Nate Oats downplays loss of Charles Bediako

After the Auburn game, Alabama head coach Nate Oats announced that big man Charles Bediako had suffered a minor knee injury. Because of the injury, he was only able to play 17 minutes in the team’s loss to Tennessee on Wednesday.

However, Nate Oats downplayed losing Charles Bediako following the loss to Tennessee because injuries are just part of the game.

“They were obviously able to finish some stuff at the rim late that I don’t think they would have got if Chuck was healthy,” Oats said.

“But, I mean, stretches. [Noah] Clowney played well for us. Clowney played well tonight. We just–they had two guys out too. So, you know, they’d have been a lot better if their two guys played too. So, that’s basketball.”

If there was anywhere where Alabama missed Bediako, it was on the defensive end.

“You know, at least Charles was able to give us some minutes, but yeah, I do think he would have impacted the game defensively. He kind of anchors our defense, makes it hard to score in the paint and we didn’t have him, so it hurt but you got learn how to play without different guys when they’re hurt.”

Alabama feels comfortable going into the final stretch of the season. What they need is for Charles Bediako to be as healthy as possible for the SEC Tournament and then the NCAA Tournament, where they’re in line to be a one-seed, according to Joe Lunardi.

Charles Bediako is a game-time decision

Nate Oats has been holding Charles Bediako out of practice in an attempt to get him healthy. However, that doesn’t mean that he won’t play this Saturday against Georgia. Instead, Oats wants it clear that he’s a game-time decision.

“He has not practiced, in us trying to get him back to 100 percent. He’s done rehab trying to get him back. We’re gonna see how he feels tomorrow and see whether he goes at all or not,” Oats said.