Mark Sears Stats Last Night: How did Alabama star fare vs Rutgers (Nov 27)

Senior guard Mark Sears delivered a stellar performance as No. 9 Alabama secured a 95-90 victory over Rutgers on Wednesday night in the Players Era Festival at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The 6-foot-1 combo guard showcased his versatility, finishing with 24 points, two rebounds, five assists, two steals and three 3-pointers in a game-high 33 minutes. Sears’ effort was instrumental in the Crimson Tide’s five-point win.

Sears had a relatively quiet first half, managing just six points on 2-of-6 shooting from the field and two free throws. However, something shifted at halftime.

Early in the second half, following a missed dunk attempt by Rutgers’ Jordan Derkack, Sears made a key decision during a fast break—not to drive to the basket but to pull up and sink a 3-pointer, giving Alabama a 56-53 lead. From that point forward, the Crimson Tide maintained control.

Sears quickly reached 19 points less than midway through the second half. Despite playing with four fouls, Rutgers’ defense struggled to contain him. His scoring spree energized Alabama, which held the lead for most of the half. Rutgers closed the gap to two points with 1:28 remaining, but Alabama sealed the win with five clutch free throws. The victory improved Alabama’s record to 6-1.

Alabama Holds Off Rutgers to Advance to the Final

No. 9 Alabama overcame a spirited effort from Rutgers to claim a 95-90 win, earning a spot in the championship game of the Players Era Festival.

The Crimson Tide leveraged their size advantage, dominating the boards with a 43-31 rebounding edge. Of those, 16 were offensive rebounds, leading to 18 second-chance points.

With both teams playing their second game in as many days following overtime wins, depth became a decisive factor. Alabama’s bench outshined the Rutgers’, with all 10 Crimson Tide players recording at least one basket. In the first half alone, Alabama’s reserves outscored Rutgers’ bench 15-5 and finished the game with a commanding 38-6 advantage.

While Rutgers entered the game shooting 35.2% from 3-point range, they struggled mightily from deep, making just 2-of-13 attempts (15.3%).

Alabama will face Oregon in the championship game on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET, with the game set to air on TNT.