Alabama Players Say Nate Oats Has 'Look in His Eyes' Ahead of Sweet 16

Nate Oats' intensity gives the players confidence before the No. 4 Crimson Tide faces No. 1 Michigan.

Mar 26, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats watches during a practice session ahead of the midwest regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at United Center. | David Banks-Imagn Images

CHICAGO–– In just seven years, Nate Oats has taken Alabama basketball to levels that no coach had reached bfore in Tuscaloosa. Oats took Alabama to the program's first Final Four in 2024, and the Crimson Tide is about to play in its fourth straight Sweet 16.

Alabama's star guard Labaron Philon Jr. said his head coach is as locked in as anyone as No. 4 Alabama takes on No. 1 Michigan in Chicago on Friday.

"I mean, Coach Oats, he's so into it.," Philon said after Thursday's practice. "These guys can explain it. He's just ready. You can see the look in his eyes, just going through the game plan, the way he's talking about the game. You can tell he's been losing sleep and just putting in the extra hours of just wanting to win this game. I see the look in his eye. He really wants to win this game.

“As a player, that means everything. Just that confidence right there can give you just a little more of an edge to go make the plays that we need to make or plays that can flip the game. And he kind of talked about that, just being ready to play for 40 minutes. I think that's going to be the special thing for this group to do in this game, just be ready to be out there for 40 minutes or even 50 if it goes that long. Just putting in all on the line, like I said.”

Alabama is coming off one of its best team performances of the season in a 90-65 victory over Texas Tech in the Round of 32 despite Philon scoring just nine points and without Aden Holloway. Oats feels like his team is playing some of its best basketball right now and is looking to move the Crimson Tide to its third straight Elite Eight.

Crimson Tide forward Taylor Bol Bowen spent two seasons at Florida State before transferring to Alabama prior to this season. He thinks Alabama basketball is the hardest-working program in the country.

"I think it’s the same intensity the whole year," Bol Bowen said of Oats. "Honestly, from the first practice to the last practice, he just brings a different level of intensity and edge.”

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