Alabama Basketball Not Falling for Trap Game Against Ole Miss
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — On paper, head coach Nate Oats and Alabama basketball shouldn't have too much of a challenge when the Ole Miss Rebels come to town for the first home game of SEC play.
The Crimson Tide come into the new year with an 11-2 record after winning its first conference game against Mississippi State on the road. Brandon Miller is the SEC's leading scorer with 19.2 points per game and, at the time of this story, is the only freshman among the nation's top 50 scorers.
Alabama also ranks first in the country with 47.1 rebounds per game, with Miller and fellow freshman Noah Clowney ranking second and third in the SEC, respectively.
The Rebels, on the other hand, are currently 8-5 and have lost back-to-back games. The most recent loss is to a No. 8 Tennessee team that is expected to be one of the favorites out of the SEC, but prior to that, a 1-point loss to North Alabama at home. Ole Miss also ranks mid-tier or lower in most major categories among SEC teams.
All the signs point to Alabama notching another win ahead of another big-time showdown against Oscar Tshiebwe and Kentucky, but Oats is not underestimating the opponent right in front of the Crimson Tide.
"It definitely could be a trap game," Oats said. "They obviously had the loss to North Alabama, which is a tough loss and makes it look like they're not a good team. But they have some real quality wins.
"They're gonna be right in the thick of it in SEC play."
To Ole Miss' credit, the game against Tennessee went down to the wire before the Volunteers ultimately won by four. And Oats knows all too well of a situation like this, because it happened last season.
After Alabama won its first two SEC games against a ranked Tennessee team at home and a Florida team on the road, the Tide lost to Missouri, a .500 team, which began a three-game losing streak against Auburn and - ironic enough - Mississippi State.
"We can't do that stuff this year," Oats said. "A home game against Ole Miss is a game you're supposed to win. But Ole Miss isn't trying to go down 0-2 to start SEC play either."
The biggest challenge for Oats' squad will be Matthew Murrell, a 6-foot-4 guard who leads the Rebels with 14.8 points per game. Guard Mark Sears spoke to the media about Murrell, saying the defense has to "try and take him out the play."
Alabama will battle Ole Miss on Tuesday, Jan. 3 at 8 p.m. CT in Coleman Coliseum.
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