Outlook after Miss St Loss

[Jordan Harper]

Alabama has now lost 3 games in a row after the close loss at Miss St last night. If there is one positive about their loses this season, every game but 1 they had a chance to win the game in the final minute. This team just doesn’t know how to close or gets down late and battles back to late.

Alabama still has a very very good resume with great metrics. They are currently 24th in NET and with the #1 SOS. They have 1 bad loss at Missouri. Alabama is also #17 in KenPom. These metrics are all great, but they have to start winning games again to make them matter.

Am I worried about this team? It’s getting hairy right now because the 3 game stretch of Baylor, AU, and UK is looming, but they could easily reel off 3 straight wins this upcoming week and a half. They have fixable problems. They are shooting 31% from 3, their defensive rebounding is lacking, and defensive effort isn’t there all the time. Shooting cures all problems right? We have very capable shooters that are just all cold at the same time. That’ll change.

 

[StablerCountry]

There is a team here that can make the sweet sixteen and there is a team here that can lose to anybody. Just wish we could see them play more to the level they are capable.

 

[Lemley Gilbert]

I feel if we can get to eighteen wins with this schedule we will make tournament

 

[anon_z8qxv7qt5719f]

We need to figure out that we produce more offense through playing hard defense, creating turnovers, and finishing. That includes being better on the Defensive boards.

 

[OatsMeal]

While everything is still in front of us, and our SOS and big wins will help with resume, we have to start playing a lot better. Barring one half at Florida, this team has been tough to watch ever since the Houston game.

 

[RollTide15]

We are sooo careless with the ball, and it doesn't seem to bother anyone if they make a bad pass. Oats doesn't seem to care either. That is easily fixable.

 

[Hoot G]

We are sooo careless with the ball, and it doesn't seem to bother anyone if they make a bad pass. Oats doesn't seem to care either. That is easily fixable.

What a dumb statement

 

[HOUNDZTOOTH1]

I like to think positive but facts are facts with close losses with this team and close only counts in horseshoes.
I see six straight losses staring us in the face. Oats and the players need to grow a pair and at least fake trying to play physical hard nose basketball. Win or lose.

 

[rsaxoniii]

We need to figure out that we produce more offense through playing hard defense, creating turnovers, and finishing. That includes being better on the Defensive boards.

I agree, imo our offense is our defense. When we are not running we never have clean looks.

 

[adsmith4]

We’re 17 games in to the season. I think poor shooting, rebounding, and defending is who this team is. Maybe they shoot the ball better and win a couple they shouldn’t, but I don’t know why halfway in to the season we should expect any different.

 

[G.O.A.T-23]

Alabama has now lost 3 games in a row after the close loss at Miss St last night. If there is one positive about their loses this season, every game but 1 they had a chance to win the game in the final minute. This team just doesn’t know how to close or gets down late and battles back to late.

Alabama still has a very very good resume with great metrics. They are currently 24th in NET and with the #1 SOS. They have 1 bad loss at Missouri. Alabama is also #17 in KenPom. These metrics are all great, but they have to start winning games again to make them matter.

Am I worried about this team? It’s getting hairy right now because the 3 game stretch of Baylor, AU, and UK is looming, but they could easily reel off 3 straight wins this upcoming week and a half. They have fixable problems. They are shooting 31% from 3, their defensive rebounding is lacking, and defensive effort isn’t there all the time. Shooting cures all problems right? We have very capable shooters that are just all cold at the same time. That’ll change.

They are far more likely to lose all three of those than they are to win them.

 

[uagolffan]

They’ll have to play substantially better to make 17 regular season wins. The trend for this team is not good. Player leadership is non existent and it is so apparent in close games. The likelihood after this many games that all of a sudden a leader or a group of leaders arise is pretty slim. Hope I am wrong!

 

[CrmsnTusk4]

Alabama has now lost 3 games in a row after the close loss at Miss St last night. If there is one positive about their loses this season, every game but 1 they had a chance to win the game in the final minute. This team just doesn’t know how to close or gets down late and battles back to late.

Alabama still has a very very good resume with great metrics. They are currently 24th in NET and with the #1 SOS. They have 1 bad loss at Missouri. Alabama is also #17 in KenPom. These metrics are all great, but they have to start winning games again to make them matter.

Am I worried about this team? It’s getting hairy right now because the 3 game stretch of Baylor, AU, and UK is looming, but they could easily reel off 3 straight wins this upcoming week and a half. They have fixable problems. They are shooting 31% from 3, their defensive rebounding is lacking, and defensive effort isn’t there all the time. Shooting cures all problems right? We have very capable shooters that are just all cold at the same time. That’ll change.

We have one guy that's a legit threat to shoot, and that's Shack. When you have that, we're very easy to defend. Teams aren't allowing JD or Q to get to the rim easily, and aren't helping off of Shack. That works when you don't have consistent shooters like we had last year in Petty, Primo, sometimes Reese. Having multiple guys that can shoot it opens it up for everyone else.

Standing around watching Q and JD dribble for 15-20 second isn't helping anything either. No clue why the coaching staff can't adjust to getting some off ball actions to get possessions going. Nate isn't doing himself any favors with regards to the offensive end.

 

[aggietider]

We’re 17 games in to the season. I think poor shooting, rebounding, and defending is who this team is. Maybe they shoot the ball better and win a couple they shouldn’t, but I don’t know why halfway in to the season we should expect any different.

Agree. I don’t see where this is a great shooting team regardless. Heck we are playing 2 bigs at a time that can’t shoot the 3. I thought that would be the end of the world for a guy like Oats.

 

[BamaNavyCPO]

We have one guy that's a legit threat to shoot, and that's Shack. When you have that, we're very easy to defend. Teams aren't allowing JD or Q to get to the rim easily, and aren't helping off of Shack. That works when you don't have consistent shooters like we had last year in Petty, Primo, sometimes Reese. Having multiple guys that can shoot it opens it up for everyone else.

Standing around watching Q and JD dribble for 15-20 second isn't helping anything either. No clue why the coaching staff can't adjust to getting some off ball actions to get possessions going. Nate isn't doing himself any favors with regards to the offensive end.

Agreed. The players are too stationary on offense. Nobody is cutting towards the basket, setting picks, etc., and they tend to bunch up at times, which makes them easier to guard. Every team that has watched our film knows that JQ or Shack will drive and look to kick out to the corner, so they are intercepting that pass. JD jumps into the air to pass without being certain of his target and get a lot of TOs.

 

[winin11]

We are sooo careless with the ball, and it doesn't seem to bother anyone if they make a bad pass. Oats doesn't seem to care either. That is easily fixable.

Oats doesn't seem to care about these bad passes and turnovers?
Please tell us how you arrived at that. I saw Oats have about 3 meltdowns in the game at MS ST after several turnovers

 

[RollTide15]

Oats doesn't seem to care about these bad passes and turnovers?
Please tell us how you arrived at that. I saw Oats have about 3 meltdowns in the game at MS ST after several turnovers

OK. Here is your answer:

I watched an ESPN special on Joe B Hall over the weekend. In 1978, he had mostly senior All-Americans starters on his team and were heavily favored to win the NCAA. In the opening round of the NCAA tourney, Kentucky was down to Florida State by 10 points at the half, mostly due to bad passes. He sat all of the starters at the start of the second half and played guys that didn't think that they had a chance to play. ESPN interviewed the starters, and they said that they were thinking "coach, don't let this thing get out of hand". Finally, he put the starters back in. They were very focused to catch back up and won by 9. If Oats cared about the bad passes, he would sit some guys on the bench for a long time.

 

[frazor]

Agree. I don’t see where this is a great shooting team regardless. Heck we are playing 2 bigs at a time that can’t shoot the 3. I thought that would be the end of the world for a guy like Oats.

Which is why I'd have Rojas and Gurley start. Other than protecting the rim what does Bediako do that is imperative to him getting the start??

 

[aggietider]

Which is why I'd have Rojas and Gurley start. Other than protecting the rim what does Bediako do that is imperative to him getting the start??

I think Rojas and Gary give us some of the same things. And Gurley has to play and take the open 3 when he gets it. Playing more than three 4/5 type guys just seems tough. We need more 3’s that can play 4 than 4’s that can play 5.

 

[frazor]

We need more 3’s that can play 4 than 4’s that can play 5.

Welp we're $hit outta luck on that but at this point I'll take anybody that can draw their man away from the rim. I doubt Rojas lights it up from 3 either but he brings the largest collection of talent, experience, and ball IQ available from the 4/5.

 

[aggietider]

Welp we're $hit outta luck on that but at this point I'll take anybody that can draw their man away from the rim. I doubt Rojas lights it up from 3 either but he brings the largest collection of talent, experience, and ball IQ available from the 4/5.

He’s a threat bc he will try to score. Which is also dangerous for Bama, but he can turn it over. But I’m good with him getting as many minutes as he can right now.

 

[TideFan35]

He’s a threat bc he will try to score. Which is also dangerous for Bama, but he can turn it over. But I’m good with him getting as many minutes as he can right now.

I agree.. in honestly believe Rojas is the closest thing to a leader on the court that this team has. He’s not been on the court so been hard to
Assert himself as the leader. Maybe with him getting some pt he can lead and show some toughness that this team desperately needs

 

[jd82tide]

We are sooo careless with the ball, and it doesn't seem to bother anyone if they make a bad pass. Oats doesn't seem to care either. That is easily fixable.

3 on 1 break vs. State and JQ passes it to the only defender. Man that should drive Coach crazy. It’s killing me.

 

[jtr4dad]

Welp we're $hit outta luck on that but at this point I'll take anybody that can draw their man away from the rim. I doubt Rojas lights it up from 3 either but he brings the largest collection of talent, experience, and ball IQ available from the 4/5.

I've never seen ball IQ and Rojas mentioned in the same sentence, and frankly never thought that I would. He's a turnover waiting to happen every time he touches the ball. I cringe every time I see him even attempt to dribble.

 

[BamaNavyCPO]

I've never seen ball IQ and Rojas mentioned in the same sentence, and frankly never thought that I would. He's a turnover waiting to happen every time he touches the ball. I cringe every time I see him even attempt to dribble.

True enough, Rojas has been labeled "a bull in a china shop," and that's no bull, but right now we need that bull. Low-post players are chomping at the bit to play Bama because they know it is little to no resistance. Rojas may not be the long-term answer, but he will suffice as a short-term response. Maybe he will inspire the others to play with fire for 40 minutes.

 

[frazor]

I cringe every time I see him even attempt to dribble.

Which one of the bigs does not evoke that emotion when they have the ball?

 

[Sweetlou2.0]

Which one of the bigs does not evoke that emotion when they have the ball?

I don’t get that with Gurley or Gary. I’m hoping Rojas helps us, but he took turnover rate to a whole new level last year. It was… amazing

 

[BeastofBourbon]

Which is why I'd have Rojas and Gurley start. Other than protecting the rim what does Bediako do that is imperative to him getting the start??

Only thing Bediako is good for right now is his 5 fouls. He had some success against inferior non-conference opponents, but he's getting pushed around like a rag doll against the conference bigs. He struggles to make easy shots 2 feet from the rim. Needs to spend a ton of time in the weight room before he becomes a significant contributor.

 

[jd82tide]

Needs to go the Donta Hall or Antonio McDyess school of finishing around the rim. Assault that orange circle and anything that’s in between. Too big to big passing the ball back out when you get it two feet away. Entire root of offense problems though is not getting into any real offensive sets and bricking 3s. Watching JD clear out and go one on one usually ends in him losing the ball. Guards have to get things going. Tonight would be a damn good time.

 

[BeastofBourbon]

Problem with the Oats offense right now is that our defense is not generating the fast break opportunities that creates the tempo he wants. Unfortunately we're now relegated to play more in a half court offense, which apparently for us requires four guys to stand still while the man with the ball drives aimlessly to the basket to either throw up a prayer or blindly attempt to kick out to someone else. As someone previously posted, teams have figured that out and are defending those passing lanes. Instead of those passes creating open 3's, they're now resulting in many turnovers.

If our defense is not going to improve, and why would it at this point, Oats will need to get more creative with the half court offense. My concern with him right now is that is he a one trick pony. If the up and down the court while chucking 30 3's a game isn't working, is he able to adapt?

 

[TideFever]

Needs to go the Donta Hall or Antonio McDyess school of finishing around the rim. Assault that orange circle and anything that’s in between. Too big to big passing the ball back out when you get it two feet away. Entire root of offense problems though is not getting into any real offensive sets and bricking 3s. Watching JD clear out and go one on one usually ends in him losing the ball. Guards have to get things going. Tonight would be a damn good time.

He definitely needs to fill out a bit. But this drives me nuts when someone with crazy long arms that's also in the neighborhood of 7'0" won't rip the rim down whenever he's within a step of the rim. He's got the wingspan of someone that's like 7'4" or so and can probably tip toe and reach over halfway up the net. We've had too many of them since the handball euro player we had under Grant that couldn't do anything.

Bediako is the polar opposite of a player like Shaq who would try to shoulder through a brick wall just so he could dunk the ball instead of having to shoot it. It should dangerous to be between someone his size and the rim if he's within an arms length of it. Instead he's sometimes afraid to even try to lay it up much less reach up and dunk. He should have to run gassers every time he's under the rim and doesn't try to force the dunk.

 

[jd82tide]

He definitely needs to fill out a bit. But this drives me nuts when someone with crazy long arms that's also in the neighborhood of 7'0" won't rip the rim down whenever he's within a step of the rim. He's got the wingspan of someone that's like 7'4" or so and can probably tip toe and reach over halfway up the net. We've had too many of them since the handball euro player we had under Grant that couldn't do anything.

Bediako is the polar opposite of a player like Shaq who would try to shoulder through a brick wall just so he could dunk the ball instead of having to shoot it. It should dangerous to be between someone his size and the rim if he's within an arms length of it. Instead he's sometimes afraid to even try to lay it up much less reach up and dunk. He should have to run gassers every time he's under the rim and doesn't try to force the dunk.

Missed uncontested dunk to start half!!!