Alabama's Mark Sears Hits Buzzer Beater In OT Win Over No. 1 Auburn

TUSCALOOSA, AL — No. 7 Alabama men's basketball (24-7, 13-5) got some measure of revenge over No. 2 Auburn Saturday when Mark Sears hit a shot as the clock ticked down in overtime as the Tide grabbed a 93-91 win.

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Sears finished the game with a pedestrian 9 points but snagged the only points that mattered at the end of the day to close out the back-and-forth rivalry matchup.

Senior Grant Nelson paced the Tide offense in the first half, dropping 15 points and playing physical basketball as Alabama held a 45-42 lead going into the locker room at halftime. The Tide shot 16-31 in the first half, including 4-9 from three-point range and 9-12 from the charity stripe.

Nelson led the Tide in scoring on the day, shooting 8-15 for 23 points, along with snagging 8 rebounds.

Clifford Omoruyi and Labaron Philon also both reached double figures in the overtime win, with the pair each scoring 15. Omoruyi contributed on the boards as well with 8 rebounds.

In a game with 13 lead changes, Alabama outshot Auburn 52%-48% inside Neville Arena, despite Tigers standout Johni Broome scoring a game-high 34 points to lead both teams.

The Crimson Tide will return to action in the 2025 Southeastern Conference Men's Basketball Tournament, which is set for March 12-16 in Nashville.

Alabama received a double-bye to start the tournament, so the Crimson Tide's first opponent has yet to be determined.

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