15:50		Myles Stute offensive rebound
15:50		Nick Pringle personal foul
15:31		Collin Murray-Boyles turnover (bad pass) (Mark Sears steals)
15:15	+2	Mark Sears makes two point jump shot	29-40
15:07		B.J. Mack offensive foul
15:07		B.J. Mack turnover (offensive foul)
14:49		Aaron Estrada turnover (bad pass) (Ta'Lon Cooper steals)
14:40		Meechie Johnson misses three point jump shot
14:38		Aaron Estrada defensive rebound
14:18	+3	Aaron Estrada makes three point jump shot	29-43
13:58		Myles Stute misses three point jump shot
13:56		Mark Sears defensive rebound
13:44		Aaron Estrada misses two point jump shot
13:42		Collin Murray-Boyles defensive rebound
13:29	+3	Meechie Johnson makes three point jump shot (Myles Stute assists)	32-43
13:04		Collin Murray-Boyles shooting foul (Nick Pringle draws the foul)
13:04		Nick Pringle misses regular free throw 1 of 2
13:04	+1	Nick Pringle makes regular free throw 2 of 2	32-44
12:35	+2	Collin Murray-Boyles makes two point layup (Ta'Lon Cooper assists)	34-44
12:26	+3	Jarin Stevenson makes three point jump shot (Latrell Wrightsell Jr. assists)	34-47
11:52		Zachary Davis misses two point jump shot
11:50		Crimson Tide defensive rebound
11:50		TV timeout
11:41		Jarin Stevenson misses three point jump shot
11:39		Gamecocks defensive rebound
11:07		Gamecocks turnover (shot clock violation)
10:58		Latrell Wrightsell Jr. misses three point jump shot
10:56		Mouhamed Dioubate offensive rebound
10:48	+2	Mouhamed Dioubate makes two point layup	34-49
10:29		Meechie Johnson misses two point jump shot
10:27		Mouhamed Dioubate defensive rebound
10:13		Jarin Stevenson misses three point jump shot
10:11		B.J. Mack defensive rebound
10:10		Latrell Wrightsell Jr. personal foul
9:55		Mouhamed Dioubate blocks Jacobi Wright's two point layup
9:53		B.J. Mack offensive rebound
9:52		B.J. Mack turnover (Mouhamed Dioubate steals)
9:38		Sam Walters misses two point jump shot
9:36		Aaron Estrada offensive rebound
9:27		Sam Walters misses three point jump shot
9:25		Mouhamed Dioubate offensive rebound
9:21	+2	Aaron Estrada makes two point layup	34-51
9:06		Meechie Johnson turnover (bad pass) (Aaron Estrada steals)
8:57	+3	Sam Walters makes three point jump shot (Mouhamed Dioubate assists)	34-54
8:55		Gamecocks 30 second timeout
8:55		TV timeout
8:32	+3	Meechie Johnson makes three point jump shot	37-54
8:08		Meechie Johnson technical foul
8:08		Meechie Johnson turnover
8:08		Max Scharnowski technical foul
7:58		Max Scharnowski turnover
7:58		Rylan Griffen misses three point jump shot
7:58		Sam Walters offensive rebound
7:58		Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk personal foul
7:58		TV timeout
7:52		Rylan Griffen turnover (Ta'Lon Cooper steals)
7:40		Meechie Johnson misses three point jump shot
7:38		Rylan Griffen defensive rebound
7:36		Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk personal foul
7:07		Mark Sears misses two point jump shot
7:05		Crimson Tide offensive rebound
7:05		Crimson Tide turnover (shot clock violation)
6:44		Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk misses two point hook shot
6:42		Nick Pringle defensive rebound
6:29		Rylan Griffen turnover (lost ball) (Ta'Lon Cooper steals)
6:20		Zachary Davis misses two point jump shot
6:18		Aaron Estrada defensive rebound
6:00	+2	Mark Sears makes two point layup	37-56
6:00		Jacobi Wright shooting foul (Mark Sears draws the foul)
6:00	+1	Mark Sears makes regular free throw 1 of 1	37-57
5:44	+2	Ta'Lon Cooper makes two point hook shot	39-57
5:27	+2	Aaron Estrada makes two point layup	39-59
5:10		Grant Nelson personal foul
4:55		Jacobi Wright misses three point jump shot
4:53		Collin Murray-Boyles offensive rebound
4:52		Nick Pringle personal foul
4:51		Ta'Lon Cooper turnover (Grant Nelson steals)
4:41	+3	Mark Sears makes three point jump shot (Nick Pringle assists)	39-62
4:29		Latrell Wrightsell Jr. personal foul (Zachary Davis draws the foul)
4:29	+1	Zachary Davis makes regular free throw 1 of 2	40-62
4:29	+1	Zachary Davis makes regular free throw 2 of 2	41-62
4:18		Nick Pringle turnover
4:02		Collin Murray-Boyles turnover
3:48		Mark Sears turnover (B.J. Mack steals)
3:26		Meechie Johnson misses two point layup
3:24		Grant Nelson defensive rebound
3:20		Latrell Wrightsell Jr. misses three point jump shot
3:18		Collin Murray-Boyles defensive rebound
3:13	+2	Meechie Johnson makes two point layup (Collin Murray-Boyles assists)	43-62
3:03	+3	Mark Sears makes three point jump shot (Aaron Estrada assists)	43-65
2:47		B.J. Mack misses three point jump shot
2:45		Mark Sears defensive rebound
2:44		Myles Stute personal foul (Mark Sears draws the foul)
2:44		TV timeout
2:44	+1	Mark Sears makes regular free throw 1 of 2	43-66
2:44	+1	Mark Sears makes regular free throw 2 of 2	43-67
2:29		Myles Stute misses three point jump shot
2:27		Mouhamed Dioubate defensive rebound
2:20		Josh Gray blocks Jarin Stevenson's three point jump shot
2:18		Crimson Tide offensive rebound
2:06	+3	Sam Walters makes three point jump shot (Mark Sears assists)	43-70
1:46		Ta'Lon Cooper misses three point jump shot
1:44		Mouhamed Dioubate defensive rebound
1:24		Josh Gray shooting foul (Mouhamed Dioubate draws the foul)
1:24		Mouhamed Dioubate misses regular free throw 1 of 2
1:24	+1	Mouhamed Dioubate makes regular free throw 2 of 2	43-71
1:11	+2	Josh Gray makes two point dunk (Morris Ugusuk assists)	45-71
0:55		Morris Ugusuk blocks Kai Spears's two point layup
0:53		Kai Spears offensive rebound
0:52	+3	Davin Cosby Jr. makes three point jump shot (Kai Spears assists)	45-74
0:39		Max Scharnowski personal foul
0:39		Josh Gray misses regular free throw 1 of 1
0:39		Mouhamed Dioubate defensive rebound
0:24		Jarin Stevenson misses three point jump shot
0:22		Gamecocks defensive rebound
0:01		Davin Cosby Jr. personal foul
0:01	+1	Morris Ugusuk makes regular free throw 1 of 2	46-74
0:01	+1	Morris Ugusuk makes regular free throw 2 of 2	47-74
0:00		End of period

+ 1

Morris Ugusuk makes regular free throw 2 of 2