Alabama basketball ‘not concerned with right stuff’ in 1st loss to Ohio State

Alabama men’s basketball (4-1) failed its initial test against a potential NCAA Tournament team, ultimately losing a neutral-site matchup to Ohio State (4-1), 92-81, in Raider Arena in Niceville, Florida.

The No. 17 Tide lost for the first time this season, slumping from a slow shooting start and not having the defensive answers in the second half. Head coach Nate Oats noted postgame he wasn’t “quite sure (players) were concerned with the right stuff coming into the game.”

UA had entered the Emerald Coast Classic as the fifth-ranked team nationally in KenPom’s Adjusted efficiency margin, the highest-rated group in the tourney. Its offense was averaging triple-digits, the most per game of any team in the country. But Ohio State countered with physicality, better shot-making and never really lost its grip on the pace.

The Buckeyes tied its season-high with 10 3-pointers nearly midway through the final frame. It was the most from range UA had allowed this season. OSU joined Indiana State as the second team to make more than half of its shots against the Tide.

While trailing, Oats limited the rotation to mostly seven players: Mark Sears, Aaron Estrada, Grant Nelson, Jarin Stevenson, Latrell Wrightsell, Nick Pringle and Rylan Griffen. (Freshman Sam Walters checked in for late scoring). Oats had said defensive effort was going to be a deciding factor. The Buckeyes shot 54% from the field and no UA players finished with a positive plus/minus.

“(Griffen’s) been really locked into the defensive end and it shows. We gotta get better play on the defensive end from everybody,” Oats said. " ... You get locked in your locked-in, concerned with the right stuff.

“I think right now we need to get everybody locked in on the defensive end and worried about the right stuff.”

Early on, the Tide was able to score despite its lack of 3-point shooting. The Tide led 19-13 after Mohamed Wague muscled inside for a layup. But the Buckeyes responded with a heavy dose of mid-range jump shots. Sophomore guard Bruce Thornton scored 14 points in the first half, causing UA guards a fit near the 3-point arch.

Estrada scored 12 points of his own. UA generated 12 3-point shots, a handful wide open, but only converted three. It finished a season-low 30% (9-of-30) from deep. Nelson’s work inside kept OSU within reach, but Alabama trailed by five points at intermission. OSU also out-rebounded the Tide 32-to-24 and made 28 free throws compared to Alabama’s 20.

Alabama trailed by double digits for most of the second half, and though it made quick runs via the free-throw line, shortening the lead to six and seven points, Thornton or Zed Key managed timely makes. The Tide never managed a rhythm and were too often a step slow on defensive rotations.

“I thought some guys just missed some open ones. Also wasn’t quite sure they were concerned with the right stuff coming into the game,” Oats said. “I would like for our guys to get really worried about how we’re going to guard somebody and let the shots come to them. I think when you’re so worried about scoring it that backfires usually.”

The Tide earned momentum after a Sears 3-pointer and OSU timeout with 5:23 remaining, the Buckeyes in the middle of a four-minute scoreless stretch. But Thornton kept attacking the rim. The sophomore scored a career-high 29 points. His fellow guard Roddy Gale Jr. added 23 points. Nelson finished with a UA-high 20 points with six rebounds, three blocks and two assists.

The Tide will play the loser of Oregon- Santa Clara, who’ll tip off later Friday night, on Saturday at 3 p.m. CT.