Nate Oats' Challenge to 'Big, Strong' Noah Williamson Through 3 Games

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Alabama men's basketball's 87-80 loss to new No. 1 Purdue last week doesn't signify in any way that the sky is falling, but the 52-28 rebounding differential is not something that the No. 11 Crimson Tide (2-1) can allow to become a trend.

That starts in the post, where Bucknell transfer center Noah Williamson has grabbed eight rebounds through three games. He averaged 7.6 boards per game last season, when he was named the Patriot League's Player of the Year.

"We gotta get him to rebound the ball better. We're having problems rebounding, particularly in the frontcourt," head coach Nate Oats said Tuesday. "He's skilled. That's why we got him. He's just gotta play more athletic. He's gotta go get some rebounds."

Only three games have passed, but Alabama's frontcourt is already thin. Freshman center Collins Onyejiaka is sidelined indefinitely due to a medical condition; he had played in both of the team's first two contests. That adds more pressure to Williamson's role, without as much depth behind him.

"He's gotta use his, what he does have. I mean, he's big. He's strong. He's not the most vertical, athletic guy," Oats said. "He's got a lot of strength, and he's gotta use it. He's gotta, just gotta help us on the glass a little bit better, and then offensively, I think he's gotta be a little more aggressive."

Alabama's next opponent, No. 8 Illinois (8 p.m. CT on Wednesday, FS1), had 49 rebounds on Friday in its 84-65 win against Colgate. Freshman David Mirkovic had 21 rebounds in that contest, eight of them on the offensive end. No other player reached double digits in rebounds during the game, perhaps because Mirkovic had that market cornered, but fellow freshman Keaton Wagler had three offensive and defensive rebounds each.

"The rebounding's been an issue throughout some of the exhibitions. It was a major issue against Purdue," Oats said. "Illinois is gonna test us again... Yesterday and today, we had pretty good practices [rebounding]. It's going against ourself. We don't have a Mirkovic out there to block out. It looks a lot better in practice than it did against Purdue, but there's no [Trey] Kaufman-Renn. There's no Mirkovic."

Getting 21 individual rebounds per night is not an expectation Williamson will find himself saddled with. However, 2.7 rebounds a game from a true center is not the ideal scenario for an SEC big who faces some of the biggest players in the college game regularly. Illinois (4-0) is no exception.

That's why it's all hands on deck for Wednesday night, including Alabama's guards, on the glass. The onus to rebound doesn't solely fall on Williamson, whom Oats said can also make an offensive impact by creating space to shoot, driving the basketball and using his passing ability.

"Amari [Allen] had 10 against St. John's. Labaron's [Philon Jr.] had 10-rebound games. Trelly's [Latrell Wrightsell Jr.] had 10-rebound games. Houston [Mallette] can rebound it," Oats said. "We're gonna have to get our guards to help."

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