The Extra Point: Alabama Men's Basketball Needs Improved 'Effort and Leadership'
For college basketball, the month of March means a little more. The effort intensifies, the moments get bigger, and the stakes get higher.
In an embarrassing 87-71 loss to the Texas A&M Aggies in their final home game of the season, Alabama basketball did not bring the level of effort and intensity required to win important basketball games in March.
"The end's gonna come quick if this is the effort we get," Alabama head coach Nate Oats said."We're as good as our effort is and it'd be really disappointing for some of these guys to end their career here at Alabama with these type of losses."
Much has been made about the inconsistent nature of the Alabama basketball team this year. Media members and fans alike have wondered how a team can play so well against some of the top teams in the country and then suffer inexplicable losses to teams with a lot less talent.
The answer lies in the effort. No one is doubting the Crimson Tide's talent and ability to play at a high level but it's the intangibles like effort and playing hard consistently that have held the team back. Oats also pointed to the leadership of the team as an area where the team has been lacking at times.
"We've got some guys that are trying to lead," Oats said. "Sometimes, even if you're not playing well yourself, you can still speak, and I've tried to get that across. We've got to do a better job of building leaders, and helping them become leaders That's one place where I've failed this team to be honest with you, because we don't have the leadership we've had in the past."
With only one regular season game left before postseason play, the Crimson Tide needs to improve their effort and leadership quickly if they want to make a run.
The good news for Alabama is that they are still firmly in the NCAA Tournament as both ESPN and Sports Illustrated's Bracketology have them as a No. 5 seed. The talent is there for the Crimson Tide but the question remains, will they play with enough intensity to have success?
Alabama will play the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge on Saturday at 11 A.M. CT. The game will be televised on CBS.
Check out the video at the top of the page where BamaCentral's Clay Miller and Joey Blackwell discuss Alabama basketball's effort and their chances of making a run in the postseason.
The Extra Point: Alabama Men's Basketball Needs Improved 'Effort and Leadership'
