The No. 4 Alabama men’s basketball team defeated No. 17 Kentucky 96-83 on Saturday to finish a significant season sweep, ending a two-game losing streak.
Among the many noteworthy aspects of the performance was the Crimson Tide’s (22-5, 11-3 SEC) comeback from yet another difficult start. Defense was one of those things. After the game, head coach Nate Oats declared that insufficient effort will not be tolerated.
Many replacements were made early in the game as a result of the policy’s implementation. However, Oats’ team reacted, and even assisted its coach in setting a new program record for victories by a head coach against AP Top 25 opponents.
Mark Pope, the head coach of Kentucky, who took over as head coach of the Wildcats from John Calipari for the first time, stated after the game that he thought Alabama was a good defensive squad. Due in part to Alabama’s fierce defense, Pope’s team was unable to rally and lost 18-9 (7-7 SEC).
It is uncommon for Alabama to sweep Kentucky during the regular season. This past Saturday was only the fourth time it has occurred. That did not appear to be the case in the early going of the competition.
Recently, defense has been a cause of contention for Oats and his team. Clearly, the head coach of the Crimson Tide has been hoping for more of it. Despite lacking in one area, the squad from the previous season managed to have a strong enough tournament run to qualify for the Final Four.
Before reaching March, let alone the Final Four, this season’s team must pass a number of crucial tests, and if it hopes to win in San Antonio, it will need to play strong defense.
