Nate Oats hoping win at Auburn gives Alabama confidence entering SEC Tournament

AUBURN, Ala. – Alabama had lost four of its last six games before traveling to Neville Arena to face top-ranked Auburn, a matchup few believed the Crimson Tide would be able to win.

But Alabama pulled off the upset, ending its regular-season schedule by defeating its arch-rival in overtime, 93-91, on the Tigers’ home court. Sixth-year head coach Nate Oats hopes the road win can be a springboard for the No. 7 Crimson Tide as postseason play begins.

“Hopefully, this will get our guys some confidence going into the SEC Tournament,” Oats said. “We’ve got the bye till Friday. We’ve gotta get our legs back up under us. We’ve gotta get our confidence back. And I think this is a big start.”

Alabama (24-7, 13-5 SEC) had dropped back-to-back games, albeit to top-five opponents, with losses to Tennessee and Florida before Round 2 against its in-state rival. The loss in Knoxville was a tough one, after the Tide led by four points with 30 seconds to play and was on the other side of a buzzer-beater. Then came a home loss to the Gators, which out-rebounded Alabama by 15. The ingredients were there for a 3-game skid to end the season.

But the Tide bounced back to claim its best win of the year ahead of tournament time.

“We showed growth,” Alabama guard Mark Sears said. “We had the toughest 7-game schedule in the country, and I feel like we learned a lot from that seven games to prepare us for the SEC Tournament and March Madness.”

Sears only scored nine points against Auburn, including just five in regulation, but he made the biggest shot of the game to secure the road victory as time expired. He also led the team with seven assists, compared to one turnover. A couple of other seniors, Grant Nelson and Clifford Omoruyi, actually led Alabama in scoring, as Nelson finished with 23 points and Omoruyi had 15 against the Tigers. Both big men pulled down eight rebounds apiece.

The Tide avenged its Senior Night loss by picking up a win on Auburn’s home floor.

“For our seniors to come in here in the last game of the regular season and win at Auburn, I think, gives them some confidence,” Oats said. “It means a lot for these guys. It kind of makes up for a few of these losses we’ve had in this tough, 7-game stretch. We’ve just gotta get everybody rested, healthy, bodies fresh, ready to go in Nashville.”

Alabama will be the No. 3 seed in next week’s SEC Tournament at Bridgestone Arena. UA will play in the final game on Friday, March 14, and will face the winner of Kentucky versus either Georgia or Oklahoma. The Crimson Tide’s quarterfinal matchup will begin roughly 25 minutes after the 6 p.m. CT game ends, with both matchups airing on the SEC Network.

Alabama was one-and-done in Nashville a year ago before making its deepest run in the NCAA Tournament and playing in the men’s basketball program’s first-ever Final Four. With a statement to conclude the regular season, Oats is hopeful that his players can use the marquee win on Saturday to kickstart another memorable March, beginning next week.

“This group wants to keep playing with each other,” Oats said. “They like it. Last year, we didn’t finish the regular season or even the SEC Tournament well, but we got it together to make a Final Four run. I think this group’s better overall. Hopefully, we’ve got some confidence going into the SEC Tournament, we’ll play better there in Nashville than that last group did. 

“But we found a way to still get it together and make a run. Hopefully, we can get this group together a week earlier than last year’s group got it together. We already look like we’ve got a pretty good win here to close the regular season. So I think they’re headed in the right direction.”

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