The Alabama basketball team picked up another conference win on Saturday with an 80-73 victory over LSU. That game was a dogfight throughout before the

Still, Alabama was just too much as the Crimson Tide's depth eventually wore LSU out, and an 8-0 run in the final four minutes ended any hope of an upset. Alabama is now 6-1 in SEC play and sitting right there with rival Auburn.

Alabama basketball star guard Mark Sears was benched in the second half of the Crimson Tide's win over LSU. Here's what coach Nate Oats said about it.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Amidst the No. 4 Alabama men's basketball team breaking away from a 40-40 halftime tie to defeat LSU on Saturday night, something was visibly missing. Or, more accurately, someone. And that someone wasn't just anyone.

Alabama guard Mark Sears came into Saturday's game against LSU leading the team and the Southeastern Conference in scoring but was held scoreless and spent the entire second half of the Crimson Tide's 80-73 win on the bench.

Alabama's Mark Sears was emotional on the bench as he has yet to check into the second half of Saturday's game against LSU.

Nate Oats saw this movie before: a scoreless Mark Sears game but an Alabama win on the court. The Crimson Tide head coach was asked to compare the games: Saturday’s win over LSU and a November win over Illinois where Sears was held scoreless in both contests. Sears didn’t play the entire second half against the Tigers.

Nate Oats spoke briefly about the lack of playing time for star point guard Mark Sears in Alabama's narrow win over LSU.