Alabama men’s basketball got back on track with a statement win over No. 8 Kentucky. Fresh off a disappointing loss to Ole Miss, the No. 4 Crimson Tide defeated the Wildcats 102-97 on the road in Rupp Arena.
Bama head coach Nate Oats was livid after the Ole Miss defeat, but he carried a different tone after his team’s latest outing.
"Couldn't be more proud of a group of guys after the poor showing on Tuesday, they kind of bounced back to play the way we did here today,” Oats said in his postgame presser. “This is a really good team we beat."
Alabama seniors Mark Sears and Grant Nelson led the way for the Tide, combining for 49 points. Sears dropped 24 points and nine assists while Nelson poured in 25 points and 11 rebounds on 7/13 shooting.
Oats sent his team a cold-blooded message ahead of the game, and the players clearly took it to heart.
“Part of me kind of thinks these guys like going on the road,” Oats said. “Real competitors like going into a little bit more hostile environment … I told them when we met Thursday, 'If you don't plan on getting a win don't pack your bag, you're not coming back on the plane.’”
Armed with a top-three offensive rating in college basketball, Alabama could be primed for another deep March Madness run. If the Tide can stay consistent moving forward, the sky is the limit for last year’s Final Four Cinderella story.
Oats and his squad will look to build on their 4-1 record against SEC opponents when they host Vanderbilt on January 21.