Alabama Basketball’s Missed Opportunity in SEC Home Game

Alabama basketball faced a significant setback during an SEC home game against the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday night. The Tide had a chance to capitalize on a key matchup, but it was the Vols who managed to secure a 79-73 victory at Coleman Coliseum. This loss marked a low point for the Crimson Tide, as they scored their fewest points of the season.

Alabama (13-6 overall, 3-3 conference) started strong, leading by 10 points in the first half and holding a 39-36 advantage at halftime. However, Tennessee (13-6, 3-3) turned things around in the second half, outscoring the Tide 43-34 over the final 20 minutes. The Vols’ performance was highlighted by the standout play of 6-foot-10 freshman forward Nate Ament, who recorded a career-high 29 points. Ja’Kobi Gillespie added 24 points, helping Tennessee extend their winning streak against Alabama to five games since December 2021.

This loss is the longest losing streak Alabama has suffered against the Volunteers in over 50 years, dating back to the 1968-72 era. The Tide struggled offensively, shooting just 43% from the field and a dismal 23% from beyond the arc (six-for-26). Tennessee also dominated on the boards with a 42-33 rebounding advantage. Labaron Philon led Alabama with 26 points, though the team was without guard Aden Holloway and freshman Amari Allen due to injuries sustained in a previous game against Oklahoma.

Nate Oats, the head coach, mentioned that both players were injured in the Oklahoma game but are not considered long-term setbacks. Charles Bediako, who made his return to Tuscaloosa after more than two seasons, contributed 13 points, three rebounds, two blocks, and two steals in 25 minutes. He shot well, making five of his six attempts.

Impact on Rankings

Following its second home loss in conference play this month, Alabama’s rankings saw some movement. In the latest NET rankings, the Crimson Tide dropped to No. 22, down four spots from last week. They are now one spot behind the Iowa Hawkeyes and one spot ahead of North Carolina.

In the KenPom ratings, Alabama fell to No. 19, down two spots from the previous week. Their overall rating is +24.64, a slight decrease from +25.43. The Tide’s offensive rating of 128.3 is ranked third nationally, behind Illinois and Purdue. On defense, they have a rating of 103.7, which places them 69th nationally. Alabama is currently ranked one spot ahead of Tennessee and one spot below Texas Tech in the overall KenPom team rankings.

Upcoming Schedule

Alabama will face the Missouri Tigers on Tuesday at Coleman Coliseum. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on the SEC Network. Here’s a look at the rest of the schedule:

• Nov. 3: vs. North Dakota (W, 91-62)
• Nov. 8: at St. John’s (W, 103-96)
• Nov. 13: vs. Purdue (L, 87-80)
• Nov. 19: vs. Illinois (W, 90-86)
• Nov. 24: vs. Gonzaga (L, 95-85)
• Nov. 25: vs. UNLV (W, 115-76)
• Nov. 26: vs. Maryland (W, 105-72)
• Dec. 3: vs. Clemson (W, 90-84)
• Dec. 7: vs. UTSA (W, 97-55)
• Dec. 13: vs. Arizona (L, 96-75)
• Dec. 17: vs. South Florida (W, 104-93)
• Dec. 21: vs. Kennesaw State (W, 92-81)
• Dec. 29: vs. Yale (W, 102-78)
• Jan. 3: vs. Kentucky (W, 89-74)
• Jan. 7: at Vanderbilt (L, 96-90)
• Jan. 10: vs. Texas (L, 92-88)
• Jan. 13: at Mississippi State (W, 97-82)
• Jan. 17: at Oklahoma (W, 83-81)
• Jan. 24: vs. Tennessee (L, 79-73)
• Jan. 27: vs. Missouri, 8 p.m., SEC Network
• Feb. 1: at Florida, noon, ABC
• Feb. 4: vs. Texas A&M, 6 p.m., SEC Network
• Feb. 7: at Auburn, 3 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
• Feb. 11: at Ole Miss, 6 p.m., SEC Network
• Feb. 14: vs. South Carolina, 7:30 p.m., SEC Network
• Feb. 18: vs. Arkansas, 6 p.m., TBA
• Feb. 21: at LSU, 5 p.m., SEC Network
• Feb. 25: vs. Mississippi State, ESPN2 or ESPNU
• Feb. 28: at Tennessee, ESPN or ESPN2
• March 3: at Georgia, 5:30 p.m., ESPNews
• March 7: vs. Auburn, 7:30 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2

Overall record: 13-6.