What Nate Oats did in hopes Alabama has better start vs. Kentucky

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – No. 4 Alabama has lost back-to-back games by nine and 12 points. In those losses to No. 1 Auburn and No. 15 Missouri, the Crimson Tide fell into early 9-0 and 12-0 holes, respectively. Nate Oats knows Alabama needs to have better starts to games.

What is the sixth-year head coach doing to try to fix that? By lightening the players’ loads.

Alabama experienced plane issues after Wednesday’s game in Columbia, Missouri. Rather than fly back to Tuscaloosa that night, the Tide stayed one more night in the Show-Me State and then landed in Alabama at 5 p.m. on Thursday. UA didn’t practice the day after the game, which is typically the case, but Oats organized a lighter practice on Friday morning.

“We’ve got four fifth-year seniors in the lineup,” Oats said. “We’ve tried to make sure they’ve got their legs back up under them. Even before we had all the travel issues yesterday, we decided not to practice yesterday, just to try to get their legs back, make sure that it’s not a physical fatigue matter with the starts to these games. 

“We didn’t practice yesterday, went super light today, with the goal in mind to get them recharged physically and mentally. See if we can’t have some better starts to these games.”

Oats tweaked his starting lineup before the Missouri game, placing Labaron Philon back in the starting five and bringing Jarin Stevenson off the bench. The common element was the four fifth-year seniors, Mark Sears, Grant Nelson, Chris Youngblood and Cliff Omoruyi.

The lighter workload before Saturday’s game against No. 17 Kentucky was for the whole team but especially the older players who are key to Alabama’s success down the stretch.

Nelson in particular has been in a funk the last two games, having a team-worst -20 in +/- each of the last two outings. The last time the Tide and Wildcats played on January 18, Nelson had a big game, scoring an Alabama career-high 25 points in a win in Lexington.

“We’ve definitely noted that,” Oats said. “I think he had 19 at the half last time we played Kentucky. I agree, that’s probably the best he’s looked all year. It’d be great if we could get that Grant back. He just came out in that game aggressive, got downhill. 

“… We’ve gotta get these other three fifth-year guys’ legs back up under them and playing with a lot more pop. Hopefully, these last two days will do that for them.”

Alabama (21-5, 10-3 SEC) is still projected to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, per ESPN’s Joe Lunardi. But to stay on the one-line, the Tide needs to get back in the win column. More issues have plagued UA of late, particularly on the defensive end of the floor, but getting off to a better start is a top priority for Alabama in Saturday’s home game.

Oats said he wants to see his team come out “like we’ve got our hair on fire” against UK, and he hopes the concentrated effort to give the guys extra time off will pay off against the ‘Cats.

“I think we’ll respond tomorrow,” Oats said. “I think their spirits were up. I think our minds are in the right place. I think we will have given them enough time to rejuvenate themselves. I anticipate us being ready to go. We just can’t have the starts we’ve had. … We’ve gotta have better starts. 

“The one common denominator is those four fifth-year guys that have been in the starting lineup. They’re all great kids that want to perform well. They’re down on themselves, so it’s not like they need me to pile on. They need to make sure that they’re fresh and ready to go and shot out of a cannon tomorrow.

“I’m hoping that’s what we see tomorrow.”

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