BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Even in the absence of their key player, Mark Sears, the Alabama Crimson Tide showcased impressive resilience and team effort. On Wednesday night, the eighth-ranked team managed to secure a victory against No. 25 Illinois, winning 100-87, highlighting the capabilities of other players on the roster.
Despite it being a challenging night for Sears, who spent much of the second half sidelined, his teammates stepped up significantly. Labaron Philon and Aden Holloway, in particular, led the charge in scoring. The fact that Alabama reached the century mark without any contribution from Sears speaks volumes about their depth and talent. Last season, Sears played a pivotal role in getting the Crimson Tide to the Final Four, and his absence on the score sheet this time proved that the team can find success despite that absence. The preseason Southeastern Conference player of the year, he cheered on his team from the bench after exiting the game with 11:27 remaining.
Coach Nate Oats praised Sears’ supportive role while on the bench. “He was great on the bench,” Oats remarked. “He was struggling. There’s a lot of pressure on him obviously being a home state kid that came back. Preseason player of the year. He’s trying to do well while teams are gearing their defenses toward him.” Oats noted he decided to pull Sears to allow him a chance to regroup, but later found that Sears preferred to remain out as his teammates were performing well.
Sears, a player who averaged 17.3 points per game, had a notably off night, missing all five of his attempts—including four from beyond the arc—in just 21 minutes of play. This was quite a deviation from his usual performance, especially coming off a previous game where he struggled with a shooting percentage of 5-of-15 in a loss against No. 6 Purdue.
Illinois coach Brad Underwood recognized the challenge Sears brings on the court, observing, “He’s in a position on the scouting report where everybody’s going to pay attention. He’s at the top of it. He’s the head of the snake.” He also praised Philon for his exceptional play, confident that he would not remain with the Tide for long before making a jump to the professional ranks. Underwood stated, “Philon showed why he’s a pro and moving up everybody’s draft boards. That’s a bad boy right there.”
The performance of Philon, who featured consistently with 16 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds, along with Holloway contributing 18 points, underscores Alabama’s strength as a collective unit. Their performance suggests that even in the face of adversity, the team’s cohesion and talent make them a formidable force in college basketball this season.