STARKVILLE, Miss. (Interstat) — Alabama used a dominant second-half performance to defeat Mississippi State 97-82 in a Southeastern Conference men’s basketball game Tuesday night at Humphrey Coliseum.

The Crimson Tide, led by Labaron Philon’s 32 points, turned a narrow two-point halftime lead into a comfortable victory. Alabama outscored the Bulldogs 61-48 after the break, shooting efficiently from the free-throw line, making 27 of 33 attempts.

Mississippi State’s Josh Hubbard scored 23 points in the loss. Alabama improved to 12-5 overall, while Mississippi State fell to 8-7. A crowd of 9,212 attended the game.