Opportunity Called, Darius Miles Answered
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — With Nimari Burnett out 6-8 weeks with a wrist injury, it forced Nate Oats to adjust his guard rotation against a Memphis team that just knocked Auburn from the rank of the unbeatens.
Jaden Bradley, who is usually the first guard off the bench, was moved to the starting lineup, but who would also step up to help fill the void left by the Texas Tech transfer?
Answer: Darius Miles
The 6-foot-6 wing has had a rough start to the season, first battling a foot injury that limited his playing time, then ultimately being out of the rotation, playing a total of 17 minutes in three games.
It was hard to see how Miles would create an opportunity, with Mark Sears and Burnett as the starters, then Bradley, Jahvon Quinerly and Rylan Griffen all ahead of him in the rotation.
Then, about 30 minutes before tip-off, the news broke that Burnett was out, and without the guy who limited Marcus Sasser on Saturday in Houston, it meant that Burnett's role was going to be filled by the committee of Bradley starting, then Quinerly, Griffen and Miles off the bench.
By the final buzzer, Miles had played the most minutes in any game this season, 14, and contributed seven points, five rebounds and two assists, including getting key stops against Memphis' Kendric Davis, who still finished with 30 points, but struggled to get his pull-up jumper over Miles' length.
"I thought he played well," head coach Nate Oats said about Miles' performance. "He came in, hit the one 3-pointer, five rebounds in 13 and a half minutes. Played hard and got some stops."
Oats would also say how Miles has made plays in the past and that he would like to see him practice better (not the first time he's said that) and build up his confidence.
"He's got some stuff we can use," Oats said.
Miles is also known as a high-energy guy, and Mark Sears pointed out postgame how it helped the team in the win.
"[Miles] brought a lot of energy," Sears said. "You see it out there on the court, he really brought energy and life into us. Everybody played harder because of him."
Oats said the team will be off on Wednesday, then practice Thursday and Friday ahead of its game against Gonzaga on Saturday. He also said that all the guards will have a chance of a bigger role in Burnett's absence.
Saturday will be the day fans will see who earned more minutes going forward, but if the Memphis game is any indication, the win against the Tigers may only be the start for Darius Miles.
See also:
No. 4 Alabama Basketball Outlasts Memphis in Gritty 91-88 Win
BamaCentral Courtside: No. 4 Alabama 91, Memphis 88
Get your Crimson Tide basketball tickets from SI Tickets HERE
