Alabama basketball came up short on Thursday night at home against Purdue, falling 87-80 in a game that was tied with under two minutes to play. The Crimson Tide stayed connected with the No. 2 Boilermakers all night despite getting bludgeoned on the glass.
Purdue outrebounded Alabama 52-28. It was the story of the game, and you probably know that by now. It was the only stat that really mattered, and if the Crimson Tide had done just marginally better on the glass, we're probably talking about a different outcome and how incredible it is that they knocked off two top-five opponents in a row.
Instead, we're left questioning whether rebounding is going to be this team's Achilles heel that keeps them from fully realizing their potential.
But there have been some encouraging signs from this team. They've already proven they can compete with some of the best teams in the country, and maybe the home loss to Purdue will be the kick in the pants they need to fight harder.
One major change of pace for Alabama through three games, however, is that it isn't turning the ball over like Oats coached teams normally do. After turning it over just seven times on Saturday in the win over St. John's, the Crimson Tide turned it over only six times against Purdue, though four of them did come from Labaron Philon and proved costly down the stretch.
Alabama is taking care of the basketball at a record rate
Alabama turned it over 15 times in the season-opening win over North Dakota, but has cleaned that up in the last two games against elite teams. Against North Dakota, the Crimson Tide was missing its secondary and tertiary ball-handlers in Aden Holloway and Latrell Wrightsell, too.
Obviously, three games are a small sample size, but it's an encouraging early trend for the Crimson Tide and far and away the best clip of an Oats-coached Tide team.
Alabama's turnover percentages and KenPom ranks under Nate Oats:
2019-2020: 19.2% (206th)
2020-2021: 18.6% (157th)
2021-2022: 19.8% (271st)
2022-2023:18.7% (227th)
2023-2024: 15.9% (98th)
2024-2025: 16.6% (142nd)
2025-2026: 12.3% (29th)
Again, it's a small sample size, but it's encouraging nonetheless. Alabama plays at a frenetic pace, so they are always going to turn it over more times than the average team. But a 12.3% turnover rate through three games far outpaces any other Oats Alabama team so far.
It's an early concerted effort to take care of the ball, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see it continue throughout the season. Both Philon and Holloway are high-level on-ball guards who keep the ball on a string and can break down defenses.
Philon was a bit too reckless against Purdue, undoubtedly frustrated with an inability to get looks at the rim with the Boilermakers clogging the paint.
Holloway has seven assists to only one turnover in the two games he has played.
If Alabama can continue taking care of the ball at the level we've seen through three games, this offense will be difficult for most to stop.