Oats, Alabama Basketball Tired of Moral Victories Leading Up to Another Test at No. 8 Creighton
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — During last year's record-breaking season for Alabama Basketball, success was more or less seen from the beginning.
Alabama was 9-1 through its first 10 games, with wins over two No. 1 teams, North Carolina and Houston. The Crimson Tide also had an early-season nonconference win over Tom Izzo and Michigan State in Portland.
So far this season, it's been a slow burn. Alabama lost preseason scrimmages at TCU and Wake Forest. Then, the Crimson Tide started the regular season 4-0, against the likes of Morehead State, Indiana State, South Alabama and Mercer.
Then, Alabama played Ohio State in Destin, and it did not go well. The Crimson Tide was exposed badly on the defensive end, losing 92-81. Alabama was able to outscore Oregon 99-91 in the loser's bracket, but the defensive issues lingered.
Another opportunity came the Crimson Tide's way in the SEC/ACC Challenge — however, Alabama lost to Clemson on its home floor.
After another loss, this time to Purdue in Toronto, the losses are beginning to stack up for head coach Nate Oats and the Crimson Tide (6-3). But some things clicked last weekend. Despite the loss, Oats feels Alabama played its best game of the season.
Now, it's time to start turning moral victories into actual victories. That begins with Saturday night's contest at No. 8 Creighton in Omaha, Neb.
"We're in the middle of a tough stretch," Oats said Friday. "The Purdue loss obviously stung a little bit, but they're a good team and I thought we played our best basketball of the year against Purdue. They're really good, and we weren't quite good enough to beat them. So, we've been telling our guys we're close, we're right there."
"But you've gotta do things to actually win the games. Our resume is not a top-25 team right now. We're 6-3 and we've got three losses against good teams that we played tough. But we gotta figure out ways to win the games."
The Bluejays (8-2) are coming off a 79-64 loss to UNLV on Wednesday night. Creighton also lost to No. 17 Colorado State on Nov. 23.
Oats saw similarities in both losses.
"I thought Colorado State and UNLV both did a pretty good job turning them into drivers, not letting them get threes off," Oats said. "I thought they both had some physicality on the perimeter that they didn't handle well. And to be honest with you, they both made some tough shots, too."
"I'm not in Creighton's locker room, I can't speak for them, but they didn't play their best games in those two games, either. Sometimes it's what you're doing yourself and sometimes it's what the opponent's doing. I don't think we're going to have the benefit of Creighton not playing their best game."
Saturday will be the Crimson Tide's first true road game. Alabama went 9-3 in such instances last season, with losses at Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas A&M.
"They do a great job with their support there," Oats said. "They sell out about every home game, I think. [...] I think Coach McDermott's 100-9 in nonconference home games since he's been there, so he doesn't lose very often."
Saturday's game will be a homecoming for Crimson Tide guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. Wrightsell played at Omaha Central High School, less than two miles from the arena.
"They'll be cheering for Creighton, most of them there, but he'll have some fans in the stands," Oats said. "It'll be good for him. Hopefully, we can get him going."
Tipoff from CHI Health Center in Omaha is set for 7 p.m. CT on FOX.
