Nate Oats shares key area where Alabama must improve before March

With how many big-time games Alabama has played this season, you could easily forget it’s only January. Plenty of time separates the Crimson Tide from now to the NCAA Tournament, even with a solid 12-2 start under head coach Nate Oats. Ole Miss was the latest win, with the Crimson Tide easily winning at Coleman Coliseum.

Oats still wants to see improvements out of Alabama before March. He thinks there can be moments where the Crimson Tide fall asleep, not playing a full game quite yet. While it’s easy to stay engaged offensively in Oats’ system, defensively is where a full game of attention is needed.

“Playing a full 40 minutes,” Oats said. “We take breaks. We get a lead and relax a little bit. That can cost you. I have seen plenty of basketball games where teams up 20 lose a game. We can’t take our foot off the gas on the defensive end.”

Turnovers have been something Oats has spoken on all season, wanting Alabama to cut down. Against Ole Miss on Tuesday, the Crimson Tide only committed seven, getting below that double-digit number Oats considers the goal.

“We’ve had one game where we kept the turnovers in single digits,” Oats said. “We need to try to repeat that time after time. We got to continue to take care of the ball with the turnovers.

“Obviously, there’s a bunch of little things game to game. But, turnovers, we’re going to keep stressing until it becomes consistent where we’re taking care of the ball.”

Alabama is known for letting the three-pointers fly, having one of the highest 3PA numbers in the country. But there is another type of shot any coach in college basketball enjoys, not just Oats — a layup. Only problem? They aren’t going in as often as Oats would like in contested situations.

“Our finishing at the rim,” Oats said. “I thought some guys missed some shots at the rim that are makable shots that they should have finished through some contact. Got to do a little better job of that.”

Saturday will be the latest test in Tuscaloosa, with Kentucky coming to town. A full 40 minutes will be required against a John Calipari-coached team, as Alabama looks to continue the solid start against SEC opponents.

No matter the results, continuing to build and get into a groove before the Tournament is how Oats once again cracks the second weekend.