Nate Oats on losing in NCAA Tournament: 'It's a little easier to make it as a 1-seed'

The 2025 NCAA Tournament run for Nate Oats and Alabama came to an end this past weekend in the Elite Eight. The No. 2-seed in the Crimson Tide fell to the No. 1-seed in their region in Duke, and that sticks in the coach’s craw.

Oats recognizes how important seeding is when it comes to the 68-team dance. He believes if Alabama had won one or two more games throughout the course of the season, they would’ve been a No. 1 seed, with the inside track to return to the Final Four. As a No. 2 seed, they were set on a collision course with the Blue Devils, and the Crimson Tide coach was reflective regarding the matter after the loss.

“Through the course of the year, we lost some tough ones,” Oats proclaimed, via his postgame press conference. “I didn’t do a good job with our end-of-game situation at Tennessee. We win that, maybe things are different. We lost the two to Florida. If you’re a No. 1 seed instead of a No. 2 seed, you don’t play Duke. Duke is going to be a No. 1 seed. You’ve got somebody else in the Elite Eight. So, you kind of look to some stuff could you have done things better? We lost a home game to Ole Miss. They’re a good team, but we should never have lost a home game to Ole Miss.

“Even if you win the home game against Ole Miss, I don’t mess up the end of the game against Tennessee, maybe you’re still a No. 1 seed, even with those two losses to Florida, and you’re playing somebody else in the Elite Eight. So, there’s a lot of things you can look to that. I’ve got to do a better job as a head coach, and I will do a better job moving forward. We’ve got to keep continuing to recruit guys that fit our system and adapt when things happen, and do better in the regular season and give yourself a better chance with a better seed.

“We went to a Final Four as a No. 4 seed last year. We had a chance as a No. 2. But it’s certainly a lot better. I think Florida is in. They’re a No. 1 seed. Duke is in, they’re a No. 1 seed. … We got to do a better job during the regular season. Try to make sure we get that No. 1 seed. It’s a little easier to make it as that No. 1 seed.”

Alas, Oats’ logic is sound, but Alabama would’ve had to go through Duke, or another No. 1 seed eventually, even if they were seeded a little higher by the selection committee. Maybe a bit more time would’ve helped the Crimson Tide prepare, but they can’t get their missteps from the 2024-25 season back.

All Alabama can do is learn from it, and put a greater importance on the regular season next year. We’ll see if Nate Oats and company can do it, but it’s evident they’re highly-motivated to get a top seed for next season’s NCAA Tournament, as they seek the ultimate goal of winning a national title.