Monday's news of no more Charles Bediako hit hard for the Alabama Crimson Tide. For at least the foreseeable future, Alabama will be short a big man. When or if Keitenn Bristow can return to the lineup is not known.
Without Bristow, when Aiden Sherrell needs a rest or gets in foul trouble, Alabama's only big man options will be Noah Williamson and Taylor Bol Bowen. Bol Bowen is a stretch '4', rather than a '5', because he does not have enough bulk to mix it up with 240+ pounders inside.
Williamson appears to be the only option. So far, the Bucknell transfer had made little positive impact. He is a non-factor offensively, shooting 27.8% and only 10% on 20 three-point attempts. Nate Oats green-lights every open three, but maybe that should change for Williamson. Worse is, despite a few exceptions, Williamson has been an ineffective defender.
Alabama Basketball - Nate Oats Style
Alabama has a productive 5-Out offense that spreads the floor and opens up driving lanes. When it cooks, it is a thing of beauty. It can be run with no true bigs, using Bol Bowen or Amari Allen along with four guards. The problem with 'Small Ball' is rebounding and defending the other team's inside players. Pretty much every remaining opponent can cause problems for Alabama with any small lineup Nate Oats chooses. If Alabama is shooting well, going small can succeed. During cold-shooting stretches of games, it can be disastrous.
Tempo can diminish an opponent's size advantage, but it requires consistent defensive rebounding. And pressing the pace after an opponent's made basket is difficult.
Multiple injuries have slowed Taylor Bol Bowen. His availability for Wednesday night's game against Ole Miss is not known. He played two minutes against Florida, did not play against Texas A&M, and played seven minutes against Auburn.
Whatever strategies Nate Oats employs, Alabama's defensive intensity will have to ramp up and stay that way throughout most games for the rest of the season. The intensity cannot lead to foul trouble in any game, but particularly against Arkansas, Tennessee, and Auburn. Charles Bediako will be missed in those games and later ones in the SEC and NCAA tournaments.