TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — After a 13-game nonconference stretch, Alabama basketball will begin Southeastern Conference play Saturday. The Crimson Tide (11-2) will face Oklahoma in its first test in what is shaping up to be a gauntlet SEC.

Coach Nate Oats has plenty to evaluate from his side’s non-conference performances and identified a few points of emphasis ahead of the Tide’s first SEC game. Though the Tide is in a comfortable position after its 11-2 start, it has had its share of struggles. As it rolls into SEC play, the biggest area of improvement for Alabama in Oats’ eyes is on the defensive end.

“Our defense isn’t where it needs to be,” Oats said. “I think guys taking some individual pride on defense, keeping guys out of the lane. I think our rim protection could stand to get a little bit better still. So we need [Clifford Omoruyi, Grant [Nelson], Aiden [Sherrell] to do a better job there.”

As Alabama trims down its rotation, Oats is hoping Omoruyi can improve his output and time spent on the court to increase Alabama’s rim protection. The Rutgers transfer is playing 18.7 minutes per game, the fewest since his freshman season. While he does lead Alabama with 1.2 blocks per game, that tally is also Omoruyi’s worst output since his first season in college.

Oats doesn’t expect Omoruyi to have the best fitness on the roster, but he does want to see the Tide’s high-profile center increase his output, especially on defense against the elite post-play in the SEC. Should Omoruyi make the leap, improvement in Alabama’s defensive metrics should follow.

“I think he’s figuring the pace out a little better,” Oats said. “Mentally, he’s able to process a little quicker than he was earlier just because he wasn’t used to playing this pace, and then conditioning-wise, he may be a guy that just places a lot more shorter stints. He’s in and out a little more just to kind of keep him fresh, but I hope his minutes go up because we need him to start to dominate the interior for us when were into league play.”

Alabama’s struggles from 3 have come as a surprise this season given the number of established high-level shooters on the roster. The Tide has shot just 31.6% from deep in non-conference play and needed 55 attempts to get to 19 made 3s in its last game against South Dakota State.

Oats emphasized that Alabama has to work on its efficiency moving forward, making sure players are taking the right kind of 3s while limiting turnovers and creating extra possessions off missed shots.

“We gotta take care of the ball and get better 3s from the correct shooters and then while we’re missing them we’ve gotta do a good job on the o boards,” Oats said. “We can still win games if we don’t shoot it great from 3 by getting on the offensive glass. We gotta continue to emphasize that.”

Though Alabama has underperformed from deep, Oats remains optimistic that the team’s shooting numbers will improve in SEC play. Start guard Mark Sears started out the year cold and is shooting just 34.4% from deep thus far. Newcomers like Chris Youngblood, Aden Holloway and Houston Mallette were proven shooters at their previous stops, but haven’t been hitting shots at the same clip so far this season. Oats remained adamant that if Alabama can create the right types of 3s and players continue to put up shots in practice the 3s will start to fall in games.

“I think those guys that have put that work in need to continue to put the work in. I think it will jump. I think Sears started out the year struggling. He’s improved quite a bit in the last month or so. I think he’s done a better job making sure he’s shot-ready and taking good shots. I think if our shooters take great shots, catch-and-shoots where they’re stepping in and some of the other guys — and some of our shooters can take some off the dribble once – but some of our guys need to strictly take catch-and-shoot 3s.

“So, I think emphasizing the type of shots we want and then emphasizing guys getting in the gym and putting up shots and then just some guys like Sears reverting back to the mean, Youngblood, the more comfortable he gets he’s been a proven shooter his entire career. I think once he gets healthy he’ll help those numbers go up quite a bit too.”

The talent and potential of the Tide’s roster make it capable of overcoming the struggles faced in non-conference play. While there’s far less room for error over the next 18 games — beginning with an undefeated No. 12 ranked Sooners side — Alabama remains in a position to challenge for the regular season crown should the team commit to the improvements Oats is expecting moving forward.

The Tide and Sooners will faceoff at 5 p.m. CT Saturday inside Coleman Coliseum. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network.