No. 2 Alabama prevails

Jahvon Quinerly scored 14 points and No. 2 Alabama rallied from a 10-point deficit in the second half to beat Mississippi State 66-63. The Crimson Tide had to climb out of a hole and then hold on two days after reaching the program’s highest ranking since rising to No. 1 in the 2002-03 season. The result was a ninth straight win and the first real scare during that stretch.

No. 13 Xavier 82, at No. 19 Connecticut 79: Souley Boum scored 21 points, Colby Jones added 20 and the Musketeers held off Connecticut. The win gave the Musketeers (17-4, 9-1 Big East) a season sweep over the Huskies (16-6, 5-6).