The freshman wall can be very real. If you doubt that, just ask Amari Allen, who was busy the last two games slamming right into it.
Life comes at you fast. A week ago against Mississippi State, Allen had one of his best games in an Alabama uniform, scoring 23 points and connecting on 8-of-10 shots from the floor and starting the game 6-of-6 from three.
In Alabama's last two games against Tennessee and Georgia, Allen has scored a combined 5 points on 2-of-14 from the floor and 1-of-8 from three-point range. Even more concerning, the usual stat-stuffing Allen has managed only three rebounds and two assists across 47 minutes in those games, too.
Allen is Alabama's leading rebounder and is third on the team in assists; those numbers being down are arguably more impactful than Allen's struggles scoring. His all-around game has been a key part of the Tide's attack on both ends of the floor.
And that's led Nate Oats to question his freshman star's focus. A couple of early lapses against Georgia led Allen to get pulled early with an earful from Oats on the bench. He only played 21 minutes in the loss in Athens.
"He’s gotta get back locked in to making winning plays," Oats said of Allen. "If you get back locked in to making winning plays, and making some tough plays, his offense will just come. Like, he’s that talented of an offensive player. He’s really good when he’s in the flow. He’s super talented. He’s a competitor. He’s tough. But you gotta get back locked in to making winning plays. And if you get locked into making winning plays, and you’re a talented offensive guy like him, the offense will follow.”
Nate Oats says Amari Allen needs to 'get back locked in' to making winning plays for Alabama
Alabama needs Allen's rebounding in the worst way. It's not a coincidence that his struggles on the ground have come in back-to-back games in which the Crimson Tide has gotten soundly beaten on the glass.
They especially needed his rebounding against Georgia in a game he started at the four in a smaller lineup with Labaron Philon, Aden Holloway, and Latrell Wrightsell in the backcourt.
The issue with young players like Allen is that when they start to struggle to put the ball in the basket, it gets in their heads. It starts affecting other parts of their game.
That's exactly what's happening to Allen right now, and it'll take getting locked back in to just playing winning basketball for him to snap out of it.
"When you’re locked in, you’re locked in," Oats said. "And when you’re locked in, you’re getting rebounds. You’re making defensive plays. You’re attacking the floor on offense. You step to the line, you make your free throws. And he’s gotta get back locked in."