STARKVILLE, Miss. — Chris Youngblood had a season-high 23 points, including two free throws with 10.9 seconds remaining, to lead No. 4 Alabama to an 88-84 win over No. 14 Mississippi State on Wednesday night. Youngblood made a career-best seven 3 pointers while Alabama made 15 of 31 from beyond the arc.

Alabama made 15 3-pointers on Wednesday night in Starkville to pick up a close win over Mississippi State in a top-15 SEC showdown.

A pair of SEC squads ranked in the top 15 face off for their first of two regular season meetings on Wednesday, Jan. 29 when the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide visit the No. 14 Mississippi State Bulldogs at Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, Miss.

It's Mississippi State vs. Alabama in SEC play this college basketball season. Follow for live score updates, game highlights from Humphrey Coliseum.

SportsLine's model simulated Wednesday's Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Alabama Crimson Tide college basketball matchup 10,000 times

Mississippi State basketball suffered another loss to a top-10 team, but one of the positives that emerged was Josh Hubbard, who scored 38 points.

Mark Sears was benched over the weekend against LSU, but he bounced back nicely against Mississippi State.

On Wednesday night, a SEC matchup with a lengthy history will officially be renewed once again, as the Alabama Crimson Tide travel west to Starkville, Mississippi for a Top 25 showdown with the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Led by Chris Youngblood, the Alabama Crimson Tide might have earned their most impressive win to date this season Wednesday night in Starkville.

Chris Youngblood scored a season-high 23 points on a career-best seven 3-pointers to help No. 4 Alabama squeeze out an 88-84 victory over No. 14 Mississippi State on Wednesday night in Starkville, Miss.

ESPN believes the Alabama-Mississippi State game could come down to the wire on Wednesday night in Starkville.