The atmosphere inside Coleman Coliseum didn’t live up to the expectations of a packed crowd of over 13,000 on Wednesday night. By the time the final buzzer sounded, Alabama had silenced the once-thunderous arena, leaving the fans’ cheers reduced to murmurs. Alabama’s head coach, Nate Oats, acknowledged the struggles after the game, as the Crimson Tide suffered their fourth loss in the past six contests. Not long ago, Alabama was seen as a potential No. 1 team in the country, but that vision is now fading quickly. Despite the downward trend, Oats remains hopeful, though the odds aren’t necessarily on his side.
As the regular season nears its end, Alabama finds itself far removed from the team that started the year so strongly. Some of the blame could be placed on a grueling stretch of seven consecutive games against ranked opponents, but the overall outlook isn’t encouraging for the Crimson Tide. Not long ago, Alabama participated in the SEC’s first-ever matchup between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams. Now, the team’s latest setback came in a frustrating 99-94 home loss to Florida. Alabama was outworked on the boards and struggled to get key defensive stops when it mattered most. With a matchup against Auburn looming, the road ahead doesn’t get any easier.
Even ESPN’s Rece Davis has started to express concerns about Alabama’s trajectory. He pointed out that the team just hasn’t found its rhythm, and players haven’t performed consistently up to their capabilities. It’s a sentiment that many Alabama fans are echoing. The team undoubtedly has talent, but something about their current play seems off.
That lack of consistency was glaring in the loss to Florida. The Gators absolutely dominated the rebounding battle, grabbing 50 boards compared to Alabama’s 35. Florida also hauled in 16 offensive rebounds, giving them far too many second-chance opportunities. Alabama’s interior defense was overwhelmed, as Florida poured in 52 points in the paint. The fast-break defense was also exposed, with Florida scoring 22 points in transition. Alabama’s issues on the glass aren’t new, but they’ve become even more evident in recent games.
One area of disappointment has been the performance of Alabama’s frontcourt. Jarin Stevenson, expected to provide a solid interior presence, has fallen short of expectations. Grant Nelson, another key figure in the paint, hasn’t made the desired impact either. In the Florida game, Stevenson managed only two rebounds, while Nelson grabbed just four. Stevenson, a freshman, has shown flashes of potential, including a 20-point breakout performance earlier in the season, but consistency has eluded him. Compounding Alabama’s struggles is their over-reliance on three-point shooting. When their perimeter shots are falling, they look nearly unstoppable. When they aren’t, the team struggles to find offensive rhythm.
That dependence on the three-point shot also contributed to their first loss to Auburn. In that game, Alabama’s offense went cold, shooting just 19% from beyond the arc. Auburn, the nation’s top-ranked team, handed Alabama a 94-85 defeat at Coleman Coliseum. Alabama had just come off a 100-point offensive explosion in the previous game, but against Auburn, their shooting woes were on full display. Despite falling behind by as many as 14 points, Alabama clawed its way back to tie the game at 65 with about eight minutes left. However, they never took the lead. Remarkably, it marked the first time under Nate Oats that Alabama failed to hold at least a brief lead in a game.
Although Alabama was still technically ranked No. 1 at the time, Nate Oats faces a serious challenge heading into the rematch against Auburn. Rece Davis also acknowledged the difficulties ahead, noting that it remains to be seen if Alabama can fix its issues — and that Auburn’s home court is unlikely to be the place for a turnaround.
The recent stretch of games has given Oats a clear picture of Alabama’s flaws. Transition defense, rebounding, and overall energy have all been problematic. While the coaching staff now understands these weaknesses, the bigger question is whether they can address them before the regular season wraps up.
Oats didn’t sugarcoat his frustrations following the Florida loss. He emphasized that no game plan will work if the team can’t get back on defense or secure rebounds. Both issues will be particularly dangerous against Auburn, a team that thrives in transition and on the glass.
Auburn has continued to demonstrate why they deserve their top ranking. They’ve navigated the toughest schedule in college basketball and have already secured 16 Quad 1 victories — more than any other team. They also cruised to the SEC regular season title, positioning themselves statistically alongside legendary teams like the 1999 Duke squad and the 2012 Kentucky team. Even Auburn’s head coach, Bruce Pearl, admitted he didn’t expect his team to be this dominant.
So where does that leave Alabama? The team’s hopes largely rest on the shoulders of Mark Sears, who will need to step up as a leader and offensive force. Alabama’s defense must tighten up, and the overall energy level has to match Auburn’s intensity. Now that Auburn has taken the regular season title, Sears and the rest of the team should have plenty of motivation to seek revenge. That drive will be crucial for Nate Oats, who needs his team playing at its peak to stand a chance in the rematch.
Oats acknowledged the uphill battle ahead, admitting that Alabama has to figure things out before heading to Auburn. Facing the top-ranked team on their home court will be a daunting task, but with SEC and NCAA Tournament seeding at stake, Alabama has no choice but to give it everything they’ve got.
At this point, Auburn has set the standard for excellence in the SEC, while Alabama is still searching for a way to catch up.