Why Nate Oats Views First Matchup at Mississippi State as a Turning Point

Alabama only had eight scholarship players available the first time it played Mississippi State this season and was able to rally from a 14-point deficit on the road.

Jan 13, 2026; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide forward Amari Allen (5) drives to the basket during the second half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Humphrey Coliseum. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Playing shorthanded has been a constant theme for Nate Oats' Alabama basketball squad this year, but the first game where Alabama's depth was severely tested was the Crimson Tide's first matchup with Mississippi State back on Jan. 13.

Alabama only had eight scholarship players available for the game as Collins Onyejiaka, Davion Hannah, Latrell Wrightsell Jr., Taylor Bol Bowen and Keitenn Bristow were all ruled out, leaving the Tide thin in the front and back court. The team was also coming off a disappointing home loss to Texas and road loss at Vanderbilt, sitting at 1-2 in league play.

It looked like Alabama was headed to a third straight SEC loss as Mississippi State jumped out to a 14-point lead in the first half, but the Crimson Tide went on a run and rallied for a 97-82 win in Starkville.

Oats views that game as turning point in Alabama's season as the No. 17 Crimson Tide (20-7, 10-4 SEC) prepares to face Mississippi State (13-14, 5-9 SEC) again on Wednesday.

"I think it was a point of let’s just play as hard as we can play, whoever’s on the floor," Oats said after Tuesday's practice. "We were very low manned that game. I think that was a game where Taylor was out if I remember. Keitenn was out that game. We had real low numbers. Bediako was not available. Our front court was thin. Our back court had to bump down, play some in the front court. We went small ball that game. Whoever’s out there, let’s worry about stuff we can control, and that’s it. We got down 14 in the first half and just kept plugging away. I thought the mindset was great that game. We came out with a win, big road win."

Since the game in Starkville, Alabama has won eight of its 10 games including six wins in a row. Alabama is expected to have a bigger roster available for the rematch with the Bulldogs as both Bol Bowen and Wrightsell are back in the lineups. Wrightsell is averaging 14.2 points per game since returning from injury on Jan. 24.

Regardless of who is available for the Tide on Wednesday night, that first matchup against the Bulldogs has served as an example for the coaching staff to point back to on how to handle adversity and focusing on the controllable things.

"It was definitely a turning point," Oats said. "I think we’ve just gone back to that here and there. Let’s just control stuff we have full control over.”