STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Labaron Philon Jr. scored a career-high 32 points, Aiden Sherrell also set a career-best with 22 points and No. 18 Alabama used a big run spanning halftime to beat Mississippi State 97-82 on Tuesday night.

Alabama trailed by 14 points with eight minutes left in the first half before closing on a 21-5 run to take a 36-34 lead at halftime. Philon scored 12 points in the first half, with nine coming in the final five minutes. Mississippi State went 2 of 13 from the field in the closing minutes.

Alabama also started the second half by scoring 13 of the opening 15 points to extend its lead to 49-36. Sherrell scored eight points during the run and Philon gave Alabama a 14-point lead with 16 minutes remaining.

The Crimson Tide led by double figures for the final 18 minutes and scored 61 second-half points.

Mississippi State forward Brandon Walker was ejected with 15 minutes left in the second half after a review of a hard foul on Amari Allen’s drive to the basket. Allen made both free throws and Jalil Bethea converted a layup for a four-point possession and a 57-42 lead.

Aden Holloway added 15 points and Allen finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds for Alabama (12-5, 2-2 Southeastern Conference). Starters Latrell Wrightsell (right leg) and Taylor Bol Bowen (left hand) did not play.

Josh Hubbard scored 23 points and Jayden Epps added 13 for Mississippi State (10-7, 2-2).

Alabama has won the last nine games in the series with Mississippi State dating to 2021-22 season.

Up next

Alabama: At Oklahoma on Saturday.

Mississippi State: Stays home to play Mississippi on Saturday.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Philon and Sherrell each set career highs in No. 18 Alabama’s 97-82 win over Mississippi State

Lowry, Connor each have goal and assist as Jets beat Islanders 5-4 for their 3rd straight win

From Minneapolis to Venezuela, Trump starts new year with fresh risks as he faces midterm verdict

Mark Brnovich, Arizona attorney general during Trump’s push to find 2020 election fraud, has died

A construction crane falls onto a moving train in Thailand, killing at least 32 people

Wall Street slumps as bank and tech stocks fall

Japanese and South Korean leaders jam to K-pop hits at a summit

Haugh and Chinyelu help No. 19 Florida breeze past Oklahoma 96-79 for 3rd straight win

Tounde Yessoufou scores 23 as Baylor posts wire-to-wire 94-79 victory over Oklahoma State

Darkangelo leads Victoire to 2-1 win over Charge

No. 8 Nebraska extends winning streak to 21 games with a 90-55 victory over Oregon

Kansas hands No. 2 Iowa State its 1st loss of the season with dominant 84-63 win at Allen Fieldhouse

McMorris’ 12 lead Eastern Illinois over Western Illinois 57-55

Milos Uzan’s 17 points leads No. 7 Houston in 77-48 win over West Virginia

Josi scores twice, including winner in OT as Predators beat Oilers 4-3

Reed and Demary power No. 3 UConn to a 69-64 win over No. 25 Seton Hall in a Big East clash

Murray, Watson help Nuggets beat Pelicans 122-116

Gilgeous-Alexander scores 34 as Thunder top Spurs for first time in four meetings this season

Durant’s 28 points, Sengun’s double-double lead Rockets past Bulls in 119-113

Timberwolves roll to 139-106 victory over Bucks without Edwards or Gobert

Allenspach scores 23 as George Mason downs Loyola Chicago 82-74

Nate Ament scores 23, 10 in 2OTs, as No. 24 Tennessee tops Texas A&M 87-82

Jenkins, Scharnowski lead Belmont past Valparaiso 78-74

Toledo earns 101-85 win against Ohio

Johnson, Lyles power Akron to 87-77 victory over Ball State