Alabama gained its second SEC males’s match championship in three years after it defeated Texas A&M, 82-63, in Bridgestone Arena.
Brandon Miller, who was named the match’s most respected participant, led the best way with 23 factors and 12 rebounds to energy the win. Jahvon Quinerly was terrific on offense and protection, slowing down Texas A&M star Wade Taylor IV and pouring in 22 factors on 8 for 14 from the sector.
After chopping down the nets and celebrating together with his SEC champions, Alabama coach Nate Oats met with the media to debate the group’s profitable run in Nashville.
Here is every part he stated after the title win.
NATE OATS: It was a hard-fought contest. Hard to open the factor up. I imply, they’re a tricky, nice group. We simply misplaced to them eight days in the past.
We challenged our guards, we needed to do higher. Last time we performed ‘em, their starting backcourt with Taylor and Radford and Dennis were all in double figures. Taylor and Radford were over 20, Taylor had 28. The rest of the team, only three other guys scored. They were one point, two points, four points.
We really challenged our guards, we had to do better. I thought we did a great job on some of the opposing team’s greatest gamers on this match. Kobe Brown was First Team All-SEC, scored six on us yesterday. Wade Taylor, First Team All-SEC, didn’t make his first discipline aim till 9 minutes within the second half.
I feel Quinerly did an unbelievable job on Taylor in the present day.
Proud of our protection. Thought we did an excellent job taking good care of the ball. Loads higher this recreation. We stated offensively we’re going to need to care for the ball. We had 16 assists, solely 12 turnovers for the match. We had 55 assists, that’s nearly 20 a recreation. I assumed our guys did a fantastic job sharing the ball, transferring the ball.
I informed them simply hold taking pictures. We didn’t shoot it nice in the present day, however 33% wasn’t unhealthy. I assumed we have been capable of get the kind of pictures we wished. We took 36 threes, 22 at-the-rim pictures. Only received 5 non-rim twos, versus us forcing them into taking 26 non-rim twos.
So variety our defensive philosophy, how we need to work. Field aim share fairly good. I assumed that is the very best recreation Charles performed since he’s been in an Alabama uniform. Charles got here out, impacted the sport. We have been plus 33 when Charles was within the recreation. 13 rebounds, 12 factors, 5 blocks. Affected loads of pictures the place he didn’t get blocks. Really proud of that.
Obviously Quinerly stepped up large each instances we have now been right here in Nashville. If we had an NBA group, I’d inform him to attempt to get on the NBA group. 6-0 in Nashville. He exhibits up massive each time he comes right here.
Nice it’s Brandon’s residence metropolis. Tournament MVP when he’s in entrance of loads of family and friends again right here at residence. Ecstatic for our guys. They’re a fantastic group of children that bonded, performed collectively. We had some targets at first of the 12 months, common season championship was certainly one of them. We received that. Tournament championship was one. They got here out able to play in the present day.
Couldn’t be happier for them. Bus trip residence from Nashville will probably be much more enjoyable now that we received a win. We’re going to stay round right here and watch Selection Sunday to see what our matchups will probably be.
Question: You talked about yesterday up till in the present day you have been 0-3 in opposition to Buzz Williams and Texas A&M. What did it imply to get the primary win in the present day and your second SEC championship?
NATE OATS: I imply, look, Buzz does an unbelievable job. You take a look at how he’s turned that program round. It’s not essentially particular to get in opposition to them, we’re simply 0-3 in opposition to them since I received right here. Haven’t performed that many video games. It’s the one college since I received right here that we have now a dropping file in opposition to.
We made certain we actually ready for this. I assumed our coaches did a very good job on either side of the ball. We didn’t do a fantastic job getting ready our guys for the sport at their place final week I didn’t assume.
It’s much more particular to win the SEC. The SEC’s a very good basketball league. Got some actually good basketball applications on this league. I imply, clearly Kentucky’s Kentucky, everyone is aware of. You sort of go down the listing. Auburn has been to a Final Four. It’s our rival college. Arkansas, received nice expertise.
You take a look at the 4 groups that have been on this semifinals, Missouri, Coach Gates has performed a fantastic job. (Jerry) Stackhouse has performed an unbelievable job.
To beat the groups we needed to beat to get right here was not straightforward. So happy with the fellows, happy with their effort, proud they have been capable of get actually targeted. Got loads of psychological toughness.
To sweep it common season and match twice in three years, with a completely completely different group, Quinerly is a giant a part of each, speaks to the extent of gamers who’ve been capable of get in right here. You can’t win these video games with out gamers. We’re lucky to have the very best participant on the ground this 12 months each time we walked out with Brandon.
Quinerly has been unbelievable for us. Seems like he exhibits up in March. We have the March model of Quinerly for certain. Happy for the group however notably these two.
Question: How is that this 12 months completely different as match champs transferring forward to the NCAA match in contrast to a few years in the past?
NATE OATS: You know what, I feel we have been No. 1 for per week. We may fairly probably be a No. 1 total seed. We have been a 2 seed earlier than. We received to the Sweet 16. The second weekend of the match’s not straightforward to do. We didn’t make free throws in opposition to UCLA, went to additional time, we misplaced.
This group’s completely different. They’re each actually particular in my eyes. That group was a bunch that determined to purchase into the brand new employees, us taking part in, recruited by a earlier employees. Without that group, we’re not the place we’re at. We have been capable of flip the entire narrative of Alabama basketball again in a fantastic path.
Now we’ve received a brand new group. Quinerly remains to be right here clearly. Numerous new guys. Roster was recruited totally by our employees. Different. They all got here right here to play a sure type.
I feel we’re proving you possibly can play quick, you possibly can play a contemporary type in faculty, up-tempo, capturing loads of threes. As lengthy as your protection is the place it must be, you possibly can win.
Very distinctly completely different teams. I like this group. I feel we’re third within the nation in protection, similar to the group two years in the past. We have a little bit bit extra offensive firepower, a little bit bit extra versatility, a little bit extra depth. We don’t have Herb Jones on protection, however we received Charles. We have higher rim safety.
I feel you noticed how good we may be on protection when everyone’s locked in. Similar in loads of methods, however positively completely different teams. Love every of ‘em. Excited to see what we can do with this group in the NCAA tournament.
Question: Regarding the defense, can you explain what Charles means to that unit, how he plays such a crucial role?
NATE OATS: With the way we’ve designed our protection, Charlie Henry, my assistant that runs the protection, got here from the NBA. We’re third within the nation in defensive effectivity two years in the past and not using a rim protector like him. We did it otherwise that 12 months.
This 12 months with Charles on the rim, we’re attempting to ship every part — run them off the three-point line and run him downhill to the rim.
Charles anchors the protection when he’s in. He impacts loads of pictures. I’m trying, they shot 16 threes. They shot 26 non-rim twos. They have been 3 for 26 on non-rim twos, 5 of 16 from three. They shot underneath 30% from the ground. Numerous that is because of Charles.
Obviously our guards need to do an excellent job sending the ball down into the lane. Those guards from Texas A&M, most guards didn’t need to go into the rim in opposition to Charles, so that they take loads of non-rim twos. 3 of 26 they have been in the present day. That’s 11%. Great protection for us when you possibly can drive midrange twos.
If you don’t have Charles on the rim to dam ‘em, those end up being more at the rims. Your at the rim percentage is going to be a lot higher. They finished 46% on the active rims; they didn’t get almost as a lot of them. They solely received 24 of these.
Without Charles anchoring it, it’s not going to be what it’s. We have loads of different guys which might be good on protection, too. Pringle is getting higher. Backup heart. Backs up Clowney. Neither of these are fairly Charles, however they’re each getting higher in their very own proper.
Question: You’re firmly within the combine for the No. 1 total seed. Why do you assume you’re deserving of that?
NATE OATS: I don’t get into all that. We play the video games in our schedule. You cowl us rather a lot. You know the way we wish to schedule. If you don’t play the very best, I don’t assume you may be the very best.
We went on the highway to Houston, gained at Houston. They’re going to be a 1 seed, too. I’m unsure who the opposite 1 seeds will probably be. If you take a look at our résumé, it’s fairly robust. That could make us the No. 1 total in the event that they select to. If you’re evaluating two groups, certainly one of them gained on the highway on the different one, it comes right down to these two, it most likely makes it a little bit simpler as a result of we have been capable of play ‘em.
Houston’s an unbelievable group, too. They received a fantastic résumé. I’m unsure who’s within the dialog. I feel Kansas misplaced within the Big 12 match. They’re actually good. Got a very robust résumé, I’ve seen. Just need to see how a lot they worth convention tournaments and the extent of play within the convention match.
I imply, the SEC is likely one of the greatest leagues within the nation, gained the common season and convention match each. We gained on the highway at Houston. The Carolina win doesn’t look pretty much as good now. They have been No. 1 within the nation after we beat ‘em. I thought we played pretty well up there. We beat Michigan State. At the time they were a little better. They’re nonetheless a very good program.
I feel we did an excellent job within the non-conference. That’s the factor with us, too, we’re going to assist our league out by how we schedule the non-conference. When we win these massive video games, it helps the league out. We get within the league, we’re going to do some bit higher.
We’re going to proceed to schedule that means. I feel it’s paid off yearly we’ve been right here. Hopefully it should repay once more this 12 months.
Question: All issues thought of, how has this group been constructed to win the nationwide championship? What are the three keys?
NATE OATS: I feel we’ve received a very good likelihood to win it. If you’re going to provide me three keys, I’m going to return to what has sort of bothered us a little bit bit this 12 months. Turnovers. If we are able to persistently care for the ball, not flip it over the place we get pictures up, that’s primary.
Number two is simply our defensive depth. I feel you noticed it in the present day. It was rather a lot completely different than it’s been. Our Texas A&M recreation in College Station, then take a look at what it was in the present day. Quinerly’s depth. It’s not a particular factor, however how exhausting will we need to play on D? When our defensive depth is up, locked right into a scouting report like we have been in the present day, we’re the most effective defenses and groups within the nation.
The last item I’d say is can we generate sufficient we name margin performs? Can we win the second likelihood? Today I’m second-chance factors. We gained it 14-11. Can we win the free throw deal? We didn’t in the present day. They have been 20 of 24, we have been 16 of twenty-two. Can we win the transition factors. We name them margin performs. We have been 17-8 in the present day.
Can we win the margin video games? Can we care for the ball, include a defensive depth? If we are able to do this, we’re going to be taking part in hopefully three weeks from tomorrow and having an opportunity to do this.
It’s not straightforward. You received to do it six video games in a row.
What I gained’t say is we’ve received to shoot it properly. We’ve tried to construct a group that may nonetheless win after we don’t shoot it properly. Can we be nice on protection, rebound the ball properly, care for the ball. If we do this, even when we shoot it poorly, I feel we are able to generate sufficient free throws, rim pictures to win. I feel we’ve received an opportunity to win the entire thing, such as you stated.
Question: You’re in a really unprecedented state of affairs right here. You have a group that’s one of many favorites. There’s going to be loads of consideration on you with this homicide case that’s ongoing. As the match goes to start out in a pair days, what’s your message going to be to the group about all of this?
NATE OATS: Obviously we by no means lose sight of the tragedy that’s sort of marked our season. It’s all the time there.
Today, with the group, we’re going to rejoice this win with out dropping sight of that. Moving ahead, we’re going to attempt to hold the group targeted on the duty at hand, similar to we have now, with out ever dropping sight of the very fact it’s an unbelievably unhappy state of affairs.
Our guys have been capable of do a reasonably good job of that, I feel. Love to rejoice in the present day what we have been capable of accomplish collectively as a group, so…
Question: You have been capable of out-rebound the Aggies by 13. How massive of an emphasis was that?
NATE OATS: Huge level of emphasis. Coach Hodgson coaches our bigs. He was throughout ‘em. Charles I believe had seven boards in the first half. He came out ready to play. I thought he dominated the game on the interior.
I challenged Clowney at halftime. He was a zero, zero points, rebounds, blue-collar points. He was in foul trouble obviously. But he played eight minutes.I said, Look, we need you to step up if we’re going to win this recreation. He stepped up within the second half. He had 11 rebounds. To go from zero to 11 in 12 minutes within the second half, 11 rebounds in 12 minutes, he stepped up. Clowney has been large for what we’ve been capable of do.
We had three guys in double-figure rebounds, Clowney, Miller, Bediako. Based on our beginning entrance courtroom, it was massive.
Second-chance factors, they want these to win these. They want factors off turnovers, want to show individuals over, second-chance factors, margin performs. They have been nice at all of it 12 months. To rebound a group that robust and bodily, they actually grasp their hat on that sort of stuff. To out-rebound them by 13 was large.
