Nate Oats is Concerned About the Way Alabama is Playing

Kentucky point guard Lamont Butler helped beat Alabama in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. (Vicky Graff Photo)

With a roster many feel could be as good as any in the country, Alabama figured to be an elite team again this year after reaching the Final Four last season.

The Crimson Tide had lost only to Purdue and Oregon before suffering a shocking 74-64 home loss to Ole Miss Tuesday that left coach Nate Oats fuming. He called the loss “disgusting” but did put a lot of the blame on himself.

“It starts with me. I felt like we lost because they came ready to play. They brought energy. They brought effort. We did not. That’s a frustrating way to lose,” Oats said after the game.

Kentucky hopes to add to the Crimson Tide’s frustration Saturday when the teams play in Rupp Arena. Kentucky will be going for its sixth win this season over a team ranked in the top 15.

Even though Alabama was held to 64 points by Ole Miss, the Tide still averages 89.5 points per game and, like Kentucky, has five players averaging in double figures. Alabama self-destructed against Ole Miss with 21 turnovers, including many early in the game when Ole Miss took control of the game.

“I told our guys in the locker room after the game, ‘We have to deserve to win, and we didn’t deserve to win this game,’” Oats said after the game. “Ole Miss came in and they deserved to win the game.

“You have to deserve it with your preparation going into the game. Then you’ve got to deserve it with your effort once you’re in the game. The team that deserved to win tonight won the game tonight.”

Kentucky is averaging 88.7 points per game and is shooting 36 percent from 3 and holding opponents to 28 percent shooting from long range.

“I think we should all be pretty concerned, to be honest with you,” Oats said about what lies ahead for his team.

Oats has two wins over UK and last year the Cats put up 117 points in a 22-point win over Alabama in Rupp Arena.

One other note: Alabama’s 64-point outing against Ole Miss was its lowest scoring game since a 2023 NCAA Tournament loss to San Diego State and guard Lamont Butler, who is now UK’s floor leader and defensive catalyst.