Alabama Basketball: Nate Oats has made Crimson Tide relentless

As a football season evolves, Nick Saban often describes one of his teams as a work in progress. Nate Oats could say the same about his Alabama Basketball team. The Crimson Tide has a long road to championships and no result is foretold. We can make early conclusions as to where Crimson Tide Hoops is now.

In the broad view of the nation’s top teams, Alabama Basketball is no mirage. The Crimson Tide is the real deal, even if Nate Oats does not want to talk about it.

After Saturday night’s win over Missouri, Oats was asked to comment on the Tide being one of college basketball’s best teams.

He skillfully and wisely deflected and re-directed the remark.

"We don’t talk about where we’re at in the country. We talk about what we have to do to get better"

Alabama Basketball is Relentless

Forget what any other college basketball teams are doing. What Alabama Basketball is – is relentless.

The Missouri Tigers were diminished Saturday night, without their scoring leader, Kobe Brown. To the credit of Missouri coach, Dennis Gates, not one of his available players backed down.

Playing in front of an intense home crowd, Missouri led 16-14, with 9:30 left in the first half. The rest of the half proved the ‘Alabama is relentless’ claim. The Crimson Tide outscored the Tigers 25-12, to take a 38-28 halftime lead.

Where the 25 points came from tells a story. Brandon Miller, one of college basketball’s best players, scored just four of the 25 points. Mark Sears scored nine, Jahvon Quinerly five, Rylan Griffen three and Jaden Bradley and Noah Clowney, two points each.

Mostly taking Miller away from the Alabama offense for over 10 minutes was not only unsuccessful, but Missouri ended up in a hole from which it could not recover.

Alabama basketball players deserve credit. So does the former high school math teacher who has become one of college basketball’s smartest minds. Thanks to the genius of the Nate Oats system and the success he and his staff have had in recruiting, the Crimson Tide skillfully employs the deepest array of talent in college basketball.

As Daymeon Fishback said during the telecast,

"Coach Nate Oats has got more weapons than John Wick"

Closing with some brake pumping is required. Alabama is yet to play Tennessee in Knoxville, the Auburn Tigers (twice), along with road games at Oklahoma and Texas A&M. Much work is left to do. But the Crimson Tide is 17-2 and 7-0 in SEC play, with none of those seven SEC teams coming close.