TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Nate Oats has no interest in the one-and-done argument for the SEC Tournament. The Alabama coach made it clear he’s headed to Nashville, Tennessee, this week to capture another piece of silverware for the Crimson Tide.
“We’re gonna try to win it,” Oats said. “We try to win championships. We’ve won more championships in the SEC than anybody else since I’ve been here. This is a championship we’re trying to win.”
Oats’ stance on the SEC Tournament, which concludes on the same day the NCAA Tournament is selected, is a fairly simple one that is befitting of the Tide coach’s philosophy. Alabama winning as many games as it can will help set it up to make a run in the Big Dance.
Success in the SEC Tournament doesn’t always equate to wins in March Madness. Just last season, Alabama lost its first game in Nashville to Florida before kicking into gear in the NCAA Tournament and reaching its first Final Four in school history. One of Oats’ conference counterparts, Arkansas coach John Calipari, even said recently that he doesn’t care about the Razorbacks’ result in the SEC Tournament and isn’t bothered by an early exit.
“The tournament that matters is the NCAA Tournament,” Calipari told The Chuck & Bo Show. “Now, you play [the SEC Tournament] to get the best seed you can get, and if you’re gonna get to the finals, win. Or don’t go to the finals and lose because you’re exhausted and you’ve gotta play on Tuesday or Wednesday. So I’m like, let’s play well and try to improve our seed.”
Calipari may have a point when it comes to teams getting extra rest by not having to play anywhere from three to five days in a row in Nashville. But Oats doesn’t share that approach. He was quick to point out Alabama’s one-and-done run in Tampa, Florida, in 2021, which also saw the Tide bounced in the Big Dance.
As far as getting a better NCAA Tournament seeding, Alabama faces a possible matchup against Florida in the semifinal round this season. The Gators are currently widely projected to be a No. 1 seed and Alabama a No. 2 seed when the field of 68 is announced Sunday. A win just one day before the bracket gets picked could give the Tide the edge it needs to reach the coveted No. 1 seed line.
“If we don’t end up winning it, there will be some positives we’ll try to sell the guys on,” Oats said. “But, that’s not the goal. The goal is to go there to win three in a row and win a championship and have ourselves playing on a run going into the NCAA Tournament.”
A run in the tournament will also provide good experience for some of the younger members of the Tide’s roster. Sophomore forward Mouhamed Dioubate said Wednesday that taking care of your body is crucial with so many games in a short stretch. Winning multiple games in Nashville would give less experienced players like Labaron Philon and Aiden Sherrell a taste of what’s to come in the first two weekends of March Madness. Oats’ players also share his philosophy when it comes trying to win every game in front of them.
“Oats is winner,” Dioubate said. “So we try to win every game we play, despite the team or the competition. Us, we’re competitive. So we try to win every game we can, and we’re coming into this tournament to win the tournament even if it takes a load on our bodies. So, we’re just tyring to win it all.”
No. 3 seed Alabama will play its quarterfinal matchup of the SEC Tournament at 8:30 p.m. CT Friday inside Bridgestone Arena. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network. The Tide is awaiting the winner between No. 6 seed Kentucky and either No. 11 seed Georgia or No. 14 seed Oklahoma. The Bulldogs and Sooners play at 8:30 p.m. CT Wednesday for the right to face the Wildcats on Thursday.
