At 9-2 and No. 6 in the AP Poll, it might sound ridiculous to be examining the flaws of Alabama basketball, but that's where Nate Oats has this program. Gone are the days of bubble-watching and hoping the team can be good enough to play even a single NCAA Tournament game.
Oats has led the program to the Sweet 16 three times and then broke the glass ceiling and got Alabama to the Final Four a year ago. No season in Crimson Tide basketball history has ever been more anticipated than this one. Following a Final Four run, with the guys who came back, and with the additions in the recruiting class and Transfer Portal, expectations were through the roof.
Despite the 9-2 record and key wins over the likes of Illinois, Houston, North Carolina, and Creighton, things have not looked quite like fans hoped. The Tide hasn't been dominant and has looked worlds behind rival Auburn that is playing like many expected Alabama to.
I caution that it is still extremely early in the season. Alabama has two rotational pieces that have combined to play just five total games and the team is still adjusting to life without Latrell Wrightsell, who was a key piece on last year's team and was the team's leading three-point shooter this season before tearing his Achilles in Las Vegas.
Alabama's shooting struggles have been well-documented. As a team, the Tide is shooting just below 32% from distance, which ranks 264th in the country. Despite that, Alabama has been one of the most efficient offenses in the country, ranking 6th in offensive efficiency per KenPom.
The issue, which plagued the Tide all of last season, has been on the defensive end. Per KenPom, Alabama ranks 57th in defensive efficiency and fell over 20 spots last night after giving up 90 points to KenPom No. 287 North Dakota. Alabama surrendered 1.41 points per possession in the 2nd half alone and had zero answer for Treysen Eaglestaff, who dropped a career-high 40 points on the Tide in Grand Forks.
Alabama brought in Cliff Omoruyi from Rutgers with the hopes that he would be that anchor in the middle that Charles Bediako was a couple of years ago when Alabama had the 3rd best defense in the country in KenPom and went into the NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 overall seed. Oats is still looking to marry an offensive team like this one with a defensive team like that one. If he can do it, he'll win a national title in Tuscaloosa.
Omoruyi hasn't been as comfortable in the drop coverage that Bediako perfected. But he has still been effective defensively for the Tide when he's been able to avoid foul trouble. He's third on the team in defensive rating behind only Mo Dioubate and Aiden Sherrell.
Part of the issue last night was that Omoruyi wasn't effective in his minutes. He's not getting many touches on the offensive end and Alabama's guards are missing him on the rolls off of his picks for what could be easy dunks. I think that's causing him to be more disengaged on the defensive end of the floor.
Settling on a rotation will be key moving forward so guys understand their roles and also understand that they'll have to defend in order to get minutes.
What will Alabama's rotation look like in conference play?
Nate Oats has experimented with some different starting lineups, including a weird one against North Dakota on Wednesday night. Once conference play begins, look for Oats to settle on a rotation. Here's what it should look like:
The starting five:
G- Mark Sears
G- LaBaron Philon
G- Chris Youngblood
F- Grant Nelson
C- Cliff Omoruyi
Once Youngblood gets into better game shape, it seems inevitable that he'll be in the starting lineup. You can see the potential of what Youngblood can be in this offense with his ability to hit shots and defend with physicality.
I think Derrion Reid, Houston Mallette, and Aden Holloway will have spots in the rotation. Holloway's is a little more fluid depending on his willingness and ability to defend. Holloway is the worst-rated defender on the team through 11 games and he's not shooting well enough to overcome it.
Playing Holloway and Sears at the same time in conference play could lead to disastrous results on that end of the floor in conference play. Sears is willing on that end and he's certainly giving effort, but he's limited in what he can be on the defensive end of the floor.
I expect Aiden Sherrell's role to be reduced soon. He'll probably only play in limited spots and when other bigs are in foul trouble. The potential is there, but Sherrell just isn't ready to play at this level yet.
Between Dioubate and Jarin Stevenson, I think there's one rotation spot to split between them. Stevenson should play against the more finesse teams and Dioubate will get minutes when the Tide is stuck in a dogfight.
Oats has a lot of confidence in Stevenson and keeps hoping he will shoot better. After an 0-for-the-season, he's actually shot 50% from downtown over the last five games. He's actually grown as a defender this season, but he's still not where Dioubate is. Dioubate is probably the best overall defender on the team and is the only player on the team with an above-average defensive net rating.
The potential is there for Alabama to get better on the defensive end of the floor. That has to happen if Alabama wants to reach any of its goals. If it doesn't, then this season will ultimately end in disappointment and well short of another trip to the Final Four.