No. 4 Alabama Gets Back to Blue Collar Basketball in Thrashing of Vanderbilt

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — What did Nate Oats need to see from his workforce after struggling the largest lack of his tenure because the Alabama basketball head coach? Effort. 

Max effort is among the three core tenants that comprise blue collar basketball for Oats alongside steady development and selfless love. 

He was not happy in any respect with the best way the Crimson Tide carried out in its final outing at Oklahoma, and the teaching employees plus a number of gamers challenged the workforce to reply. They answered the bell in accordance with Oats. 

The robust 3-point capturing helped, and there have been some spotlight reel dunks and alley oops that had the Coleman Coliseum crowd on its toes, however the spotlight for Oats was the hassle of his workforce. 

The ultimate rating wouldn’t point out something apart from the truth that Alabama was in full management over Vanderbilt within the 101-44 win. And that may be true, however for a quick interval on the very starting of the sport, the Commodores truly held a 5-0 lead. 

The Crimson Tide tied it up shortly after, and on Vanderbilt’s subsequent offensive possession, Jaden Bradley and Noah Clowney set the tone for what sort of evening it was going to be for Alabama. 

Clowney and Bradley each received on the ground for a free ball. After securing the steal, it received handed forward to Brandon Miller, who nailed a 3-pointer to go forward 8-5, and Alabama by no means appeared again. 

“When these guys went to the ground, we knew these guys had been purchased in,” Oats mentioned after the sport. “‘That is what we’ll be about tonight,’ I feel is what it screamed early within the sport… If we’re going to be blue collar and make performs like this, it’s going to be rewarded on the opposite finish.”

Miller’s 3-pointer was a part of a 21-0 run for the Crimson Tide to place away the Commodores earlier than the sport may even actually get began. 

Alabama turned Vanderbilt over 16 instances Tuesday evening with 10 steals, a season excessive for convention play. (The Crimson Tide had 11 steals towards Jackson State on Dec. 20.) The 16 turnovers led to 27 factors for the Crimson Tide. 

The blue collar effort mixed with the excessive capturing performances from the ground helped the Crimson Tide attain its largest margin of victory in an SEC sport ever. 

“I really feel like with our guys diving on the ground, making all the hassle performs, I feel that brings power to the workforce simply to go on the market and get one other win towards a great workforce,” Miller mentioned. 

Even when Alabama’s lead ballooned as much as 20, 30, 40 and even 50 factors within the second half, gamers had been nonetheless diving for free balls, going exhausting for rebounds, pushing the ball in transition and having lively arms in passing lanes attempting to get steals as an alternative of simply coasting to a simple victory. 

Vanderbilt shot simply 3 of 30 from past the arc, and Oats challenged his workforce to nonetheless be capable to win video games even when they shoot that poorly as a result of the hassle will make up for it. 

“It was nice to see pictures drop, but when we’d have performed this tough and shot 18 p.c from 3, I’d have been good with it,” Oats mentioned. “I really feel like we nonetheless would’ve received as a result of we had been enjoying that tough.”

Firing on all cylinders Tuesday evening confirmed who Alabama is, and what it may be. Whereas the Oklahoma sport displayed some flaws and a disappointing lack of effort, the efficiency towards the Commodores was one other instance of the ceiling of this workforce and simply how dominant it may be when it offers max effort on protection and hits pictures on offense. 

Nimari Burnett, who had 16 factors and 4 rebounds, mentioned the efficiency at Oklahoma uncovered some complacency throughout the workforce. The gamers knew they needed to begin enjoying more durable.

“We would have liked that loss,” Burnett mentioned. “It’s going to assist us get higher. It’s serving to us get higher, and it revealed some issues that we have to work on. And we had a great comeback at this time.”

The sport towards Vanderbilt kicks off a three-game stretch towards lesser opponents with LSU and Florida up subsequent earlier than a tricky two-game highway swing at No. 25 Auburn at No. 2 Tennessee. Regardless of the opponent or the setting, Oats desires to see the kind of effort he noticed Tuesday evening. 

“We have sort of proven who we’re, and I feel we’re a tricky, hard-nosed blue collar, gritty workforce,” Oats mentioned. 

See additionally:

Nimari Burnett Has Breakout Recreation After Return From Damage

No. 4 Alabama Smashes Vanderbilt to Full Season Sweep

Who Will Step Up For Alabama Basketball In The Second Half of SEC Play? Simply A Minute