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Second-ranked Alabama began the season with an electric performance and looks to post another large-margin victory when it hosts Arkansas State on Friday night at Tuscaloosa, Ala.

The Crimson Tide (1-0) steamrolled UNC Asheville 110-54 on Monday. The 56-point margin rates as the biggest in a season opener in coach Nate Oats’ six seasons.

Perhaps Oats will take his foot off the pedal at some point Friday as second-year Red Wolves coach Bryan Hodgson served as his assistant for eight seasons — four at Buffalo and four at Alabama — before landing the Arkansas State job.

The Red Wolves (1-0) knocked off visiting Akron 80-75 in overtime in their opener on Monday.

Alabama dominated from the outset while smashing UNC Asheville. The points were the most since Dec. 23 of last season when the Crimson Tide walloped Eastern Kentucky 110-67.

The Crimson Tide shot 63.3 percent from the field and limited the Bulldogs to 27.4 percent. Alabama had a 55-29 rebounding advantage.

“I’m happy with the effort from everybody, but the games are going to get tougher from here,” Oats said.

First-team All-American Mark Sears scored 20 points in just 24 minutes. He was 6 of 8 from the field, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range.

Rutgers transfer Clifford Omoruyi made all six of his shots while recording 16 points and eight rebounds. Latrell Wrightsell Jr. added 13 points, Mouhamed Dioubate and Aden Holloway tallied 11 apiece and Jarin Stevenson and Labaron Philon each had 10 points for Alabama.

“It was a good game for some guys to get their feet wet,” Oats said. “I thought our start defensively was great. I thought Mark Sears’ defensive effort was significantly better than it was last year. I love the fact that the crowd recognized how hard he was playing on defense.”

Arkansas State went 20-17 last season in Hodgson’s first season and lost to High Point in the Collegiate Basketball Invitational semifinals.

In the victory over Akron, Joseph Pinion scored a career-best 16 points on 5-of-6 shooting off the bench. Derrian Ford added 15 points and Kobe Julien had 14.

“I’m extremely, extremely proud of our effort,” Hodgson said. “Winning a game in overtime against a quality opponent is going to bode well for us down the stretch.”

Hodgson was pleased with the effort of point guard Terrance Ford Jr., who had seven points and five assists in 28 minutes in his first outing in 11-plus months since sustaining a major knee injury in his second appearance last season.

“He’s tough as nails,” Hodgson said. “He had some uncharacteristic turnovers early — he had four of them really early in the game. He missed (almost) all of last year, and had surgery over the summer. He hasn’t been full-go in practice until just a few days ago.

“… Terrance is going to be a great point guard for us and he’s going to get better and better.”

The teams also met last year in Hodgson’s first season at Arkansas State. Sears had 13 points to tie for team-high scoring honors with Stevenson in an 89-65 Alabama victory on Dec. 4.

–Field Level Media