Chris Beard on Alabama's Mark Sears: He's Better Than He Was Last Year

Alabama is averaging 96.3 points in its first three SEC games entering tonight's matchup with Ole Miss in Tuscaloosa.

The Crimson Tide are deeper than last year's team that reached the Final Four for the first time in program history, but Rebels coach Chris Beard sees one common thread in the team he's about to face later tonight.

"They've got a guy named (Mark) Sears," Beard said on this week's edition of the College Hoops Today Podcast. "I think he's a better player this year than he was last year. He's a special college basketball player. He has the ability to score when needed, but he also leads the SEC in assists."

The 6'1" Sears enters tonight's game averaging 19.1 points, 4.5 assists, and 3.1 rebounds.

Alabama was ranked 3rd in this week's edition of the ROTHSTEIN 45 while Ole Miss checked in at 19th.

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Jon Rothstein is not a FanDuel employee. The reporting of Rothstein is not subject to FanDuel's verification and does not represent the views or input of FanDuel. Betting based on Rothstein's reporting will not guarantee a successful outcome. Always do your own due diligence and use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.

Rothstein has been a college basketball insider for CBS Sports since 2010 and a contributor to the CBS Broadcast Network since 2016. He joined FanDuel in 2022 as a Content Creator. Rothstein is also the host of the College Hoops Today Podcast via Compass Media Networks.