The Alabama Crimson Tide celebrated a significant victory after defeating Mississippi State 97-82, and during this occasion, Houston Mallette provided an insightful explanation for wearing jersey number 95. This moment unfolded during a post-game interview between Labaron Philon, who achieved a career-high 32 points, and SEC Network“s Dari Nowkhah.
In the midst of the celebration, Nowkhah prompted Philon to ask Mallette about the significance of his jersey number. Philon, showcasing his teammate”s work ethic, responded, “Blue collar. He wants to do everything at a hard, steady pace.” Mallette then elaborated on his reasoning, stating, “You only have the ball 5 percent of the game. How do you impact it the other 95 percent of the time?” His answer resonated with not just the audience, but also his fellow players.
Throughout the game, Alabama faced a 14-point deficit with eight minutes remaining in the first half. However, they mounted a strong comeback with a decisive 21-5 run, enabling them to take a narrow 36-34 lead at halftime. Philon contributed significantly, scoring 12 points in the first half, including nine in the final five minutes, while Mississippi State struggled, making only 2 of 13 attempts from the field during that stretch.
Alabama continued their momentum into the second half, seizing control by scoring 13 of the first 15 points, which expanded their lead to 49-36. Aiden Sherrell was instrumental during this stretch, contributing eight of his career-high 22 points. Philon later pushed the lead to 14 points with 16 minutes left on the clock. The Crimson Tide maintained a commanding lead, finishing the game strong with a total of 61 points in the second half.
