Alabama Crimson Tide guard LaBaron Philon was considered questionable ahead of his team’s next regular-season game, but it seems he will no longer suit up for it. On Wednesday, Feb. 25, coach Nate Oats’ 2025-26 Crimson Tide squad is scheduled to face coach Chris Jans’ Mississippi State Bulldogs on the former’s home arena, the Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Unfortunately for Oats and the rest of the Alabama-based program, they may have to play against the Bulldogs without their lead scorer, Philon. In a post by collegiate basketball reporter Jon Rothstein on X/Twitter, it was confirmed that Philon had been downgraded to doubtful for the game against Mississippi State after being initially listed as questionable with an undisclosed injury.
Philon is currently in the sophomore year of his college tenure, both seasons of which have been spent under the tutelage of Oats and the Crimson Tide. While his current injury has not been officially disclosed, it was previously reported that Philon has been dealing with a nagging thigh-groin injury throughout the year.
In the ongoing campaign, Philon is leading his squad in scoring with 21.3 points, to go along with averages of 3.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.2 steals, in 30.2 minutes per game.
Nate Oats Claims The Previous Mississippi State Bulldogs Win Was The Turning Point For His Team
On Jan. 14 of this year, the Alabama Crimson Tide faced the Mississippi State Bulldogs on the latter’s home court, the Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville, Mississippi, and beat them by 15 points, 97-82.
During his media availability ahead of the second 2025-26 season matchup against the Bulldogs, Nate Oats said their previous victory over Mississippi State was the turning point for the team.
“100%. We had talked about going into that game; let’s just focus on the controllables. Let’s not worry about anything. We don’t have full control over, you know, what do we have control over? And, we went through it. I think our guys stuck to it that game. I do think it was a turning point. I think it was a point, let’s just play as hard as we can play whoever’s on the floor,” Oats explained.
Read More: What LaBaron Philon’s Return Really Means for Alabama’s Starting Five in 2025-26
Also Read: Alabama HC Nate Oats Drops Cryptic Comment on Potentially Taking a Job in the NBA: ‘Would Have To Win an Awful Lot’
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