Alabama 80, Mississippi State 61: Trevor Releford shot 6-for-9 from 3-point range and scored 28 points as the host Crimson Tide pulled away in the second half.

Freshman forward Shannon Hale added 12 points for his season-high third straight game in double figures for Alabama (8-8, 2-1 SEC). Retin Obasohan finished with 11 points, four blocks and three steals and Rodney Cooper added 10 points off the bench.

Gavin Ware had 18 points and six rebounds to lead Mississippi State (11-5, 1-2). Craig Sword was the only other player in double figures for the Bulldogs, posting 12 points.

The Crimson Tide took the lead for good just 5 1/2 minutes into the game on a 3-pointer by Cooper. Mississippi State hung around thanks to eight first-half points from Fred Thomas and six each from Ware and Sword.

Alabama used a 9-0 run just before the half to take its biggest lead at 38-25. Mississippi State came out of the break trailing by 12 and managed to cut the deficit to 10 twice in the opening minute of the second half and again with about 14 minutes left, but Releford hit two 3-pointers in a 8-0 burst and the Bulldogs were out of comebacks.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Alabama has won an SEC-best 14 straight conference games at home. … Mississippi State had three steals after entering the game 11th in the nation in that category (9.6). … Releford came in 10th in the nation in steals at 2.6 and finished with one.