Alabama Basketball: Tide still streaking with win over Kentucky

Alabama Basketball: Crimson Tide had to find another way to win Tuesday night and it did beating the Kentucky Wildcats.

The Nate Oats system for Alabama basketball is not built around what happened in Tuscaloosa Tuesday night. The Alabama Crimson Tide is not designed around a scheme where three-point shooting of 30 percent and field goal shooting of 34 percent wins games.

The Crimson Tide had to depend on other strengths against the Kentucky Wildcats. The most important of which, tenacious team defense, is very much a component of Nate Oats’ system. In the first half, the Crimson Tide fouled too many shooters, with the Cats shooting 13 free throws while making 11. Because the Crimson Tide shot only two first-half foul shots, the margin was plus-9 for the Cats. With Kentucky scoring at the line, a nine-point first-half lead for the Crimson Tide slipped to three at halftime.

In the second half, more defense was needed, without the Cats easily getting to the foul line. The Crimson Tide defensive effort got the job done. The Cats got only four second-half foul shots.

On offense, the Nate Oats ‘rims and threes’ attack had to rely on attacking the basket. Kentucky played strong defense outside the arc, taking away many open looks. The Crimson Tide kept pounding it inside. The Cats played tough inside defense as well. The Tide finishing was good, and better at drawing fouls. Points poured in at the foul line with the Crimson Tide making 22-of-26 second-half free throws. The Nate Oats recipe worked, allowing his team to battle to victory. The game was tougher and closer than the final 70-59 score indicates.

Nate Oats made these comments after the game.

• “This game we easily could’ve lost. This team is capable of winning many different ways.”
• “We said we’re going to win the game on defense. Our offense was struggling.”
• “If we don’t have Juwan Gary, we don’t win the game. He was huge for us. His defensive numbers and Ellis’ defensive numbers were really great. They were in there late, stopped them 7 of the last 9 possessions.”
• “I’m gonna take the blame on the offense tonight. … I’m gonna spend a lot of time over the next three days to figure out how to fix that, for sure.”

Jaden Shackelford led the Crimson Tide in scoring with 21 points. Herbert Jones scored 13, while John Petty Jr. and Josh Primo scored 10 points each. Herbert Jones was the leading Tide rebounder with nine, plus eight assists, two blocks and two steals.

Next up for Alabama Basketball are the Oklahoma Sooners, Saturday in Norman. Oklahoma will provide a stern test.