The Alabama Crimson Tide basketball team delivered its most complete performance in weeks on Tuesday night, using a dominant showing to reset momentum inside Coleman Coliseum.
Alabama entered the matchup ranked No. 23 and searching for consistency after uneven SEC play. Missouri arrived with similar conference struggles and hopes of capitalizing on recent lapses, but the Crimson Tide dictated the pace early and never allowed the game to tighten.
Alabama seized control late in the first half with a decisive 17–6 run, creating separation before halftime. That surge carried into the second half, where another early push quickly buried Missouri. Shooting rhythm returned, ball movement improved, and sustained defensive pressure limited clean looks for the Tigers.
Latrell Wrightsell Jr. led the charge, knocking down seven three-pointers and finishing with 21 points. Labaron Philon Jr. added 18 points and six assists, while Aiden Sherrell and Charles Bediako provided interior scoring and rim protection as Alabama steadily stretched the margin.
After the game, head coach Nate Oats pointed to preparation and accountability as the spark behind Alabama’s response, with WAAY-TV’s Trevor Denton sharing his postgame remarks on X (formerly known as Twitter) following the dominant win.
“Preparation. We were 3-3. Nobody signed up to play here to be .500 in SEC play. That’s not who we are. Everybody needed a wake-up call, including myself.”
Nate Oats on the key to their 90-64 blowout over Missouri:
"Preparation. We were 3-3. Nobody signed up to play here to be .500 in SEC play. That's not who we are…Everybody needed a wake-up call, including myself" pic.twitter.com/ALBRmCSYw2
— Trevor Denton (@trevordenton37) January 28, 2026
Missouri struggled to generate offense throughout the night as Alabama controlled the glass and forced contested shots, resulting in the Tigers’ lowest scoring output in SEC play.
Alabama’s defensive intensity set the tone, disrupting Missouri’s rhythm and limiting second-chance opportunities while controlling tempo and physicality for long stretches of the matchup.
The victory lifted Alabama to 14–6 overall on the season and 4–3 in SEC play, while also improving key efficiency metrics and reinforcing internal expectations.
For the Crimson Tide, the blowout served as a clear course correction. Oats made it evident that the standard remains higher than survival, and Tuesday night's blowout win reflected a team realigned with that expectation.
