Alabama Basketball: What worst loss in Nate Oats era means

The Crimson Tide’s nine-game winning streak ended in Norman, OK on Saturday. Alabama Basketball’s roll, ended with a loud thud, in the largest point deficit for Tide in the Nate Oats era.

The Sooners beat the Crimson Tide by 24 points (93-69). It was also the worst loss for the Crimson Tide since the 2018 season when Alabama lost to Kentucky 86-63 in the SEC Tournament.

Stunned Crimson Tide fans are likely no more stunned than the Alabama basketball players.

There were indications in the Wednesday night win over Mississippi State that the Crimson Tide had slipped into a lull. A majority opinion was the Bulldogs got the Tide’s attention sufficiently for a return to form on Saturday.

The wake-up call was not heard. Speaking after the game, Crimson Tide freshman, Rylan Griffen said Nate Oats had been warning the team, and added,

"We didn’t listen… We thought we were kind of untouchable."

Nate Oats was also direct in talking about what he had seen coming.

It is impossible to disagree with Oats, but for one thing. Saturday was not a game when an edge was lost a little bit. Alabama was outplayed in every aspect of the game.

Before the Oklahoma game, some Crimson Tide weaknesses concerned Alabama basketball fans. The same issues, only amplified, plagued the Crimson Tide throughout the Oklahoma game. Adding to the previous concerns was against Oklahoma, Alabama performed as a team not well versed in defending ball screens.

Before drifting into despair, there are things for Alabama basketball fans to remember and realize. Most importantly, it was one game, and one game does not make a season – unless it is the last game for a National Championship win.

Alabama Basketball fans seeking reassurance

What Alabama basketball fans seek reassurance in, is whether the Crimson Tide remains a legitimate Final Four-capable team. For the time being the two, most well-known Bracketologists are not punishing the Tide for the large loss.

Joe Lunardi kept the Crimson Tide as a 1-seed and still the No. 2 seed overall, saying Alabama used its mulligan. Jerry Palm, like Lunardi, left the Crimson Tide as a 1-seed.

What lies ahead for the Crimson Tide requires more than a dose of reality. It requires necessary hard work to do more than move on. Players and coaches alike must look at failings with clear eyes and a renewed commitment to improving.

Nate Oats was already thinking that in the post-game when he said,

"All the stuff we say we want to be — we’re kind of right back to ground zero."

The SEC took it on the chin against the Big 12 Saturday, winning only three of the ten games. Tennessee beat Texas, Missouri beat Iowa State and in a big upset, Mississippi State beat TCU. The home teams won in eight of the 10 games.