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    Nate Oats Issues Challenge on Alabama Basketball's Defense

    Nate Oats has a Simple Message for Alabama Basketball: No Defense, No Playing Time

    The Crimson Tide currently ranks No. 81 in adjusted defense, according to the latest KenPom ratings.

    TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama basketball coach Nate Oats has one simple message to the players of his team:

    If you don't play hard on defense, then you're not going to be playing at all.

    On Monday morning, a clearly perturbed Oats addressed the media ahead of his Crimson Tide's road trip to face Vanderbilt. Last Saturday, Alabama lost 90-81 at the hands of No. 6 Kentucky. While Alabama had led by as many as 13 points in the first half, a collapse five minutes before halftime ultimately led the Wildcats to coast in the second half to a win.

    Speaking to the media, Oats announced that he has had enough of seeing poor defensive effort from his players.

    “Really all I want to see is guys play hard on the defensive end and buy in,” Oats said. “[…] I mean, we just lost to Kentucky, who played three guys 39 minutes. If we can get a shorter rotation of a smaller group of guys that are just gonna play hard on defense no matter what position they are. Vanderbilt’s doing a good job. They’re playing essentially two centers and they’ve got a bigger lineup. They sometimes go small, but we can go big, small — whatever we have to do — but we need to find five guys that are bought into playing defense as hard as they can play that are wanting to get stops.

    “Our defense is our problem. We’re going to put guys in the game that play defense. I don’t really care how talented an offensive player you are. If you’re not gonna guard on the defense end, you’re not gonna play from here on out.”

    While Alabama was able to record five blocks and six steals against Kentucky, it didn't slow down the Wildcats' shooting, particularly in the second half. In total, Kentucky shot 53-percent from the floor and 64-percent (9-of-14) from beyond the arc. Add nine turnovers by Alabama and being outrebounded by Kentucky 39-32, and the combination ultimately spelled doom for the Crimson Tide.

    Later on in Monday's press conference, Oats doubled down on his challenge to his players.

    “We’re not playing you if you don’t play defense, period," Oats said. "I don’t care if we don’t have a center on the floor, I don’t care if we don’t have a point guard on the floor. We’ll put five guys out there and we’ll figure the offense out. We’ve got enough talented offensive players to figure the offense out. If you’re not going to play defense at the level that we need you to play and are capable of playing and have shown us you have played in the past — because every guy that we’ve played in the rotation have shown us that they’re more than capable of being a great defender when they’re locked into that on the floor — so if you’re not going to do that, then we’re not going to play you. That’s just the bottom line.

    Oats went on to discuss how the Crimson Tide's issue has not been the offense all season. Rather, it has been the defense. According to the latest KenPom ratings, Alabama is ranked No. 11 in adjusted offense with a rating of 117.5. In adjusted defense, however, the Crimson Tide ranks No. 81 with a rating of 98.7.

    Oats, who is know to be a numbers and statistics-driven coach due in part to his background as a math teacher, reiterated that if effort isn't shown on the defensive end of the court, then those players will not be getting any playing time any time soon.

    "Kentucky played three guys 39 minutes," Oats said. "We’ll play some guys that we know are going to play hard most of the minutes in the game and that’s what we’re going to go with. It’s definitely a challenge to the team, but it’s gotten to the point where ‘You’re not going to play’ is a challenge to you individually if you want to get any minutes and if we put you in and you don’t go hard on defense, you’re going to come right back out and you’re going to sit there for a long time if not for the rest of the game.”

    No. 24 Alabama is scheduled to play Vanderbilt at 8 p.m. CT on Tuesday (SEC Network).

    Gallery: Alabama Basketball Falls at Kentucky, 90-81

    Alabama Crimson Tide center Charles Bediako (10) dunks the ball during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center.
    Alabama Crimson Tide guard Jahvon Quinerly (13) shoots the ball during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center.
    Alabama Crimson Tide center Charles Bediako (10) goes to the basket during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center.
    Alabama Crimson Tide forward Juwan Gary (4) shoots the ball during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center.
    Alabama Crimson Tide guard Jahvon Quinerly (13) goes to the basket during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center.
    Alabama Crimson Tide guard Keon Ellis (14) drives to the basket during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center.
    Alabama Crimson Tide guard JD Davison (3) and teammates celebrate from the bench during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center.
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