Nate Oats still hasn't locked in Alabama basketball's starting five for Mississippi State. Will Mark Sears be in it after getting benched against LSU?

Chris Youngblood scored a season-high 23 points on a career-best seven 3-pointers to help No. 4 Alabama squeeze out an 88-84 victory over No. 14 Mississippi State on Wednesday night in Starkville, Miss.

Alabama coach Nate Oats sent a message with the benching of star Mark Sears. Here's what Oats said of his decision to bench Sears vs. LSU:

However, there are less difficult things to do than play a ranked Chris Jans team on the road in a midweek contest. Alabama head coach Nate Oats is aware of this, and he expects the No. 4 Crimson Tide (17-3,

Chris Youngblood had a season-high 23 points, including two free throws with 10.9 seconds remaining, to lead No. 4 Alabama to an 88-84 win over No. 14 Mississippi State.

Let's fire up a Tuesday edition of "The Joe Gaither Show on BamaCentral" with Mason Woods as we put the weekend Mark Sears situation to bed, discuss the opening day of the Senior Bowl and the best college football games of the season.

Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats praised Mark Sears' response after he was benched against LSU, but did not say whether he would start at Mississippi State.

The Alabama Crimson Tide will face the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Wednesday, January 29th, at Humphrey Coliseum in this top-ranked college basketball matchup

Will Alabama basketball's Mark Sears bounce back at Mississippi State? Updates and highlights live from the Hump.

Alabama forward Aiden Sherrell (22) moves past Mississippi State forward KeShawn Murphy (3) for a layup during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Starkville, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) AP

Survive and advance in the SEC, and that is what Alabama did on Wednesday in the Hump in a scrappy victory over Mississippi State.