Nate Oats emphasizes importance of defense amid loaded offensive field in Newark

NEWARK, N.J. — When Alabama went to the Final Four last season, one of the biggest reasons was its enhanced intensity on the defensive end of the floor. The Tide ranked outside the top-100 in defensive efficiency, and flipped a switch in order to make a run.

This season is a little different, with Alabama ranking No. 29 in defensive efficiency entering the Sweet 16 — significantly better than a season ago. Still, the Crimson Tide is going to need an exceptionally strong defensive performance over the next few games if it wants to get back to the Final Four.

“Our defense wasn’t any good last year. I think we weren’t even in the top 100 in defense,” Alabama head coach Nate Oats said. “It was pretty easy to show our guys that our defense isn’t good enough. We struggled there at the end of the year. Finally got the guys to wake up after we lost the first round of the SEC tournament, then lost at the end of the regular season. I think this year our defense is significantly better. It’s still not where we’d like it to be. It’s going to have to get significantly better to make another Final Four run.”

Alabama’s competition in Newark this weekend is full of high-powered offenses.

The Crimson Tide’s Sweet 16 opponent, BYU, has a top-10 offense in terms of efficiency and has a top-30 3-point percentage nationally. If it makes the Elite Eight, the opponent would be either Duke or Arizona, who have the No. 1 and No. 13 ranked offenses, respectively.

“The next two teams we play, if we’re fortunate to even have a second game, BYU has got the No. 1 offense in the country, I think since February 12th or something like that, and then Duke and Arizona are two of the best offenses in the country, as well,” Oats said.

“You’ve got four of the better offenses in the country. I think all four of us are top 25 in the country in scoring. And look at efficiency metrics and stuff, you’ve got four really good offenses in this region. For those people that like watching good offensive basketball, you’ve got four good teams here.”

Alabama is coming off one of its best defensive games of the season in the Round of 32, when the Tide held 7-seed Saint Mary’s to 66 points in a 14-point victory. That game saw Alabama hold the Gaels to 34 percent (24-of-70) shooting from the floor and 21 percent (3-of-14) shooting from beyond the arc.

Oats is a firm believer that the team that comes out of Newark and heads to San Antonio for the Final Four will be the team that plays the best defense over the next two games.

“I think a lot of who’s going to come out of here is who plays the best defense, and some of these other teams have had better defensive stretches than maybe we’ve had,” Oats said.

“I think we’ve got to get our guys’ attention, which we have, and we’re capable of being a great defensive team, and that’s what we’re going to have to do over these next couple days if we’re going to get out of this four-team bracket here.”

When Alabama’s players were asked about the team’s defense, it became clear that Oats indeed did have their attention.

“We’ve got a point to prove on defense,” Alabama forward Mo Dioubate said. “Being called soft, that’s something that you don’t want towards your team or your name. Last year, we realized we can’t lose. If we lose, we go home.”

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