Alabama coach Nate Oats was furious along with his workforce following the Crimson Tide’s 92-88 house loss to Texas on Saturday. It marked No. 13 Alabama’s second straight Southeastern Convention loss.
Oats and Alabama (11-5, 1-2 SEC) look to regroup towards a Mississippi State workforce additionally bidding to bounce again when the Crimson Tide head to Starkville, Miss., to tackle the Bulldogs on Tuesday.
After seeing his workforce lose to No. 11 Vanderbilt 96-90 on the highway final Wednesday, Oats hoped for a greater efficiency versus the Longhorns.
The Crimson Tide allowed the Commodores’ main ball handler Tyler Tanner to gather 29 factors and 7 assists. Towards Texas on Saturday, beginning guard Jordan Pope put up 28 factors with six made 3-pointers.
In each contests, Alabama trailed for greater than 80% of the sport.
“We received guys that do not care sufficient to lock in and comply with a sport plan,” Oats mentioned. “Dropping would not hassle them sufficient but. I do not know what number of losses it is going to take ’til it bothers them, nevertheless it’s bothering me. It bothers the teaching employees, and as quickly because it begins bothering the gamers sufficient, I am certain they’re going to change.”
Whereas the Crimson Tide have one of the crucial prolific offenses within the nation (second in offensive effectivity by means of Sunday, based on KenPom), they’ve continued to wrestle on the defensive finish.
After the loss to Texas, the Crimson Tide dropped to 77th in defensive effectivity based on KenPom, and so they rank within the backside 30 in NCAA Division I in factors allowed per sport (82.7).
One key to enhance on that finish of the courtroom might be 6-foot-10 ahead Taylor Bol Bowen. Towards Texas, Bol Bowen logged his first double-double of the season with 11 factors and 10 rebounds and added two blocks in 27 minutes.
The junior has come off the bench the previous two video games after 10 earlier begins, and Oats has been happy by what he is seen from him.
“I really like the truth that he is met the problem,” Oats mentioned. “He is making powerful performs. He is going and getting rebounds up over the rim, exhibiting his athleticism.”
Together with Bol Bowen, Alabama will look to beginning guards and main scorers Labaron Philon Jr. (21.3 factors per sport, 5.1 assists per sport) and Aden Holloway (18.7 ppg, 46.3% from 3) to steer the cost towards the Bulldogs.
Mississippi State (10-6, 2-1) had a six-game win streak, together with a 101-98 time beyond regulation win over host Texas on Jan. 3 and a 19-point house rout of Oklahoma final Wednesday. However that each one got here crashing to a halt on Saturday because the Bulldogs received manhandled by host Kentucky 92-68, getting outscored 48-29 within the second half.
The Wildcats took benefit of Mississippi State’s miscues, scoring 27 factors off of 15 Bulldog turnovers.
“These youngsters will regroup; hopefully, we’ll have an important crowd,” coach Chris Jans mentioned in an interview with the Bulldog radio workforce after the sport. “We’ll get again on the courtroom and I am certain we’ll be able to go after we hit the courtroom Tuesday evening.”
With high-scoring Alabama on faucet, the Bulldogs absolutely must rating greater than 68 factors to maintain tempo. That can fall on main scorer Josh Hubbard, who notched 20 towards Kentucky however shot simply 7-for-16 from the sphere. The junior guard 22.8 factors per sport, which among the many prime 10 within the nation.
In 4 profession video games towards Alabama, all losses, Hubbard averages 20 factors per sport.
The Bulldogs have only one win towards the Crimson Tide of their final 12 matchups, with their final win approaching Jan. 15, 2022.
–Area Degree Media
