Nate Oats Analyzes Alabama’s Struggles in Comeback Effort Against Auburn
The highly anticipated showdown between No. 2 Alabama and No. 1 Auburn ended with the Tigers securing a 94-85 victory on the road. From the opening tip-off, Auburn maintained control of the game, never allowing Alabama to take the lead.
Despite multiple comeback attempts in the second half, Alabama was unable to fully close the gap, as Auburn consistently responded with timely baskets. The Crimson Tide’s offensive struggles were especially evident down the stretch, where they converted just 2 of 13 field-goal attempts while trailing by three or more points. Their shooting woes extended beyond the arc, where they made only 1 of 5 three-point attempts during that critical stretch.
Head coach Nate Oats addressed the team’s late-game inefficiency during his postgame press conference. “I don’t have a definitive answer for why we struggled in those moments,” Oats admitted. “You have to give credit to Auburn—they played tough defense and made it difficult for us to get good looks. They had a strong defensive game plan and executed it well. When the game is tight, we have to do a better job of finding high-percentage shots. It’s natural for teams to play a little looser when they have a comfortable lead, which may explain why we found better opportunities when we were down by double digits. But ultimately, we have to improve our shot selection in pressure situations.”
Alabama’s struggles from beyond the arc were a major factor in the loss. The team finished the game making just 5 of 26 three-point attempts, a dismal 19.2% conversion rate. Even their top scorer, Mark Sears, had difficulty finding his rhythm, recording 18 points on an inefficient 4-of-17 shooting performance, including just 2 of 11 from deep. Grant Nelson provided a bright spot for the Crimson Tide, posting a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds in 30 minutes of play. Meanwhile, Labaron Philon and Aden Holloway contributed 10 points each off the bench.
Although the loss was a setback, it is unlikely to have a lasting impact on Alabama’s season as long as the team can finish strong in its remaining games. The road ahead, however, is filled with challenges, as Alabama is set to face only ranked opponents for the rest of the regular season, including a rematch against Auburn on March 8.
With six crucial SEC games left, Oats emphasized the importance of resilience. “We talk a lot about adversity, and sometimes it can make you better,” he said. “There’s a book by Ryan Holiday called The Obstacle Is the Way that discusses how obstacles can be turned into advantages. The best teams go through challenges, and we have to embrace that mindset. Every goal we set for this season is still within our control, and that has to be our focus moving forward.”
Next on Alabama’s schedule is a challenging road matchup against No. 21 Missouri on Wednesday night. The game is set to tip off at 9 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on the
SEC Network.
