Alabama basketball scored 100 against Illinois, and Mark Sears didn't have any of those points. Nate Oats explained why Sears didn't play much in the second half.

Alabama basketball picked up a huge top 25 win over Illinois despite a bad game from superstar guard Mark Sears.

Alabama didn’t slow down even with a scoreless night from star Mark Sears. The preseason All-American guard watched from the bench as the eighth-ranked Crimson Tide held off No. 25 Illinois 100-87.

Alabama entered the season as perhaps the Southeastern Conference’s best hope to end its national title drought in men’s basketball

That changes when Illinois travels to Birmingham to face Alabama on Wednesday. In a matchup featuring two of the best offenses in the country, the Tide offer the Illini their first opportunity to prove themselves as a true top-25-level power.