College basketball is unpredictable, but Alabama head coach Nate Oats knows how to navigate tough situations. After suffering back-to-back losses against ranked opponents, the Crimson Tide needed to bounce back. Saturday’s game against No. 17 Kentucky provided the perfect opportunity, and Alabama capitalized dominantly.
Alabama Fan’s Response to Struggles Brings Historic Milestone for Nate Oats
Oats had emphasized the importance of Grant Nelson stepping up again after his strong performance against Kentucky in their last meeting. However, midway through the first half at Coleman Coliseum, Nelson was subbed out and did not return until the second half.
The X page of Matt Sak BBN posted a snippet with the caption, saying, “Watch the ref signal a three, and then switch to a foul the second Nate Oats tells him to.”
Sears was not even touched!!! Such bs man
— Michael Davis (@wildcat4life21) February 23, 2025
Let’s see a few of the comments on the post:
“Embarrassing,” one person said.
“Sears was not even touched!!! Such bs man,” someone else said.
“It’s a foul. He hit his hands. Now Perry not given a chance to land on the previous possession is a different story,” another person said.
“Not a chance in hell there was a foul here on Oweh,” someone else said.
“I mean, nothing you can say to this, but clear robbery. We probably lose anyway. But refs handed them 10 or 12 points,” another fan said.
Despite his limited time on the floor, Alabama (22-5, 11-3 SEC) found offensive power elsewhere, with Mark Sears delivering an impressive 30-point performance. Sears, who was listed as probable for the game, played through any lingering issues to lead the Tide to victory.
Meanwhile, Nelson’s absence raised questions. After scoring 25 points in Alabama’s dominant win over Kentucky at Rupp Arena last month, he managed just a single point on Saturday.
When Nelson was benched with just over 10 minutes remaining in the first half, Alabama was trailing by seven. Up to that point, he had recorded only one assist and one rebound without attempting a shot.
While Oats has often pulled Nelson due to turnovers, that wasn’t the case this time. Instead, the coach pointed to foul trouble as the reason for Nelson’s removal, saying, “It was nothing more than foul trouble.”
Fans, however, speculated about possible officiating issues during the game, with some alleging Oats influenced questionable calls that played in Alabama’s favor.
Oats Breaks Record for Ranked Wins
Alabama needed to respond to its recent struggles, and the Tide did just that with a commanding 96-83 victory over Kentucky. Along with ending the two-game skid, the win marked a major milestone for the Oats.
With Saturday’s result, Oats secured his 26th victory over an Associated Press top-25 team, breaking Alabama’s record. Previously, he had been tied with Wimp Sanderson, who held the record with 25 ranked wins.
What makes this even more impressive is that Oats reached the milestone in just six seasons—half the time it took Sanderson to achieve the same feat.
This season alone, Alabama has set another record with eight ranked wins, surpassing the program’s previous single-season high, which was set just last year. Oats’ ability to win big games has been key to Alabama’s rise in national prominence.
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His success against top-tier opponents has been notable. Of his 26 ranked wins, 11 have come against top-10 teams, six against top-five teams, and two against No. 1-ranked opponents.
The challenging schedule continues for Alabama, with upcoming games against No. 21 Mississippi State, No. 6 Tennessee, No. 2 Florida, and No. 1 Auburn. More ranked wins could further solidify Alabama’s status as a top contender.
Oats, who has a 139-59 record with Alabama, led the Tide to its first-ever Final Four appearance last season. Under his leadership, Alabama has reached every NCAA Tournament held during his tenure. This year, the team is on track for another deep run, currently projected as a No. 1 seed.
With a tough road ahead, Alabama will look to build on its momentum and maintain its dominance against ranked opponents.
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